The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-10-24
A MAN WHO NEVER LIVED.
THE GHOST or r. }. M'swiccAN
LABoRED IN VAIN.
A city Drug Clerk Makes Public "A
strange Conversation with the
Ghost Of ward Boss-The story
Has Peculiar Interest Every where

am n night clerk In city drug
store, and there are many other mat
ters which, la lesser degree, prey
upon my conscience. But let that
pass; II is never too late 10 repent
My employers are exceptionally for
tunate in the location OF their estab-
lishmcnt All but six of the saloons
on the block are out of favor with the
police and close promptly at | o'clock.
From that hour until daylight our
business is usually good and ] am
seldom troubled with ennui. But on
the night of which ! write trade was
bad. A cold, dreary wind howled
along the street. bearing the fiaky
uppercrust OF ash barrels and chunks
OF frozen sewer gas from an excava-
tion.
was awakened at o'clock one
morning by draft Of cold air from
the door. Something uncanny In the
chill OF IL suggested ghosts, but /
couldn't suppose that the woman IN
the calico dress had come back SO
soon. IL might be the one who had
bought Rough-on-rats about eleven.
No: u was u male figure and IL was
bending over the directory. Ordinar-
lily that sort of trade doesn't require
any attention for We keep the directory
and everything near II chained. But
there was an air SO strange about this
customer that | felt he would bear
watching. Presently he sighed and
turneC away from the book.
1T no use. he said, despondently.
II shall never find him. It's weary
search.
lie dropped into chair facing me,
and was disquieted 10 observe that
the back OF IL was dimly visible even
after he had sat down. endeavored
To maintain n careless demeanor, but
in reality felt as though I'd swallowed
"a balloon.
''Do you mind my sitting by your
fire a minutc?n he asked.
Not at all; not all, replied,
hastily. Get right inside II you think
you would feel more at home.
If am, as you suppose, spirit" he
began.
"Thcn perhaps you'd better come
into the back room, said !, endcavor-
ing TO brace up my courage 10y badin.
age.
"lut am not a bad spirit"
"Then don't come. You'd feel out
Of pl-ee.
Young man, said he, checking my
lcvity with a gesture, do you know
Thomas J. McSwiggan?'
II dunno, | faltered; you scare me
SO tnat can think
while you are endeavoring To col
lcct your senses, he said, "G will tell
yoa why wish TO lind MIR. McSwlggan
1 am his ghost. Every man has ghost
whose visible operations do not tegin
till the death of the body During the
manss life the ghost is simply i'm re-
hcarsnl, as one might say, following
the man about and copying his actions.
that they may be repeated after his
decease FOR the warning and ediiica-
ton of subsequent generations. i am
appointed 60 haunt McSwiggan.
Then why on'tyo 90 haunt him?"
] cried, isn't my ghost attending 20
his bushes
"lle H.. said the visitor, solemnly.
.Arduous and unpleasant rs his duties
are, am told that he performs them
! would 20 TO McSwiggan. as you sug-
gest, but unhappily cannot find him.
Listen TO my story, MIR. McSwiggan
WAS entirely unheard OF i'm the place
where ! came from until he reached
the age of twenty-one. We infer that
that was his age because we first saw
Lis name on the registration list OF the
Third Precinct OF this election dis.
irict. He must, therefore, have been
OF legal age"
We'll, said |, that depends little
upon which way he was going TO
vote
81 was sent TO hunt him up, and
secured his address, from the list. IL
was No. 90 ON this street What was
my surprise 10 find it in vacant lot
Nobody In its vicinity had ever heard
~ McSwggan. | endeavored 20 obtain