The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-05-05

s 80 and took the s 81 for town At
fust 5 :l3 O'Clock in the evening Ireach-
ed the Jersey City station and boarded
the train for home. 1t so happened that
for the last five years OF my life 1 al
ways got ON the third car from the en-
CINE and took the third seat from the
rear II became "A habit with me. / was
known ard respected ON the road, and
there was "A tacit understanding among
the other commuters that that place
should always be reserved for me. This
is the same ear, No 335, and the very
same seat.
And you are haunting it?' / asked,
for the light was beginning 10 break
Temporarily and accidentally, re-
piled the late r. G.. Jones. when
can get this train stopped at rutherford,
/ will get off and go back 20 my old
home. Don't you remember seeing III
the papers about ten years ago how X
G.. Jones, prominent citizen of Tuth-
erford, succumted 10 an attack of heart
failure brought ON by overexertion
while trying TO catch the :l3?'
''Oh. yes. | recall that well. A very
sad case. indeed. 4" OF course i didn't,
but that didn't matter.
The late X. G.. Jones looked grateful.
THAT was when became ghost,
he said. "A few days later i received
NV orders to proceed 20 rutherford and
haunt my old home. There have always
been strange and confused ideas exist
ing about ghosts. These Impressions
that we do everything in higglety
pigglety way are all erroneous-decld-
edly erroneous. / couldn't go sailing
back home in any way but an orderly
one-by train, just a. did when was
not late And, moreover, custom re-
quired that | should travel ON car NO.
| 335. third seat from the rear, as had
done day in and day out for years. 30
went 10 the station with my phantom
umbrella, bundles and beefsteak.
Promptly at 5:12 / got off the ferry,
stopped at the newsstand which is run
| for the phantom commuters and pur-
chased sporting extra OF phantom
evening paper, repaired TO the tram
shed and got on this car, No. $50, and
took this very seat. But the train did
not start as usual II was midnight be-
fore we left the station, and then, To
NV 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
realized my predicament. Car 33o had
been shifted TO the midnight express,
and until it could be stopped at luther
ford Twas doomed to haunt this uncom-
Portable seat instead Of my own pretty
! suburban home.
Years have passed since then, and
| every night | have got ON the same car
81 and sat in this same seat, oftentlmes
6 crowded between two men, who could
not see me. always doomed to go whrl'
4 ing bv the familiar little station with
+ out a speck Of a chance Of getting on.
). Did Won ever travel in the same car seal
q with two fat women with babies anc
II bundles?'
V mo" / replied. But can conceive
more pleasant positions.
l. "Yet such has many a time been my
e fate continued the late X. G. Jones
|, in spectral mournfulness. Il have trav
/. eled with noisy drummers, with CHAT
(. tering Italians, opium smelling Chinese
IS with every possible kind Of man that j
V j. pleasant for sensitive man like
4 W ia sit i'm the same seat with. Once
n in desperation, / made myself visible Il
n the conductor and pleaded with him t.
n stop the train at rutherford. He refused
10 absolutely, and not only that, he dc
manded my ticket i got out my com
~ mutation card, seven years out OF date
on and handed it TO him. He asked me II
re thought he was fool and used yer.
AS violent and personal language When
told him l could not pay, he deciare'
V. that he would put me of the tram
X. please leave me off at rutherford,
il said foolishly. / have regretted thos
TO words greatly, for the man saw tina
% nothing would suit me better than I
NJ oct off the train, and he carried me
tbe end of the line. Since then haV
nd i'm vain watched a chance to speak
lie some one who has pull on the roa'
They have been wearisome years 10 M
up and when tonight the longed for oppo
nm tunity came seized it. i saw you Ia
X. "A pass. e.
no INV dear Mr.. Jones" / said, for
was deeply affected by the story OF n
or. companion, who. with his eyes hil'
a with cloudlike tears, was now leanli
in eagerly toward me, awaiting my repl
nd '.you have my sympathy. / have hea
he much of ghosts but you are the nrst
He ever met. Your story is a sad one, al
will do what can To alleviate yo
on. sufferings. see what you want. Y
as wish TO have this car stopped at Tuth'
or. ford so that you can get off the ira
ION like an ordinary phantom and ob
M vour instructions to haunt your on
md house.
cost A look of joy and expectancy cal
It q over the phantom's face.
son You have my word that l will
.av. my influence with my cousin, the pre-
my dent Of the New York, LacAahud'
aud Western, to have his train stopl
Mr. inst once. at rutherford. Will "a
mos such steps as soon as / get back
I'll a town.
# is "It is almost daylight, and we
/ approaching the junction, where
d WAYS get Off" said the late X.
the Jones. His voice was husky, but
,ud. CLEAN Of hope and happiness transfu
div. his face. Il must leave you now. L
this nrobable that will never be able to
nav vour kindness, Mr.. Dockboy,
gan Won will have the consciousness OF D
Mr.. ING done a noble deed in freeing ph
lend tom commuter from an awful thrall
or Then he gathered up his phan'
nth bundles and walked down the AISLE
before he reached the door he had p
al from my sight