San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-05-20
BREWERS REVENGE.


While spending winter vacation
in delightfully."- rural little village
hidden away in the pine forests of
North Carolina, | found the haunted
house aud solved tho mystery that had
enveloped it for moro than a century.
1t had been many years since human
footsteps had crossed the threshold of
the ghost-inhabited place, and the
only companions OF the spooks had
been bats, owls and such vermin as
feed on decay.
a is the place really haunted?"
asked a score of villagers
With awkward shrugs OF their
shoulders and shaking of heads they
answered There be them Twin as has
seen the ghost Of the old man and his
pretty bride r.
ssI'aaeres srsss only two Of themP''
They walk arm in arm as if they
was lovers again. The ghost OF the
young man never comes atween 'em
now as he did in life!'
An old man. pretty bride young
man, perhaps lover The founda-
ton for tragedy; out of tragedies
grow mysteries. l must learn the
legend OF the place.
Its old Donald Thurston you want
to year a-tellin it. said the villagers
when asked them for particulars of
this mystery. Hes the Waterman
on the place for the owners who
never come a-nigh it an want it his
grandfather at was kedd oyerseer for
the old ghost MANI"
A queer old man found Donald
Thurston and ct guardian for
haunted ruin. He lived alone in a
small cabin on the place and added
sometimes to his pay by cultivating a
small garden rent free. At first he
was disposed to guard the ghost and
mystery as part of sacred trust to
be concealed from strangers. but as
our acquaintance progressed he grew
more communicative
Most of the people hereabouts
know the story well. said the old
man, for it's been told by father TO
son these hundred years and mauys
the crying child as has been fright
ened TO sleep by tales of the ghost of
the pretty lady. 1t was my grand
Father who wrote it all down. and the
papers have in my tin box. where
they have laid untouched these twen-
~ years last past. The old man
blanca h .mself for the part he had to
do with it. but then he thought he
was only doing his duty in warning
the master little dreaming that muir
der, If murder it was would grow out
OF Il You may read the papers one
OF these days il you wish They tell
the story better than ever I could tell
itn
A few days later Thursten brought
out the old TIN box and then watched
me in silence while l read the story
OF the mystery OF the haunted house.
] wilt eoiy give synopsis OF the story
hero for it was a long one as written
ont by Allen Thurston century ago
Twenty years before the revolution
Martin Brewer an old and wealthy
Englishman. came over to Carolina
and ey grant and purchase obtained e
large tract of land lying along the
Cape Fear river On a high bluff
overlooking the river ne built big
stone house modelled after the castles
OF the Ncrmana He purchased slaves
who cleared land and in a few years
Il lssrgv farm was under cultivation.
Then English and Scotch servants
were brought over the big house was
furnished and made the ideal country
home OF an English gentleman.
Among the Scotch servants was Allen
Thurston. who was made ovsrseer and
manager OF the place He it was who
afterward wrote the story of the sub
segment mystery.
When the castlelike house was ar
ranged 10 his taste. Brewer returned to
Europe for ye1r, leaving the place
in charge of his servants and slaves.
When he came home he brought
with him beautiful young bride. She
seemed very much in love with him
and quite cOntented in her new home.
He appeared fond of her. but even
the servants noticed that at times he
seemed distrustful and suspicious OF
his pretty wife. But there was no one
for him TO be jealous OF, for none of
the few neighbors we're ever invited
TO the house. Except for the servants
and slaves the couple we're entirely
alone.
The servants talked in whispers
among themselves and said that trou-
bic would come of such mating but
for the time all went we'll, and the old
man and the pretty young wife were
happy enough so far as appearances
indicated. Then the husband and
master suddenly sailed away to Eng
land on important business he sa d
leaving his wife and the servants in
the care OF his confidential manager.
Allen Ihurston.
/ Before the ship that was carrying
Martin Brewer to E5gl; was out OF
sight OF land Thurston discovered
that the young wife who had been left
in b S care was not alone in the big
house As silently and mysteriously
as a shadow OF evil. "A stranger had
come and taken up his abode there.
The old servant and manager met him
face TO face in the hall one day He
had only time TO see that the stranger
was young and handsome when the
latter disappeared through doorway.
Thursto was startled. but said moth
ing He would watch and wait awhile
He might have been dreaming AID
tried to believe that he had seen only
a sha low. A few days later as he
approached the apartment OF his
young mistress Thurston heard voices
within. One was the voice OF a man.
The old servant listened but ne could
not make out what they were saying.
In few moments the door of the
apartment opened and a stranger