The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-12-24

rand your feilow-students at the
art galleries? and the old porter on
the first floor? your master the
river and those pleasant people you
met on the Rhine last year-all these
and many more would have beenyour
friends, but you would none of theml
Now you sit. here and whine-yes;"
seeing that Van WINGED. "whine be-
cause you're all alone. You deserve
to bel" And the Spirit stamped her
foot in q very human way, and gazed
at him out OF lovely, accusingeyes.
But" said Van, bewildered, but
never stopping to ask where, she got
her very accurate information, "what
can l do? Tell me how | can better
my lott"
The Spirit frowns. "There it is
again! Why don't you ask How can
I better ny neighbours lot?:" So long
as You think only of yourself, Just so
long will nobody else think OF YOU"
Van leaned back and sighed resign
eddy.
The sweet voice went on. "Go look
up your friend. Send some rcmem
brance to the pretty model. And the
pleasant people Of the Rhine are in
the city; go see them-being strangers
doubtless they will be glad to see ever
you"
Van was thoroughly aroused now.
"But you must stay with me-" he
pleaded, II: can never do all that by
myself. No. don't co." seeing her
look about, as if meditating flight.
"You must stay. All, do" turning
upon her the full fire ofmagnetic eyes,
whose power, when he chooses to ex-
ert it, the tender sex find it hard to
resist. The Spirit, being feminine,
hesitates.
GLOW can ! devote all my time to
one mortal, when I have so much to
DOR she said, perplexedly. "No. it is
impossiblol still'-marking Vans
dejection-"I can help you. But no
man IAN have two spirits, so you
must rid yourself OF that ugly,
morose one that you have now.
If you do that, / can endow you
with half of my soul-the half will be
large enough for a man-but the old
spirit must leave first. Will you do
this?"
"Gladly," said Van.
Then the Spirit softly kissed his
eyes, q strange lethargy stole over
h m, and he felt and knew nothing
more till he opened his eyes again and
ably opposite to. him and watching
him with hooking smile; @ figure odd.
ly like his own.
Van was startled for an instant,
and then it grew clear to him that
this was his old Sonl that he had
abandoned for the Christmas Spirit.
'Well," he said genially, "there you
are!"
Evidently" murmured the Soul.
"And, now" pursued Van, "what
shall / do with your"
The Soul surveyed him with the
utmost nonchalance. "Ithink I shall
just stay around here a bit with you,
old man." it said, airly. at will be
somewhat of relief to move without
sts5having to take you along, Body"
1aAOhp said Van, in some alarm,
stttbiatthat WON'T do! Nc man W6ntsl
tive souls going about wita41ast1k
don't need you; I've got ah&ffaSSaopsS
now, and l think III disposeo f You
Tell you what" with sudden inspira-I
ton, "Ili give you to old Goldth-
waite; he hasn't any soul at all. Sold
it to the devil, they say, long SINCE"
And Van laughed contrntedly. Twill
that suit your" he asked courteously.
The Soul smiled at him with smiling
contempt. "Well, ha dIy!" it sneered.
otis all very pretty to be generous,
but it is scarcely the part IF q man OF
prud. nee to give himself away in any
sense And you would do it eomple.e-
ly. Have you realized what it is you
would do? Nothing more nor less
than make another man a present of
the entire history of your life. Not
only the deed but the motive. Hal"
Laughing lightly. 81 touch you there,
eh?"
Van gasped. But" he said, "the