The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-24
QUEER CONDOLENCES.
Telspsthy or Chance?

To THE EDITOR OF TIE SUN-Sir: when
landed In New Orleans one bright mornin
last January. the thought occurred 10 me that
probably not soul In the great city had any
relationship to me or mine. Desiring to find
convenieht rooms for q stay. possibly pro =
longed, I bought n Picdvune. and finding
therein advertised what wished. started to
find my way to the house. on st. Charles
avenue. The rooms suited, and i engaged
them To this hour ! cannot comprehend
how came to ask the lady who rented me
the apartment whether she owned the house.
and II she were q native Of New Orleans but
both questions were answered in the affrma-
tive: she was born in that same house before
the war and her father and mother had both
come from the North. The State from which
they had come was Connecticut. and she then
mentioned a. the family to which her mother
belonged-my own name. Within an hour
after my arrival in q strange city had gone
As directly as 1t was possible to 60, tur ming
neither to the right nor left out Of my way.
to the house OF my kindred: for our grand
parents were brother and sister. Was this
telepathy? Was II due to the guiding infu-
ence OF some dlsembodied intelligence? Or
was it simply that fortuitous conjunction OF
circumstances that we call q coincidence?
Going through large manufacturing es-
Enlistment in Atlanta, ] fell into CONVERSE
ton with the secretary. who hearing that l
came from New York, told me that durin g
childhood and youth he had lived for time
In the community founded by Thomas
l.. Harris in the western part OF this State
Something suddenly lmpelled me to ask his
name. and on hearing 1t told him at once
that some years ago / had met his father
tnow deoeased) in l3aifa. in the house OF Law
renee Oliphant. for many years a correspond
ont of THE Sun. To this gentleman Il seemed
curious coincidence that chance interview
with passing stranger should make him
acquainted with the only man In Geor gla,
perhaps. who had ever met his father In
Palestine
Sometimes condolences are curiously In
volved. Not very long ago happened to
read the Official report Of the trial OF Prof
Webster Of the Harvard medical school for the
murder Of DR.. Parkman. In November. 1870.
Only few days later. while walking through
ssterisn and fn S" that in 81 al probab hts
a was near near the grave Of tho murdered 1E man
DR.. Webster? 10 an old man standing near
put thu question. 1t seemed to surprise
Should have asked as ssFs th
piled. Il am stranger in Boston. and here
now for few days only, But nearly atty
Journey. One Saturday morning we visited
this cemetery. and ATTRACTED by funeral, we
81 e thu day
! have not been here since cannot RENE M
Der the locality. Suppose we ask this gen
wss snd %Sous
ment We had asked for. within the toss Of a
psnes al s.as s
had known DR.. Webster BY sight, and as boy
had Sdw lived in hs al fSs due to
HnaSs na s ST thss as : ' CERTAIN
a tragedy which had happened nearly ffty
yenrs before. should have thus met within a
FEY feet 9f the grsve Of the yistim and scarcely
should have entered into conversation. with
results go slngularl Possibly not another
vi hS at %
10000 OF Boston residents to-day could point
i. nc ts ssgs
Ss f SyP psRpsR 81 as s o.
second hand book store in ths city Of Tash-
sniAGsa sGSs y 5ssRs
nd e. The time ss; IN
following note; w. I. ,ssSns. hsvins. taken
By @stas: nj sasaP sent
dication Of ownership except that OF the
original purchaser. But since reading in
RESPONDENT 81 fo the same nj name / cannot But
think It possible that the curious volume
was once the property Of his ancestor; and
OF DR.. Francis Waylend. who died nearly
forty years ago. II the sdrmise be correct.
ume. shall take pleasure In sending It to him,
and in adding another little coincidence to
personal experience.
ALBERT LEFFINdwRLI.