The St. Johns herald., 1896-04-11
THE CAR GHOST.


 side cottage of my friend, Sara Pyne. She asked me to go there with her when she opened it to have it set in order for the summer. She confessed that she felt q trif1e nervous at the idea of entering it alone. And I am always ready for all excursion. So much blue denim rather surprised ne, because blue is not com plimentary to Sarah's complexion-she always wears some shade of red, by preference. She perceived my wonder; she is very nearsighted, and therefore sees everything, by some sort of sixth sense.
 "You do not like my portieres and curtains and table covers" said she "Neither do l. But did it to accommo- date. And now he rests well ill his grave, hope"
 "Whose grave, for pity's sake?"
 "Mr. J. Ellington Prices. :"
 "And who is he? He doesn't sound in- teresting."
 "Then I will tell you about him." said Sara, taking a seat directly ill front of one of those curtains. Hast autumn was leaving this place for New York, travelling on the fast express train known as the Flying Yankee. Of course I thought of the Flying Dutchman and Wagner's musical setting of the uncan- ny legend, and how different things a1e in these days of steam, etc. Then ] looked out of the window at the land scape, the horizon that seemed to wheel in great curve as the train sped. Ev cry now and then had an impression at the tail of the eye' that man was sitting in a chair three or four numbers in front of me on the opposite side of the car. Each time that saw this shape I looked at the chair and ascertained that it was unoccupied. But it was an odd trick of vision. I raised my Tor gnette, and the chair showed emptier than before There was nobody in 1t certainly. But the more I knew that it was vacant the more plainly saw the man. always with the corner of my eye. It made me nervous
 "When passengers entered the car, l dreaded lest they might take that seat What would happen if they should? A bag was put in the chair-that made me uncomfortable. The bag was re- moved at the next station. Then q baby was placed in the seat. It began to laugh as though some one had gently tickled it. There was something odd about that chair-13 was its number. When I looked away from it, the i'm pression was strong upon me that some person sitting there was watching me.
 Really, it would not do to humor such fancies. So I touched the electric button, asked the porter to bring me table, and taking from my bag pack of cards proceeded to divert myself with game of patience. I was puzzling to put a seven of spades. Where can it go?' murmured to myself A voice be- hind me prompted, Play the four of diamonds on the five, and you can do it. I started. The only occupants of the car besides me were bridal couple, mother with three little children and typical preacher of one of the strait est sects. Who had spoken? Play up the four, madam, repeated the voice. looked fearfully over my shoulder. At first saw bluish cloud, like cigar smoke, but inodorous. Then the vision cleared, and saw young man whom I knew by a subtle intuition to be the occupant, seen and not seen, of chair No 13. Evidently he was travelling salesman-and a ghost. Of course drummer's ghost sounds ridiculous they're so extremely alive! Or else you would expect dead drummer to be particularly dead and not walk. This was a most commonplace looking ghost, cordial, pushing, busineSshke. At the same time his face had an expression of utter despair and horror which made him still more preposterous. Of course it is not nice to let a stranger speak to one, even on so impersonal topic as q four of diamonds. But a ghost-therc can't be any rule of etiquette about talking with a ghost! My dear, it was dreadful. That forward creature showed me how to play all the cards and then begged me to lay them out again, in or der that he might give me some clever points. Twas too much amazed and dis turbed to speak; could only place the cards at his suggestion. This I did so aa not to appear to be listening to the emp ty air and be supposed to be crazy woman. Presently the ghost spoke again and told me his story.
 Madam, he said, I have been rid ing back and forth on this car ever since | Feb. 22, 1S9-, seven months and II days All this time have not exchanged a word with any one. For a drummer that is pretty hard, you may believe You know the story of the Flying Dutchman? We'll, that is very nearly my case. A curse is upon me and will not be removed until some kind soul But Pm getting ahead of my text. That day there were four of us, travelling for different houses One of the boys was in wool, one in baking powder, one in boots and shoes and myself in cotton goods We met on the road, took seats together and fell into talking shop. Those fellows told big lies about their sales, Washington's birthday though it was The baking powder man raised the amount of the bills of goods which he had sold better than a whole can of his stuff could have done. admitted the straight truth, that I had not yet been able to make sale. And then swore not in light minded, chipper style of verbal trimmings, but a great, round, heaven defying oath-that would sell