Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1904-02-03
A STREET CAR GHOST

was driver or D0Dtall car. lhere
were two passengers in the car at the
time-a sanity looking sister OF charity
and man who looked a tramp In the
last stage.
There was only one nickel in the box,
and after knocking repeatedly on the
door stopped the car and went inside.
The tramp protested that he had paid
his fare, and turned to the nun. By
a gesture she signifed that / should
hand to the man Il paper that was lying
on the seat. did so, and when turn
ed again the nun was gone. The tramp
declared that he had not seen her-that
he had been alone.
Utterly mystiied, l went back and
started the car. A little later the
tramp got my name and address and
left the car. That night l went to my
doctor and told him my story.
Now, DOCTOR" l said, "if / am luny.
out with it!'
NO, no, JIM" said he; "very sane
men have optical illusions now and
then"
81 don't want any more Of 'em," said
I. COLLECTING fares of optical illusions
doesn't pay"
81 should say not" said the doctor.
sBut my opinion is that you turned
your back a minute and that the WON,
an got off without paying her fare.
Probably she was not real sister OF
charity. The city is full Of frauds.
She made you take the paper to the
man to give herself chance. See'
uow?"
thanked him kindly and went away,
and it didn't happen again. Weeks
went along, and it was winter and as
cold as Greenland, and passengers
more bothersome than / ever knew
'em, when one day, standing in the sta
bles, talking to Mike Gallagher, the old
fellow that watered the horses and al
ways had a joke for everybody, / 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 a
gentleman, about as fine looking one
as ever knew, and he (the gentleman)
walked up to me.
'Its your Dime, time, isn't it," said
he.
ayes, sir" said I. give got a few
minutes left"
"Come along, then" said he. He
walked me into a restaurant close by
the stables and said, Call for what
you want" and named it. Then said
he, "You don't remember me. Jim
Brown"
"No, sir" said l.
"You gave me a paper about six
months ago." said he-"a newspaper. l
asked your name"
ooh, ohr' said l. mo, sir, / didn't
know you. l begin to see the likeness,
but you-you'-
81 know" said he. 81 was pretty
well down on my luck then. See here"
He unbuttoned his coat, a sealskin,
bless you, and took out Of the breast
pocket a newspaper. Read that" he
said, pointing to where it was folded.
| read it. This is what it said:
IF Ferdinand MeroSe will return
home all will be forgiven by his dying
father" and after that where he was
to inquire for further particulars
"Well, am Ferdinand Melrose." says
the gentleman, the black sheep Of my
family. Long ago my stepmother made
mischief between my father and my
self. He forbade me his house. and
rather went to the bad. No matter for
nv story. Besides the fare you inquir-
ed about | had only bottle Of lauda-
mum in my pocket. l was going to Cen
trail park tO take 1t. ! should have
slept myself out Of life into 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.
found that my stcpmothcr had bpPn
dead three years and that my father
had been attacked by disease that
must be fatal We were reconciled. and
when he died l found myself rich
man. l had kept Jim Browns address.
and feel that owe him something"
Nothing at ALL" says l. 'The lady
the sister-told me to give 1t to you
what lady," said lie.
"I'd like to know myself" said /. and
then told him my story.
"It is strange" says he. 81 could
swear that I was the only passenger
at the time. felt so miserable and so
shabby that l purposely waited for an
empty car. And another thing is
strange. Jim Brown" said he. We
had a ghost in our family. A nun Is
said to appear now and then. always to
do good. And my father declared that
while he was Ill she appeared to him
three times. always pointing to my pOr-
x.otk ,~,,,;ol, hung ;p hiS hpdrOnm and