Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-04-11

ttfuc 4 ttit nuf1 VI ottff ~ ataAhf aHt
had almost entered into q speculation
which would require twenty thousand
dollars within a month. had taken
the pen into my hand TO sign the pa
per. but dropped Il as my skepticism
whispered. "Perhaps he is not dead;
and Il he Is. perhaps ! may not come
in possession Of the money"
Thus week parsed. AT q circle
somewhere almost every night. but no
new revelations Of any consequences,
and not one that seemed to initiate
against tie truth Of those I had alrecdy
received.
"a letter from your unele." said
my clerk, who knew bis handwriting
well. and he laid the document upon
my desk. | tore II open. II was da.
ted. Wsfumpka. Was l surprised?
No. / think l should have been more
surprised II Il had been dated any
where else. But when? November
18th. THAT is." said I to myself,
'just Eve days before he went into the
spirit world" need not copy the
letter here. lie had been sick, was
now convalescent, intended to start for
New-York on the f,eenty.frsf. Had
been lucky in his cotton speculationa.
Was worth, he thought. when all his
debts were paid. twenty thousand dol
lars. But not a word about making
me his heir. OF course not. He did
not expect 10 die SO soon.
My cogitations ihenceforth / must
leave the reader to imagine, only ad-
ding. that IL there ever was such y
thing as haunted man, II was'l.
That evening. on my way home, /
resolved to call upon my old friend
and quondam ghost-belieyer, Smith.
He had had a relapse OF his sickness,
and was supposed at one time to he
dying. but had strangely recovered. /
found him sitting up, and apparently
very happy. resolved to unbosom
myself fully. Was he able TO listen 10
strange developments from the interi-
or? o yes. lie would like TO hear.
and he did hear me patiently to the
end, He did not interrupt me by ask :
ing single question. and when ! had
finished
"All moonshine," said he, "gas:
humbug. delusionl Ah.r he contin-
ued, "Pye.been oil through this farce.
know Il ike a book. But I'm cured. -
"Why, you astonish me. IL was
through your means that was first
induced to visit circle. thought
you were confirmed believer"
$50 / was once" said he, "but iI's
over. all over, thank Heavenl In
this last sickness | was too near the
borders of the better land, on the
banks Of the cold river, my friend.
This miserable creed don't stand by n
man when he ge,s down there. All
this twaddle about incorporal spirits
having no better employment than
shaking tables and rapping At letters
Of the Alphabetically. Il all vanishes
like q morning mist when you get near
that hour Of dread realities. Il passes
away like the stories Of our childhood
about fairies. and giants, and the
tricks Of conjurors. Moonshine. ALL"
Nothing. In all my experience. as
tonished me more than this sudden
revolution In the sentiments Of my
friend. 1t was certainly but little more
than fortnight since be had been an
attentive. and doubtless believing
member Of circle. True. he had
been sick since. very sick; but now IL
actually seemed as Il the man had lost
his identity.
Then" said |. you do not believe
that my uncle is dead?'
IL know nothing about it." was his
reply, "and, of course. have no belief
upon the subject one way or the other.
certainly do not believe 1t any the
more because Of the raps Of which you
tell me-"
"But." said /, ''it seems very rea.
sonable. or. at any rate, there is nc
improbability in the supposition, that
the spirits Of the departed may be per.
mi,ted to visit their friends in this
world?"
mot at all. il the great and good
Being, our heavenly Father, permits
them so to do. He has all power in
all worlds. But" said he. and bis
eye kindled with emotion, "Tle is too
wise and good to send good spirits on
such silly errands. and He will not
permit the wicked. rest assured oI
this, to wander about our world play
ing fantastic tricks. and robhing men
Of their confidence in the truth and all.
sufliciency Of his own revelation. Now
liz your uncle be deod. which / admit
is possible, and IL he died believing in
Jesus--why he is sc,th Jesus. insfiably
happy. Last Wednesday I thought
/ should be there before sundown; and
o. il was a glorious thought ltast.
cd what the apostle calls thefhe poweys
efhe worid 20 come. II your uncle is
there, he rests from his iabors. and nc
fruitless embassy to this world, or any
other, shall ever mar his unaIloycd
and perfect bliss. Why, the though,
that blood washed spirit may be
summoned from the throne Of the
Lamb, and made to give raps upon q
table because invoked by a medium,
who pockets iihy cents ora dollar a
head from the gaping fools who gath
er around her. Is in itself perfectly
preposterous.'
Smith was tremulous with emotion
l confess trembled also.
But" said 1, ''if my uncle died
without faith in Christi"
"Ahl then his destiny is sealed; the
Saviour has been just rs explicit in
this case as In the other. Where il
the rich man. of whom he speaks
What is meant by those terrible words
Of the apostle relative to the destiny ol
Judas-Mat he might 90 70 his o,c'
place? But these are awful thoughts
Let us not dwell upon them. HE seiil
DO all things cell. Your own common
ooo~a ou<<ht A.. oooueo vou that :,