Our Spooky Neighbours

Having grown up in a house that I suspected as being haunted and having had many strange paranormal experiences in my life, I have an open mind. However, hearing this story from my Mother, a woman I have long known to be skeptical in these matters, I was doubly intrigued.

I grew up in the country in the Midwest and as you may know, there used to be little family cemeteries nearly everywhere a century ago or so. One day my Mother and I were discussing a strange experience of our own when she related this story to me told to her by one of our long time neighbors.

Mrs. Hiatt and her family have lived in the neighborhood for as long as I can remember. They seemed like a perfectly normal, well-balanced family. My Mother told me that when visiting with Mrs. Hiatt one day she looked at my Mother and asked her if she believed in spirits. I Mother replied that she was unsure, then Mrs. Hiatt told her this story.

It seems that when the Hiatts moved into their home, some 40 years ago or so they found a gravestone out in the garden on their newly acquired property. It was so old that only 1 name remained--Smith. The tombstone was just laying there, unattached, so Mr. Hiatt put it in their barn.

One day not long afterwards, Mrs. Hiatt said she saw a strange man just walk through their house. It gave her chills as she knew for certain this was no "earthly" intruder! She did not mention this to her children, who were around 8 and 10 at the time. Years later, her son mentioned to her that he would look into the garden from his bedroom at night and see a woman standing there perfectly still. It frightened him so, but he did not want to mention this to his parents or sister for fear of being disbelieved.

To this day, Mrs. Hiatt and her husband have a frequent "walk through" visitor to their home. My Mother recognized the name on the tombstone that Mrs. Hiatt told her about as the family who used to own the property when my Mother was young. Could it be that the previous owners have come back to check on their property? My Mother still lives within a half mile of this property and it still gives me chills when I go by there on my way for a visit. I can't help taking a glance in the direction of the garden.