THE VANISHING VISITOR

Federal Writers' Project
Submitted by Audrey Sprott
of Farmington

Laura Kennedy (Mrs. L. Jordan) was born with a veil over her face, so true to the old superstition, people born with a veil over their face can see things that are unseen by others which appear to their sight as a reality. Laura lived across the field from her sister, Maggie, in north Farmington a few years ago. Maggie's farm was located on a hillside just across from the "Colored Masonic Cemetery," which was located on the other hillside. Maggie's house faced this cemetery, and Laura lived back of the field from where she came to the spring for water, which was located down the hill from her sister's house, which made a sort of ravine between the two hills. Thus Laura was forced to face the cemetery while making her regular trips to and from the spring. She always watched the cemetery in the hope of seeing someone that she might know would come to pay a visit to the ones who had passed away.

So one bright morning early in the summer just before harvest time, Laura went as usual for water at the old spring and while gently drawing the cool water she raised her eyes and let them rest across the hill, which seemed so quiet and restful. She then glanced a little further across the cemetery and in the west corner saw three women dressed in dark clothing. They seemed very interested in the graves where they were standing, then they all turned and walked toward the east. Laura saw at a glance that they were strangers and wondered whom they might be.

She drew the bucket out of the water and then took another glance in wonderment. To her surprise they were back in the same position just as she had seen them before. She said to herself, "That looks mighty funny. I reckon that I am just seeing things again." But she was not satisfied so she went up to the house where her sister was and called, "Mag! Come out here and see if you can notice anyone over there in the corner of the cemetery." Mag came out, looked and then said, "I don't see a soul over there in the corner or any other place in the cemetery."

Laura could still see all three women walking around in the west corner. She went back to the spring to get the water and to her surprise the visitors vanished. She took the two pails of water and started off toward home, and just about midway in the wheat field that divided her home from that of her sister's where they had made a path to the spring, stood a strange man who seemed very interested in the wheat. Again Laura wondered if this stranger could be another one of her visions, so saying to herself, "This stranger is mighty well dressed to be from around here, and he is dressed in dark just like the women folks were; there is something funny about this. I am sure agoin' to keep my eyes on this man because I have to pass right on the same path with him; they have always said that anyone spooky that is seen, if you keep your eyes on him he will not vanish without you seeing a mist disappearing in the air, so I am going to see if there is anything to what has been said about the mist."

She was approaching closer and closer until she was about even with the stranger and to her surprise he seemed to be a real man. However, the strange women seemed real also. She was now a little skeptical in approaching on the same path, so she side-stepped as she started to pass about three feet from the stranger and stumbled, causing her to look off. When she glanced back the stranger had disappeared and instead of a man there stood an old rusty lard can, which she well knew was not there when she came through the field about twenty minutes ago. But to be sure she had not overlooked this can, she stepped back to view it, and on doing so it vanished before her eyes. By this time Laura felt that she had had enough of all vanishing things, so she turned and went off toward home as fast as her feet would carry her.

Reference, Mrs. Maggie Kennedy (colored) of Farmington.

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Fri. July 17, 1936.

Myths, Legends & Tall Tales Index Page
Home Page