Spirit Demands Song.
Ghost beats time on the wall.
A weird story comes from Barreiro. An old woman named Guilhermina Lopes died and was buried. The night of the funeral her grandchild, a girl of about 14, was disturbed by repeated knockings on the wall of her room near her bed.
Finding the noise continued, the child got up and went into the next room, the kitchen, but no-one was there and the noise had ceased. She returned to her bed, and immediately the knocking began again. This continued for several nights and all the family heard it.
The general opinion, says a Lisbon correspondent, was that the gradmother had “returned,” and was trying to communicate with them. Neighbours flocked to hear and were not disappointed. At length a certain rhythm was observed in the order of the knocks, and questions were put just as to the table at a seance.
“Is it you, grandmother?” asked the grandchild. Two knocks (“yes”).
“Do you want to speak with anyone?” One knock (“No”).
“Do you want anything?” Two violent knocks.
After fruitless endeavours to find out what was wanted the grandchild asked. “Do you want me to sing to you, grandmother?” Two more violent thumps signified that music was desired, and the child began to sing a favourite country song, the grandmother accompanying her by beating out the tune on the wall!
Since then the child has always sung at the same hour and the grandmother has always shown her appreciation by knocking. All Barreiro has been to hear, and Lisbon journalists have crossed the Tagus to inquire into the matter.
One of them, from the “Seculo,” said he believed that the child herself was responsible for the knocks, but this was indignantly denied by the “Diarie de Lisbon.” The concert is still being given daily.
Western Evening Herald, 21st June 1923.