Patience Worth/Pearl Curran
by George Bailey
Pearl Curran was an Illinois-born writer who claimed her entire output of poetry and prose was dictated to her by the ghost of Patience Worth. Pearl claims her first encounter with the spirit was through a Ouija Board. Lacking any formal education to speak of, Pearl's paranormal explanation for her work was more seriously considered than it probably would have been in less extenuating circumstances. Late in her life Pearl Curran stopped writing, according to her because the ghost ceased to appear to her. Her public persona suffered the lashes of skepticism-- she was accused of exaggerating her "country" upbringing in order to gain fame as a novelty writer-- and none of her work survives. This is something that you can discuss with the older local when you are on your Branson Missouri vacation in the majestic Ozarks!