I grew up in a house at (NOTE from Webmaster: Since I don't have permission
from the current owners to post this address on the webpage, I will simply say...)
[the 600 block of]
Knight Street, and recall seeing a
small girl (about 6-7 years of age) wearing a long white nightgown
at the top of the stairs. This house was about 200 yards from the
railroad tracks. I saw her several times during the mid 50's.
I asked several of the old timers in the neighborhood
(and many of them had worked for the railroad) if they knew who
she was (or had been.) Two of them told me that her father had been
an engineer several decades before. She was in the habit of
approaching the tracks when his train came in late in the evening to
wave in welcome.
One evening, she came too close to the tracks, stumbled in the path
of the train, and was killed. I have no idea if this is true,
but I know what I saw.
She was wearing a long white nightgown, and her hair was braided. I believe
she was 6-7 years old, and I only saw her at night. I have often wondered if
she is still there. I was in Miles City several years ago, and the house is
still there. No one else in my family ever saw her. I seem to remember her
name was Emily, or Amelia - that's what I recall from what the old
railroaders told me.
I saw her 25-30 times when I was growing up. My grandmother always walked my
two younger sisters upstairs and tucked them in. When it came time for me
to go up, I was understandably reluctant. As I climbed the stairs toward
her, she became more and more transparent, and when I came to where she had
been standing, I couldn't see her at all. I have seen and felt other
presences since, but none as strongly and clearly.