Three Knocks on the Door

by Hattie Dyck

This story is from my son-in-law Kendall Butler who grew up in Shelburne.

   Kenny’s grandmother, Sarah Hammond of Jordan Bay was a very religious woman and the very idea of believing in ghosts was foreign to her. And unlike my mother and many other women of her era she wasn’t suspicious.

   When Mrs. Hammond aged and was unable to care for herself she came to live with Kenny’s parents Sarah and Calvin Butler. One evening the three of them were sitting in the kitchen of their rural home having evening tea when they heard three knocks at the door. All three heard them but when Calvin got up and went to the door not a soul was in sight. He looked towards the road and no one was there so he came back to the table and sat down to enjoy his tea.

   A few minutes later the three knocks came again. They were distinct knocks as all three heard them. Calvin again went to the door and no one was there. He couldn’t believe what was happening because in that rural village very few if any locked their doors and so anyone really wanting in would just open the door and come in. But it was obvious he was rattled by what was happening so when they came for the third time he hesitated going to the door. 

   To his surprise Mrs. Hammond looked over at him and said, “Cal dear, don’t bother going to the door again, it’s for me.”  She didn’t explain but she was obviously right.

   She died the next morning.

   There are many premonitions of death from years ago. Some say a dog will howl the night before a death. We actually had a German Shepherd that did that one night before a close neighbour died. My mother, who was very superstitious believed that would happen.

   Susan Marlin, Maitland, believes in premonitions or forerunners, whichever you want to call them. In the late 60’s she lived in Little Bass River with her former husband Earl O’Connell. One night she woke up from a deep sleep when she heard 3 distinct knocks on the door. 

   She got up, looked at the clock and saw it was 3 am. She hurried to the door thinking it was a neighbour in need or someone with car problems. But no one was in sight. The moon was out, the stars were shining, nothing was different than any other early morning in Bass River.

   She went back to bed but couldn’t sleep. After what seemed like hours she fell into a fitful sleep. She was sure there was bad news in the offing……and there was. The telephone rang about 6 am and her fears were confirmed. The call was from Laurie Cameron of Bass River telling his mother-in-law the late Nellie O’Connell that his wife (Nellie’s daughter) had died in the night. The family wasn’t aware that Sadie was ill so it was a huge surprise to everyone except Susan.

   They asked what time she died and they said 3am, the exact time that Susan heard the 3 knocks.