The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-05-26
RIDING WITH A CORPSE.
Baggage Masters Experience with a
Demise That Seemed TO Be
Somewhat Chatty.

Old Johnnie was never quite the same
after the governor refused to interfere,
and let his brother go to the electric
chair some five years ago, says the New
York Times. As baggage master of the
famous Coast Mail llier for many years,
he had many friends to whom he talked
Of ~denoniaeal obsessions and other
supernatural phenomena, until he went
to the division superintendent Of the
road, and asked TO be made a passenger
trainman.
II don't like to be left alone In the
baggage car at night any more" he said.
So his request was granted, but some
months ago, when the holiday rash
reached its climax, he had TO 60 back
to his old work because Of the rush
Of business,
That night they loaded a corpse al a
big town in New Jersey, and 500 the
express messenger in the car ahead
came back and asked Old Johnnie as a
favor TO let him place some overflow
PANhASN0 hOl J. h4laAttpiLto III ~ Nhht
Together they piled them back of the
case inclosing the coffin, and as the
train resumed her usual 50-mile-an-hour
pace Old Johnnie pulled his c%ampchair
beneath the gas lamp and started to
read Vanity Fair" He gave no
thought to the dead man so close by,
Railroad men, through long experience,
come to treat bodies, both in collins
and out, more casually than others do.
"Helloi" The word was spoken close
by and he closed his Thackeray and
looked up. There was no one there, In
another minute he dropped his book and
leaped 10 his feet trembling and staring,
The word had been repeated. and there
was no doubt about it, 1t came from
the head Of the coffin. He dashed out
among the passengers to Conductor
Bulls.
Johnnie, what have you been drink
ing said the autocrat of the train.
Not a drop for three days, sir,
Come. Hear it for yourself"
The conductor went back to the bag
gage car. He tapped the wooden box,
shook it slightly, but no sound came
from it, you dreamt it, johnnie" he
said, turning away, But in q few min
utes Johnnie rushed through the vesti-
bules more frightened than before. A
trainman went back and sat with MIN
for half an hour, the coffin remaining
silent. but the MAI had no sooner Como,
when
Hello" This time the old man ran
through the train.
Where is the undertaken who Is rid
ing with that dead man" he called.
The undertaken was in the smoking car
and went back to his. charge. Old
Johnnie stood with him, SO did the con-
ductor and several others of the crew,
Johnnie protested that he had told the
truth. "A dozen tines said he, i've
heard whoever, or-HeaYen help us
whatever is in that coffin say 'Hello!' ="
Then 1t was their turn to be scared,
for the last word hardly fell from his.
lips than the gh0stly low voice was.
heard: ...,, .....
"HelloI" All jumped and stared al
the coffin, but the undertaken took out
his knife and began to- cut at a box
placed in the pile of packages Just be-
side. A small opening showed that
it contained a big gray parrot in hta.
,nyo Etu, - 3 rgr1n tF ,rD, 4rI1r 1l 4la
men of the Coast Mail, about demoniaeal
obsesston of q parrot they will admit
that there is something in it.