Balladeer’s Blog presents another neglected American horror legend in honor of Halloween Month.
THE DALTON CHANGELING
Anne Coleman was a feared witch in Lanesboro, MA in the 1780’s. She was suspected of causing storms that sank ships, bringing on diseases that killed cattle, making food go bad and other malevolent deeds.
Eunice Dalton – a new mother – had told her husband Ezra and anyone else who would listen that she was certain that Anne Coleman had stolen their baby boy out of the crib and replaced it with a changeling. Ezra and others tried to assure her that the baby was her own but she continued regarding it with fear.
One day when Eunice was nursing the baby she shrieked with horror as she realized the baby had developed teeth and had bitten into her breast to suck out blood instead of milk. Ezra was convinced now that something was definitely wrong with the baby because of the sudden growth of teeth and the blood spilling down from his wife’s bitten breast. Continue reading
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