Aunt Caroline's Ghost

The entire family thought Grandma Deleo was nuts. She insisted that the farm house in which she was raised was haunted by Aunt Caroline's ghost.

After Grandma's mother died, Aunt Laurel and Uncle Rudolph took her in and raised her in their huge rambling farmhouse in Orleans County, NY. Grandma's Aunt Caroline was also living there.

According to grandma, Aunt Caroline was the meanest woman to walk the face of the earth. Aunt Caroline dressed in high button shoes and long flowing crinoline dresses that swished when she walked. For reasons known only to Grandma, Aunt Caroline hated her and vented her evil ways only in Grandma's direction.

Grandma inherited the house when Aunt Laurel and Uncle Rudolph died. Shortly after that, Aunt Caroline passed away too, much to the delight of grandma, who thought she was rid of the nasty wench forever.

Aunt Laurel and Uncle Rudolph were buried and never heard from again.

Aunt Caroline came back.

Back in those days it was customary for visiting friends and relatives to spend the night whenever they paid a visit. Though grandma talked of the ongoing abuse from Aunt Caroline's ghost, people paid her little mind, preferring instead to think her mad and to snicker behind her back.

One night, Aunt Caroline decided to give them all a command performance.

I can't reveal my relative's real names. They'd sue me if I did. Most of them wish I would shut up about this family horror stuff.

But anyway, a "bunch of relatives" were sleeping soundly in the old farmhouse when something awoke them one by one. Each relative later admitted hearing the distinct sound of footfalls in his or her room, followed by the swishing sounds of a long crinoline dress scraping across the wooden floor.

One male relative, scared out of his mind, hid beneath the blankets until the footfalls left the room. He quietly crawled out of bed, opened the door and stared into the darkened corridor,  where a misty, shadowy figure was floating down the hallway, peeping in at the other guests.

The next morning, grandma had fewer guests for breakfast than she'd had at dinner. The ones who hadn't fled during the night sat at the breakfast table quietly sipping their coffee in shell-shocked silence.

A female relative placed her baby BeBe (fake name) in the crib and returned to the kitchen table. Just as she sat down,  BeBe started crying. The breakfast guests said,"Let her cry. It's good for her." Apparently that builds character in little babies? So, the guests ignored little BeBe's cries while they ate their ham and eggs.

Suddenly, the sound of swishing crinoline burst into the kitchen.  A ghostly apparition that appeared to be wearing a long, flowing dress raced to the crib and began fussing with BeBe, quieting her cries. All guests witnessed it. They watched in horror and confusion, unable to move or explain the strange sight.

Before anyone could gain voice or movement, Aunt Caroline swished out of the kitchen and out the back door.

Relatives didn't spend the night at Grandma's house after that. Those who were brave enough to visit during the day, made excuses for not sleeping over.

No one laughed at grandma's ghost stories after that. In fact, the mere mention of Aunt Caroline's name breaks them out in a nervous, cold sweat.

Written by Ginny Zimmer