The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-03-31
THE FAMILY GHOST.

In New York. There were two passengers
in the car at the time-a sanity looking
sister of charity and man who looked a
tramp in the last stage.
There was only orc nickel in the box
and after knocking repeatedly OH the door
stopped the car and went inside. The
tramp protested that he had paid his fare
and turned to the nun. By q gesture
she signited that should hand to the man
paper that was lying on the seat. did
so, and when turned again the nun was
gone. The tramp declared that he had
not seen her-that he had been alone.
Utterly mystified, l Iwent back and start
ed the car. A little later the tramp got
my name and address and left the car
That night I went to my doctor and told
him my story.
snow, Doctor" snid, "if am loony,
out with it.'
mo, no, Jim" said he; every sane
men have optical illusions now and then.
81 don't want any more of 'em, - said /.
"Collecting fares of optical illusions
doesn't pay"
81 should say not, )" said the doctor. But
my opinion is that you turned your back
minute and that the woman got off with
out paying her fare. Probably she wac
not real sister of charity. The city is
full of frauds. She made you take the
paper to the man to give herself chance
See nowgp
didn't see, but what can you do when
folks are so sensible they can't believe
anything?
Twasn't like that--there she was, and
there she wasn't, - said /. THAT'S how it
was"
IF 1t happens again, come to me, and
I'll write you II prescription and make you
present of it, " said the doctor.
So thanked him kindly and went away,
and it didn't happen again. Weeks went
along, and it was winter, and as cold as
Greenland, and passengers more bother
some than ever knew 'em, when one day
standing in the stables, talking to Mike
Gallagher, the old fellow that watered the
horses and always had a joke for every
body, heard my name called.
"Iou're wanted, Jim, !" said some one,
and went out into the street, and the
man that had called me pointed to gen
tleman-about MS fine looking one as
ever knew and he (the gentleman) walk
ed up to me.
cts your dinner time, isn't it9" said
he.
eyes, sir" said l. 1--WE got few min
utes left"
"Come along, then" said he. He walk
ed me into restaurant close by the sta
bles and said, "Call for what you want"
and named it. Then said he, "You don't
remember me, Jim Brown" ..-
''No, sir said /.
You gave me paper about six months
ago." said he-''a newspaper. l asked
your name'
"oh, oh!' said l. "No. sir, didn't
know you. begin to see the likeness, but
you-you -
81 know" " said he. ~ was pretty well
down on my luck then. See here"-he
unbuttoned his coat, sealskin, bless you,
and took out OF the breast pocket news
paper-'read that, " he said, pointing TO
where 1t was folded.
read it. This is what It said:
elf Ferdinand Melrose will return home,
all will be forgiven by his dying father"
and after that where he was to inquire for
"further particulars. y
"Well, / am Ferdinand Melrose," says
the gentleman, 1.-THE black sheep of my
family, Long ago my stcpmother made
mischief between my father and myself
He forbade me his house, and l rather
. went to the bad. No matter for my story
Besides the fare you inquired about had
only bottle of laudanum in my pocket
i was going to Central park to take It.
should have slept myself out Of life into
eternity and the city would have seen to
my funeral II you had not given me that
paper. ! went to the place mentioned and
found, as | expected, that money had been
left in a lawyers hands to take me home.
When | got there, found that my step
mother had been dead three yeprs and that
my father had been attacked by disease
that must be fatal. We were reconciled,
and when he died found myself rich
man, | had kept Jim Browns address
and 4 feel that l owe him something"
Nothing at all, = says I. "The lady
the sister--told me to give it TO you.
"8hat LADY, said he
"I'd like to know myself 2 said I, and
then told him my stopy.
1T is strange says he. "I could swear
that ! was the only passenger at the time.
/ felt so miserable and so shabby that
purposely waited for an empty car And
another thing is strange, Jim Brown"
said BE- 1--WE had ghost i'll our family.
A nun is suid to appear now and then. al
ways to do good. And my father declared
that while he was ill she appeared to him
three. times, always pointing to my por-
trait, which hung In his bedroom, and al
ways conveying to him in some way that
it WIS his duty to search for me. In fact,
she was the cause Of our reconciliation. "
/ couldn't say anything, Neither of us
spoke nhout the thing again, but when he
insisted on starting me in the eating house
line | wasn't fool enough to refuse, and,
as you see, I'm not a bobtail car driver
any longer
No; haven't seen anything queer since
that Atinie, and l can't say I'm anxious,
but whether the lady was a what the doc,
tor called an optical delusion it's certain
that she only did good TO all concerned.
Bless her for coming New York Journal