The Unexplained

In 1967, I was given Glenwood Ave, Columbus, Ohio, address of Miss Alice Haviland, informed she had most extraordinary 1913 flood story she wanted to share with me and retell. When I arrived at Glenwood Ave. address, I had noticed in side yard small fenced-in area which appeared to be flower covered grave site. When eighty-year-old Miss Alice Haviland answered the door, she glanced over at that strange grave site, sighed “She’s buried there.” Once I was inside, she told me at age 17 she had illegitimate daughter, Laura in 1905. (She had named daughter Laura after famous Quaker antislavery abolitionist Laura Haviland.)

“After 1913 flood, Laura, then age eight and myself 25 returned to this home which had survived flood. One day weeks later, Laura said she was going out back to play. I warned her not to go near the yet flooded area. Little later dropped dish I was washing when Jim I had this strange feeling my daughter was in danger! I ran out of house, calling her name in a panic! Suddenly at edge of receding flood water flow, I found her red jacket. I saw sliding foot marks in the mud down into swift moving water!” Emotion stopped Alice talking. “They never found her body. Jim, it was so heart wrenching to live without my darling daughter; in desperate attempt to cope with her loss, I made that small grave site in side yard! Every day at time school let out, I had fantasy I’d see through front picket fence approach of my Laura toward front gate… one day sweeping porch, I heard small foot taps, something approaching through pickets! Around and through front gate came… A DOG! I was afraid of dogs, and backed to side as dog trots straight up on porch, through open door into house. Once inside it made left turn into what had been Laura’s room. When I passed by room, the dog was lying on Laura’s bed! In fear and strange confusion, I went to kitchen, leaving front door open with hope the dog would just leave. Suddenly the dog appeared at kitchen door, in it’s mouth with tail wagging was pink hair ribbon of Laura’s I’d never been able to find! Jim, it was the first sign! I fed the dog. Let it sleep in Laura’s room. The final sign came that Saturday. Each Saturday, my routine with Laura had been walk to nearby park (Cody Park), where at park entrance Laura would run and hide behind same big tree for me to find her. Then she’d run out and hug me. I continued each Saturday the park routine. That Saturday on way to park, heard footsteps behind me… it was dog following me to park. When reached entrance, dog as Laura had done ran ahead and WENT BEHIND THAT BIG TREE! THEN CAME RUNNING OUT, JUMPED UP ON ME WITH TAIL WAGGING, LICKING MY HANDS! I knew Jim, this female dog was my daughter Laura come back to me!

“I not only tied the pink ribbon around her neck, but I cut, sewed some of Laura’s favorite clothes for dog which stayed with me as my daughter for twelve years until she died. I placed her in the grave site I had made for my daughter. I remember as I buried her, I saw clearly in the dog’s face, the undeniable look of my strong willed Laura! Now Jim when you tell my story, your audience will simply believe the dog a desperate, traumatized mother’s way of coping with death of her daughter… so I’m giving you three photos to add to story’s reality.” Alice Haviland left the room and returned with three original photos to present to me. One photo was Alice in later years tending the yard grave site. The other two photos were of Laura Haviland around the time of her death, and photo of the beloved dog. As I looked back and forth from the daughter’s face to the dog’s face, I was shocked by the mysterious similarity of expression, countenance shared by the faces in the photos!