The ghost girl returns

She hasn't made an appearance in a few years, but now she's back, wandering through 1907 Dublin. I was in Book Depository looking up O'Connor's latest novel when I caught a glimpse of this familiar figure. She must have quite a backstory, floating between different countries and eras, convincing many art departments that she deserves the spotlight.

Here we see her on the sidewalks of New York in 1841. Hmm, if this is her earliest appearance, her ghostly wanderings may have begun after her sad demise in this historical mystery. (Her body was dumped into the Hudson River. Not a pleasant end.)


She reappears during South Africa's Boer War, circa 1899, definitely no place for a lady:


Then on to the Canadian prairie in the early 20th century, where she gained quite an infamous reputation.

She spent some time delivering babies in early 20th-century West Virginia, then moved on to parts unknown.

And that's not all. At She Reads and Reads, Avis has spotted her at sites outside of North America, and she's been known to make appearances in fantasy fiction. Have you seen her? She's not all that elusive, so if you come across another sighting, please let me know.

Edited to add: I've found the original photo (which is black and white) at Getty Images. It's titled "Woman in Lane Holds Birdcage," and the photographer is Lorraine Molina. Keywords include Nostalgia, Spooky, Women, Time, Outdoors.