Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-05-27

loi tilC luSu hfO ySuIo VI lily liz L tl-
ways got on the third car from the ell
CINE and took the third seat from the
rear. 1t became habit with me. | was
known and respected on the road, and
there was taCit understanding among
the other commuters that that place
should always be reserved for me. This
is the same car, No. 335, and the very
same seat.
'And you are haunting it," asked,
for the light was beginning to break.
Temporarily and accidentally, re-
piled the late R. G. Jones. ''When I
can get this train stopped at rutherford,
l will get off and go back to my old
home. Don't you remember seeing i'll
the papers about ten years ago how r.
G. Jones, a prominent citizen of Tuth-
erford, succumbed to an attack of heart
failure brought on by overexertion
while trying to catch the 1922
"Oh, yes, l recall that well. A very
sad case, indeed" Of course I didn't,
but that didn't matter.
The late r. G. Jones looked grateful.
"That was when l became ghost"
he said ga few days later l received
my orders to proceed to rutherford and
haunt my old home. There have always
been strange and confused ideas exist
ing about ghosts. These impressions,
that we do everything i'll higglety
pigglety way are all erroneous-decid-
edly erroneous. 1 couldn't go sailing
back home in any way but an orderly
one-by train, just as l did when I was
not late And, moreover, custom re-
quired that l should travel on car No
1856, third seat from the rear, as | had
done day i'll and day out for years. So I
went to the station with my phantom
umbrella, bundles and beefsteak.
Promptly at 5:12 I got off the ferry,
stopped at the newsstand which is run
for the phantom commuters and pur-
chased sporting extra of a phantom
evening paper, repaired to the train
shed and got OH this Car, No. 1856, and
took this very seat. But the train did
not start as usual. TWAS midnight be-
fore we left the station, and then, to
my horror, we whirled through luther
ford and never made a stop until we
reached the junction 60 miles west /
will not dwell on my sorrow when I
realized my predicament. Car 1856 had
been shifted to the midnight express,
and until it could be stopped at luther
ford was doomed to haunt this uncom-
Portable seat instead Of my own pretty
suburban home.
"Years have passed since then, and
every night l have got on the same car
and sat in this same seat, oftentimes
crowded between two men, who could
not see me, always doomed to go whirl-
ing by the familiar little station with
out speck of chance Of getting off.
Did you ever travel in the same car seat
with two fat women with babies and
bundles?"
NO." replied. "But can conceive
more pleasant positions. "
''Yet such has many time been my
fate" continued the late R. G. Jones,
in spectral mournfulness. IT have tray
eled with noisy drummers, with chat
tering Italians, opium smelling Chinese,
with every possible kind Of man that it
is unpleasant for sensitive man like ]
was to sit in the same seat with. Once,
in desperation, made myself visible to
the conductor and pleaded with him to
stop the train at rutherford. Herefused
absolutely, and not only that, he de-
manded my ticket. I got out my COM
mutation card, seven years out Of date
and handed it to him. He asked me if l
thought he was a fool and used very
violent and personal language. When I
told him could not pay, he declared
that he would put Inc off the train.
Please leave me off at rutherford, l
said foolishly. I have regretted those
words greatly, for the man saw that
nothing would suit me better than to
get off the train, and he carried me to
the end Of the line. Since then have
in vain watched chance to speak to
some one who has pull on the road.
They have been wearisome years to me,
and when tonight the longed for oppor-
tunity came I seized it. saw you had
q pass"
my dear Mr.. JONES'" I said, for I
was deeply affected by the story Of my
companion, who with his eyes filled
with cloudlike tears, was now leaning
eagerly toward me, awaiting my reply,
"you have my sympathy. have heard
much Of ghosts, but you are the first I
ever met Your story is sad one, and
I will do what can to alleviate your
sufferings. I see what you want. You
wish to have this car stopped at luther
ford SO that you can get off the train
like an ordinary phantom and obey
your instructions to haunt your own
house."
A look of joy and expectancy came
over the phantom's face.
"You have my word that will use
my influence with my cousin, the presi-
dent Of the New York, Lackahudson
and Western, to have this train stopped
Just once at rutherford. I will take
such steps as soon as I get back to
town"
1T is almost daylight, and we are
approaching the junction, where I al
ways get off," said the late R. G.
Jones. His voice was husky, but
CLEAN Of hope and happiness transfused
his face. II must leave you now. 1t is
probable that will never be able to re-
pay your kindness, Mr.. Dockboy, but
you will have the consciousness Of hav-
ing done noble deed in freeing phan-
tom commuter from an awful thrall. "
Then he gathered up his phantom
bundles and walked down the aisle, but
before he reached the door he had pass
ed from my sight.
kept my word to him. Many were
the subterfuges I used to have the mid
night express stopped at rutherford,
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