The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1893-05-19


his riflemen to a charge, Philip Marston
fell, mortally wounded,
Bad news travels quickly. It was on
a night Of furious wind and rain that
hunting shirted riheman brought the
tidings of Philip Marston's death to the
Hunter mansion.
Suddenly the great bronze lnocker on
the door pealed out its summons, and
Alice, thinking that none but a lover
would brave the tempest and darkness.
few to greet him.
In silence and with bowed head the
hardy pioneer pointed to the riderless
steed which he led and extended to her a
scrap of paper on which her dying lover
had traced Il few words of farewell.
Pale, calm. fearless, the ghost of her
self, she watched the rude but loving
mourners bear him to a chamber in the
house and lay him as if asleep upon a
couch.
Day by day she faded like lily that is
denied moisture, and within few short
weeks her spirit fled to join his in another
world.
Since then the Hunter house has had
many owners and many occupants, but
every year upon the anniversary of that
stormy night in 1887 the stroke Of a
horses Loots are heard without, the old
kuocker clangs, footsteps sound upon the
stairs, and the occupants of the south
room-the same in which Philip Mars
tons body lay-receive q ghostly visit
I ant.
Ten years ago the house was owned
and occupied by a family named Thuns-
den, among the members of which was a
nephew named William Black, young
and rising member of the bar.
Early in the summer of 1912 the Thuns-
dens went on their annual pilgrimage to
one Of the Virginia watering places, leav-
ling young Black the sole inmate, as, &C
cording to southern custom, the servants
lived in separate building
Several days had gone by without in
cident until the night of June 25. Black
had started to go to bed, but was sud
denly seized with an unaccountable lone
illness and distlust of his solitary condi-
ton, and upon reflection recollected that
this was the anniversary.
Taking his hat and cane, he went in
search of fellow barrister Of his own
age and with whom he was intimate, one
John T. Jones, who held forth upon the
courthouse square and kept bachelors
hall over his Office.
1t was about 11:30o'clock, and as beau
tifuliy calm and clear moonlight night
, as heart could wish when they entered
the house, and after locking the hall dool
went to Blacks room, the south chamber
: Young men make short work of toilets
go they were quickly in bed, and neither
being sleepy Black started to tell Jones
the story of the haunted room.
He had Just finished when the ole
cracked bell in the courthouse tower
struck midnight, and as the last rever
berations died away horses hoof stroke
could be distinctly heard upon the grave
II walk without.
Suddenly and without warning tn
t windows commenced to rattle in thei
easements, aud noise resounded from
the roof as if torrents Of rain were de
scending upon its weather beaten shin
giles,
Then came the clang of the old knocke
upon the hall door. The noises ceased a
n quickly as they had begun, and all wa
a silence.
IS Then "tap"-"tap"-"tap''-"tap"
l. came the unmistakable sound 81 foo
h steps upon the stairs, slowly and wearil
mounting They ceased for second {
If two upon the landing outside, the doc
tie swung noiselessly open, and fgur
A, clearly seen in the moonlight, entere
Of and crossed the room.
n Both men lying on the bed saw
is plainly and afterward described it I
Of that of young and beautiful girl, ia
is and slender, with golden curls frame
round a face of marble pallor, wide opt
er blue eyes and clothed from head to TO
VI in feecy white, with Il single white ros
r bud nesting above the ear,
n Advancing slowly to one Of the wi
dows the figure stood moment wi
l9 clasped hands, looking wistfully out in
ne the night and with the full glow of t
We moonlight upon its upturned feature
III Then it turned, approached the side
the bed where Jones lay, stopped al
IN placed a hand cold as earth itself up
MS his forehead.
nd Up to that moment he and Black h
er been too frightened to move or spea
he but when that icy hand was laid up
him the spell was broken, Human l
Sc ture could endure no longer, and with
I'd veil both of them tumbled out of
no other side of the bed from where the t
he ure stood and bounded down the stat
ng They did not go back to the Hum
ny house that night. In fact, it was sol
iot days before they could summon mel
ed enough to go in daylight and get tn
lne clothes.
th' Since then the night Of June % in ea
rm year finds that room untenanted.-T.
an Gordon in Atlanta Constitution
$50.
of Only Rich Men Can BE British officer
hat Notwithstanding the attempts VIII