The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-21
AN ODD SUPERSTITION.
MADE EVEN A BISHOPS CoMPAN-
IoNsHIP UNDESIRABLE.

Only in Three Accidents, and on
Each Occasion "A Preacher Was
Present.
From the Washington Post.
'Nearly every man. no matter how in
teiigent has vein Of superstition In
him." said a well known melS>er of the
Catholic clergy the other day. Perhaps
he will not admit it to others. and It may
be that he himself does not know that 1t
exists. but there are always certain likes
and dislikes that reveal 1t just the same.
He finds himself unconsciously doing lit
tie things that he hopes win have bear
ing on his future prospects.
Il thought that ] had gone through life
without becoming imbued with any OF
those silly sentimentalities and l won't
say now that l am really superstitious.
1 will leave you to judge whether L ought
to be or not You have probably heard
the old saying that If there is preacher
In party travelling on a train. there will
be an accident. OF course, it is rank abb
surdlty for me to insist that a preachers
presence has any effect on the running
of trains 1t is about as sensible as the
red-halred woman and the white horse
absurdity Besides. l am a clergyman my
self, and | can't see why fate should pick
out the Protestant ministers as the espe-
cial object of her displeasure. Neverthe-
less, the fact remains that have travel
ed over $4,000 miles in the last twenty
years, and the only three times l was
ever in railroad wrecks was when | knew
that preacher was aboard the train.
THE first time was on the Mexican Cen
trail, shortly after 1t had been completed.
A great excursion was run from the City
of Mexico to Chicago the first interna-
tional special on record. The excursion
was an idea of my own, and the railway
officials took up the project very heartily.
The coaches We're all filed and we were
just ready to start out when a German
acquaintance Of mine In the City of Mexico
rushed up to ME and exclaimed in the most
frightened manner:
Sure There Would BE a Wreck.
DIR. -, I don't want to go on this
trip There Is going to be a wreck and l
am afraid we viii all be killed
Il laughed at the mans fears, and asked
him where he obtained his exclusive in
formation.
There Is a preacher on board he ex.
claimed as If that told sufficient to make
it necessary 90 call off the excursion.
az am a priest, l said. If the rule
applies to preachers. it also includes
priests
"stin he refused to be comforted. but
he went with us. His hobby was all the
more inexplicable to me, for the reason
that he was an avowed atheist, and pre-
tended 20 reject all forms of supersutions
as absurd.
1--WE pursued our journey, but our athe-
istic passenger kept lamenting over the
trouble that he foresaw in store. AS the
train rolled along We laughed heartily at
him, and he seemed to be a tritie ashamed
of his fancy. Night came and we were
within about 200 miles of FL Paso. SUD
denly we heard a terrific crash, and the
| cars stopped with jerk that threw us all
out of our berths. OF course, we knew
that there had been a wreck Above all
the tumult could be heard the voice of the
German shouting, told you so. l tolG
you So Luckily there were no deaths, and
the train was soon on its way North, and
we eventually reached Chicago.
"a few months later l had occasion to
start South again. On the way l met sew
eral friends, and we we're conversing about
various matters when the train stopped
at a small station, and / saw man get
aboard whose attire proclaimed him to be
a minister. Instantly the superstition of
my German friend REQUIRED TO my mind,
and I jokingly remarked to my compan-
! ion that there would be an accident to the
| train Then / told the story of the wreck
ON the Mexican Central.
Crash Number Two.
For the next few hours that minister
was the center of attention from our par
ty, and we noticed that he appeared to
| be bent on a long journey. Night came.
| and | had Just dropped off TO sleep when
the dun crash of shiyered timbers and the
abrupt stopping of the train told me
| what had happened. There were no lives
lost but l began to think that had bet
ter pay heed to the queer notion of my
| German friend.
~ Travelled a good deal after that, but
1 1 do not remember of seeing a minister
on the same train withGne I win confess
to looking around cautiously TO see who
| my travelling mates were Several years
ago l had occasion to go 10 Honolulu. On
| my return l noticed on board the steamer
| a clerical looking individual with red
whlskers. 1t Is true that he Wore knicker-
| bockers, but something told me that he
| was a preacher. ] found out that he was
| the Methodist Bishop of Madagascar on
| his way home. l Immediately began to
| wonder whether the rule concerning acct
| dents applied to steamships as well as rail-
| ways Eventually I concluded that il did
| not and then / rested more easily. / did
| not meet the bishop. To tell the truth, 1
| was a bit afraid of him, for I feared that
| I might be tempted to tell him of my silly
superstition, and he would regard it as enc
of the results OF my theological training.
when we arrived at San Francisco l
| STAYED there two weeks. When l went
down to the train TO take my departure,
| saw the bishop at the depot. / waited
| TO see whether he was going East. Sure
enough he got on the very train l had
intended taking. 1t may seem very fool
ish. but l actually went back to my hotel
and waited until the next day.
Pursued by Fate.
ION my way East had occasion to stop
| in Denver for day or two. When 1 was
ready TO leave, what was my horror to
see my evil genius, the Bishop of NADIA
gascar, waiting for a train in the depot.
| Luckily, l had not decided which route
to take, and I concluded to wait until
the bishop had picked his train and /
would take another. He chose the Bur
lington, and l, therefore. got on the Rock
Island which left about the same time !
was bound for Chicago, but / had to go
by way of Kansas City. 1 had as pleasant
| ms h