The Cowsills In Magazines

Dick speaking. DATEBOOK asked us about our house, so I must tell you all about our ghost — Captain McCormack. He's not a relation, but he did own the house at one time. He died up in my room, of mysterious causes, and now you can hear him walking around each night.

DB: Does he say anything?

No ... but he's a real ghost . . . he actually lives in the house, all day, but he only comes out at night.

Barbara Cowsill: Oh, you're talking about the Captain! He was an old sea captain who died on the fifth level. I guess he had a family and all, but his wife and children must have passed away — I think he outlived all of them. And even though it's a big mansion, he just lived in one little room, where he died on an old iron bed. So whenever someone takes the fancy that he believes he hears him, you know, you hear the chains and all.

I personally haven't run into the Captain — yet! I don't even want to investigate — it's too dark up there. Sometimes I do hear noises coming from there. It might be the boys trying to scare me, but I'm never too sure!

DB: Do you see your ghost ever, Susan?

No. But when we go to bed every night, he does a little ring on the whaddayacallit? The radiator. Bing bing! So we can never get to sleep.

Barry: I have a room now way up on the fifth floor where the ghost lives. It's scary. We have big old mirrors on the stairs, and when you go up, you see yourself all over the place, and you think there's someone else in the house.