Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-02-09
THEY SAW THE GHOST

our country tnat Is olu olo"SA " II"
,,;storv has its haunted house and its
n ntorv of ghostly visitants and eerie, I'M
oonnv sounds and sights connected with
So,ne particular locality.
10 This rule Florence Ala, many OF
.-hose older residences and families date
vi, to the days of Andrew jackson,
rms S"r no exception. Around several of
~ WV clad mansions of the old town
L s mysteries which make them objects
If interest to the educated whites and OF
terror to the ignorant and superstltious
no Humanity in every age has been eager
20 listen to the marvellous and to swal-
low the incredible upon very slight guar
antae However, it is upon no such slen-
der testimony that our story rests.
Early in the history Of the town among
+ho first attracted to the locality by the
picturesque beauty of its location above
The swift flowing Tennessee was a North
Carolinian named Richard Hunter.
Wealth in those days was counted in
the south by the acreage of plantations
and by the number of slaves, male and
female. Of the former Richard Hunter
nossessed enough for barony and of the
latter a small regiment,
Around the great square brick house,
with its massive pillars and wide spread,
inc norches, could be seen bright and
hanny black faces by the score. The
cotton fields resounded to the hOelng
songs of well conditioned and swarthy
feldhands. while in the quarters not
far off pickaninries and dogs abounded.
Richard Hunter had but one child, the
sole heiress of his acres and his wealth,
and she had Just budded under the warm
chances of a southern sun into woman
hood. fresh and blooming as wild rose.
Alice Hunter was in that period OF
life where the present is so bright that
its glow reaches out and dominates the
future. Wealth, doting parents, gratlti,
cation of every wish were hers; but above
all she had won the love Of the man OF
her choice and was happiestin the knowl'
edge that Philip Marston's dearest hope
and highest aspiration centered i'll herself.
Phil Marston, as he was known tc
every one, or "Marse Phil, as the negroes
called him, was young, handsome, free
lhIutu, lItC tGu, Sttllttlb anu GA t'''
went to make him an ideal lover,
In spite of strong rivalry he had won
his ladylove, and the day was set fol
their marriage. Alice was only II, and
SO the wedding day was postponed until
the following year.
Suddenly in 1886 the Cherokee wal
broke out Philip Marston raised com
pany of rihemen from among the hearty
yeomanry of the section and joined the
command Of his friend and neighDor,
General Coffee.
Throughout the sharp and decisive
campaign that followed Marston bore
conspicuous part for gallantry until the
final battle on the banks of the Coosa.
Hemmed in upona peninsula, bounded,
all but narrow neck of land, by swol.
len waters of the rivers, the chiefs and
bravest warriors of the Cherokees made
their last and desperate stand. Leading
his rifemen to a charge. Philip Marston
fell, mortally wounded
Bad news travels quickly, 1t was on
anight Of furious wind and rain that
hunting shirted rihem&n brought the
tidings of Philip Marston's death to the
Hunter mansion.
Suddenly the great bronze knocker on
the door pealed out its summons, and
Alice, thinking that none but loyel
would brave the tempest and darkness,
flew 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 a few words of farewell
Pale, calm, fearless, the ghost Of her
self, she watched the rude but loving
mourners bear him to chamber in the
house and lay him as if asleep upon a
couch.
Day by day she faded like a lily that is
denied moisture, and within few short
weeks her spirit fed 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 hOofs are heard without the old
Knocker clangs, footsteps sound upon the
STAIRS, and the occupants of the south
room-the same in which Philip Mars
TONS body lay--receive a ghostly visit
ant.
len years ago the house was owned
ana occupied by family named Thuns-
aen, among the members of which was a
nephew named William Black, a young
ana rising member Of the bar.
Early in the summer of 1912 the Thuns-
ueiS went on their annual pilgrimage to
one of the Virginia watering places, leav-
ing young Black the sole inmate, as, ac-
Vordlng to southern custom, the servants
nVed IN separate building
several days had gone by without in
eiuent until the night of June 25. Black
nau started to go to bed. but was sud
rehiy seized with an unaccountable lone
nness and distrust of his solitary condi
soh' and upon reflection recollected that
tQlS was tho