The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-11-07
MARSHALL AT HOME.
Interesting Account of the Great Jurlstin
His Private Family.
HE WAS TENDER AND TRUE
Correspondence Of the POSI-

Justice Marshall was az noted tor ms
simplicity of character, modesty, ana
suavity of manners, rs for his ability ana
legal learning 1t is not designed here
to sketch his public career; that is part
of the history of the country. The pur-
pose of this paper is less ambitious, being
10 present some "reminiscences OF MN Us
man. and to glance ut his home HE ana
his private habits and tastes.
He was devoted husband, and cxhibi-
| ted toward his wife, Mary Willis Amber,
the most chivalrous tenderness and deli
cacy throughout their married life. They
we're married January 3. 1883. She was
in her seventeenth year and he in his
twenty eighth. Their union lasted forty
eight years. During that whole period
their home was in Richmond. For many
wears Mrs. Marshall led the life of re-
clusc. Her health was extremely delicate
and she suffered from excessive nervous
ness. Noises of all kinds affected her
so painfully that she cndcavOrcd as far as
possible TO protect herself against them:
The house was kept perfectly still. All
the inmates walked as softly as posslnie.
She was so gentle and so thoughtful OF
the comfort of others. that all near her en-
dcayorcd to promote her comfort ana
to avoid doing anything that would
cause her ANNOYANCE. 1t was her hns-
bands habit to slip off his shoes as soon
AS he entered the door of his house and
TO walk as lightly as possible. His voice
naturally soft. grew even gcntlcr when III
her presence. The house in which he
lived. on the corner of Marshall and Ninth
streets. is still standing. His office WAS
near the house. and within the same en-
closure. 1t was taken down some years
ago. and no vcstigc of it remains. In
that office the Chcf-juSticc, or Judge
Marshall" ~ he was universally called,
spent much of his time, day and night
when not in attendance on the Supreme
Court. There WAS his library. and there
his studies were pursued. His wife
health was such that she received no Wis
itorS. except her most intimate friends
and relations. Her love of quiet was 50
we'll known that she was rarely intruded
upon. At Il certain hour every good day
and when well enough. she rode ont Tor
fresh air and exercise. When the car
ria-c drove up 10 the front of the house
the ci-justice': Office door WAS sure to
omen and his tall form issue from it. Tic
proceeded TO the house where he joined
her and escorted her to the carriage
Handing her tcndcrly in, he closed the
door and stood until the carriage moved
off. When she returned he was promptly
on hand to help her from the carriage and
to escort her to the house. He cndcav-
orcd to shield her from all annoyanccs
l,. LINN tn
ncighbors and request them in Il gentle
manner to keep an eye upon barking
dog or blcating calf. y gentleman
then boy and near ncighbor, had Il
barking dog, and he well remembers being
called on more than once bv the Chief
Justice. who so politely requested him tc
try and keep his pet quiet that he took
unusual trouble to do so.
1t is said that during the early years OF
Judge MARSHALL married life he was fire.
oucnt attendant at card parties, then much
in vogue, and that Mrs. Marshall was in
the habit Of sitting up until his return. He
is believed to have attributed her nervous
trouble to this cause and TO have cndcav-
orcd to atone for former imcOnsidcratcntsS
bv the utmost tenderness and watchtul-
ness
The writer. then boy. we'll remembers
Chief Justice Marshall's appearance in his
latter wears. There was no object moro
familiar to the people of Richmond than
the tall, spare. straight figure OF that
universally rcvcrcd man. his sparkling
dark eyes were full of good humor and
bcmcvolcncc. and his smile was like sun
shine. He WAS by 40 means II careful
dresser. 1t must, indeed. he confessed
that he was something OF a slovcn. II,
generally appeared in n rusty black coat
and shorts. The latter came down to tho
knees. where they were met LIS long black
stockings. His shoes were large and
loose His whole hearing was charac-
tcrizcd hy an unaffected dignity. NJ
man, perhaps, ever lived who was frccl
from prctcnsion and ostcntaton. He was
Il striking figure, somewhat quaint and
old-lashioncd, and suggestive OF the old
school of gentlemen. Richmond was much
smaller then than it is now. and there were
few persons of any age, class. or condi-
ton who were NOT familiar with Judge
Marshall's appearance. He was rcvcr-
cnccd by young and old, and all who
passed him on the street either touched
OF lbOk VII lutII HIS W UIII. Ilc never
allowed himself to be outdonc in polite
ness. but returned the solutions of old
and Young. high and low. in the most re-
>pcctiul manner.
What the hcf-iuSticc lacked in style
WAS fully made mp by his head servant,
old Robin Spurlock. who dressed after the
same fashion a. his MASTER but in Il much
more elegant manner Robin regarded
his master as the greatest man in the
world, and himself IL the next He stood
1T the head of the coorcd aristocracy OF
Richmond. SO extremely Indifferent was
Judge Marshall to appearances. that he
did not hesitate to carry home any article,
no matter what it might be, that he
Glanced to purchase on The streets. or ut
Tie stores. y friend. who was then boy,
assures the writer that he once saw the
simplc-hcarted old Chict-iusticc CARRYING
in his hand an article of domestic crock
erv which cannot be named to "ears
polite" 1t was his habit to 90 to market
every morning with his basket on his arm
and to return home with the marketing.
He was very fond of theatrical enter
tainment>. and used to go TO the thcater
Whenever the opportunity offered An
excellent company, known as IIillson's
company, played for some time in the
Richmond Thcatcr, to the delight of the
citizens Of that day The Chief Justice,
who was a great admircr of Mrs. Hillson's
acting, was an habitua attendant ut the
performances. He was much facnated by
Mrs. Hllson's dramatic talents and was
heard to express his regret that her beauty
was moi canal tn hcr talents Tho rb;of
justice had Il decided convivaI turn, and
no one enjoyed more than himself the
Saturday meetings of q famous club of