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cturczyn writes:

Jack Neely replies:

It's been quite a long time since I've researched that subject, but I think it's still my favorite ghost story, from the summer of 1894, when the whole west side of town was alarmed about a strange white beast, as big as a bear, but more doglike in shape. Much of it happened near Major Webb's home on Middlebrook Pike.

My understanding, derived mainly since I wrote that column, is that Major Webb lived at the Middlebrook estate, for which Middlebrook Pike is named. That handsome antebellum house is still there and well preserved, but not open to the public and hard to see, though this time of year you can make it out through the trees. It's off Middlebrook, on the north side, near where the street passes over the highway, maybe three miles from downtown.

The full story's in my 1998 collection, Secret History II, pp. 20-22. It's officially out of print, but last time I was there, Carpe Librum still had some copies.

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