The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-08
GHOST OF A NUN.
a Newspaper Saves a Life and Gives
a Would-Be Suicide q Fortune.

a A. O-N'
a Newspaper Saves Life and Gives
Would-Be Suicide a Fortune.
From the New York Journal
was a driver of d bob-tail car right
here IN New York There were two pas
sengers in the car at the time-a sanity
looking Sister of Charity, and man who
looked tramp in the last stage.
There was only one nickel in the box,
and, after knocking repeatedly on the
door, l stopped the car and went inside.
his fare, and l turned TO the nun.
BY a gesture she signided that 1 should
hand to the man paper that
was living on the seat. l did so and when
l turned again the nun was gone. The
tramp declared that ne had not seen her
that he had been alone.
Utterly mystifed l went back and
started 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.
Now, DOCTOR" I said, If am loony
out with itr'
mo, no, jim, d" said he; Every sane men
have optical illusions now and then"
u don't want any more of en-" said 1.
collecting fares OF optical illusions don t
pay"
Il should say not" said the doctor
But my opinion is that you turned your
back minute ami that the woman got off
without paying her fare. Probably she
was not a real Sister of Charity. The
city is full of frauds. She made you take
the paper to the man to give herself a
chance. See now?'
l 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 WASH t." said l. That's
how it was -
If it happens again come to me
and Ill write you prescription and make
you present of it, y said the doctor.
So l thanked him kindly and went
away, and II didn't happen again. Weeks
went along, and II was winter, and as
cold as Greenland, and passengers more
COJhersOme than | ever knew EN-, when
one day, standing in the stables. talking
to Mike Gallagher, the old fellow that
watered the horses aud always had joke
for everybody, l heard my name called.
You're wanted, Jim, ;" said some one,
and / went out into the street, and the
man that had called me pointed to gen
tleman-about as fine a-loOking one as
ever knew-and he, the gentleman
walked up to me.
ITS your dinner time, isn't it?"
said he.
Yes sir," said I, 1--WE got few min
utes lefJ.n
Come along, then, " said he He walked
me into a restaurant close by the stables,
and said: Call for what you want"
and l named it. Then he said: you
don't remember me, Jim.BrOwnP
mo, sir said !.
You gave me paper about six months
age" said he. "a newspaper, I asked
your name
know you. 1 begin to see the likeness,
but you-you-'
Il know" said he 81 was pretty we'll
down on my luck then. See here!"-he
unbuttoned his coat, q scalskin, bless you,
ana took out of the breast pocket a news
paper-"read that" he said, pointing to
where it was folded.
l read it. This is what it said:
"If Ferdinand Melrose will return
home all will be forgiven by his dying
father" and after that where he was to
inquire for further particulars"
We'll, [ am Ferdinand Melrose," says
the gentleman. The black sheep of my
family. Long ago my stepmother made
mischief between my father and myself
He forbade me his house, and Irather
went to the'bad. No matter, for my story
Beside the fare you inquired about / had
only bottle of laudanum in my pocket.
l was going to Central park to take it. l
should have slept myself out of life in
eternity, and the city would have seen to
my funeral If you had not given me that
paper. / went to the place mentioned, and
found, as | expected, that money had been
left in lawyers hands TO take me home.
When got there l found that my step
mother had been dead three years, and
that my father had been attacked by a
disease that must be fatal. We were
reconciled, and when he died I found my
self a rich man. 1 had kept Jim Brown S
address, and l feel that owe him some
thing"
Nothing at all, says l. The lady
the sister-told me to give it to you"
What LADY, asked he
ia like 10 know myself, " said !, "and
then ! told him my story
1T is strange says he. II could swear
that I WAS the only passenger at the time
! felt so miserable and so shabby that [
purposely waited Tor an empty car. And
ano her thing is strange, Jim Brown, y
said he. we had ghost in cur family.
A nun is said to appear now and then, al
ways to do good. And my father de-
clared that while he was i'll she appeared
to him three times, always pointing to
my portrait, which hung in his bedroom
and always conveying to him in some
way that 1t was his duty to search for
me. In fact, she was the cause of our re.
Cancellation"
I couldn't say anything. Neither Of us
spoke about the thing again; but when
he insisted on starting me in the eating
house line [ wasn't fool enough 10 refuse,
aud, as you see, IN not not a bobtail car
driver any longer.
No haven't seen anything queer since
that time, and / can't say I'm anxious;
but whether the lady was what the
doctor called an optical delusion, it's
certain that she only did good to all con-
cerned. Bless her for coming.
Col. L. j. Alfred Writes:
am in my seventy-third year, and for
ft.r ,.nn -. hnun hnnn n ccr.nnt 81 g..