Shapes that Haunt the Dusk

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

27352

Title

Shapes that Haunt the Dusk

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A haunting collection of supernatural tales edited by William Dean Howells and Henry Mills Alden, featuring stories that blur the line between reality and illusion. From a Christmas Eve mystery in a Swiss barn to a ghostly castle in Switzerland and a tragic romance in Washington, these stories explore America's deep-seated love for the supernatural, blending realism with mystical atmosphere.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1891 and edited by William Dean Howells and Henry Mills Alden, *Shapes that Haunt the Dusk* is a collection of American short stories exploring the borderland between tangible experience and supernatural illusion. The volume opens with Georg Schock's "The Christmas Child," where a young woman named Mary ventures into a barn on Christmas Eve to hear animals speak. Instead of a festive prophecy, she encounters a grim prediction of her own death. Her husband, Conrad, races to find a doctor, while the narrative introduces his sister-in-law, Calista, and the quiet, observant Hannah, who tend to Mary's terrified state. The story blends realistic rural life with the uncanny, suggesting that Mary's death is imminent but framed within a mystical Christmas tradition. The collection continues with Harriet Lewis Bradley's "The Bringing of the Rose," set in Berlin. A weary man, Morris Davidson, seeks solace in a secluded Swiss castle haunted by a ghostly lady who carries a rose. Red roses signify friendship, while white ones portend death. Morris becomes the sole guest, finding peace in the isolation until a mist rolls in, heightening the atmosphere of mystery. The narrative then shifts to another story by Bradley, featuring Violet Easton and Jack Mordaunt. After a passionate but forbidden kiss, Violet leaves the city, only to be found dead of diphtheria. Unaware of her death, Jack meets her again, kisses her, and later discovers her will leaving him her beloved dog, Midnight. Devastated by the revelation, Jack dies four days later of malignant diphtheria. These tales collectively illustrate the editors' introduction, which posits that Americans possess a unique psychological inheritance regarding the supernatural. Whether rooted in Puritan zeal, French ancestry, or German superstition, the belief in the mystical tinges daily life. The stories demonstrate that this fascination is not merely folklore but a deep-seated part of the national character. Through tales of haunted castles, speaking animals, and tragic coincidences, the collection invites readers to consider the lingering power of memory and the uncanny connections that bind the living and the dead, proving that there are indeed more things in philosophy than we have ever dreamed.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Short Stories
• American Literature