The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-19

his old soul that he had abandoned for
the Christmas spirit
''Well, . he said genially, there You
areP'
Evidently. . murmured the soul
ssAnd, now" pursued Van, what
shall I do with yous''
The soul surveyed him with the ut
most nonchalance5 Il think shall just
stay around here a bit with you, old
man, - it said airily. 1T will be some
what of a relief to move without hav
ing TO take you along body"
'tOhp' said Van in some alarm. ''but
that won't dol No man wants two souls
going about with him. / don't need
you. I've got better one now, and /
think I'll dispose of you. Tell you
what, - with sudden inspiration. iii
give you to old Golthwaite. He hasn't
any soul at all; sold it to the devil,
they say, long since. . And Van laugh
ed contentedly. 'sWil1 that suit your
he asked courteously.
The soul glanced at him with smil-
ing contempt. ''Wel, hardlyi'' it sheer
ed. Its all very pretty TO be SO gener-
GUS, but it is scarcely the part of man
Of prudence to give himself away in amy
sense And you would do 1t completely.
Have yoa realized what it is you would
do? Nothing more nor less than make
another man a present of the entire his
tory of your life, not only the deed, but
the motive. Hal laughing lightly. II
touch you there, eh?''
Van gasped. but, - he said. "the
motive was yours. How can 1 be blamed
for that? Everything I've done has been
at your instigation. 1t is all your fault =
~ esp mockingly. But you pay the
penalty, not L "
Van was silent with dismay. The soul
glanced casually at him and smiled with
satisfaction.
mo; I think you will not give me
to old Golthwaite. / shouldn't care for
it myself He is too feeble to do my bid
ding. L need some one strong and lus-
ty, > with slow malice. s'sOme one like
you The last body l had = it continued
pensively, was old-old and weak 1t
failed me many times, and l grew very
tired of it. 1 was glad when it died
and I was assigned to you. You have
not always done as I would have you. -
Van shuddered. You have no fur
Their power, . he asserted. Il have rid
myself of you-entirely
The soul smiled. Hardly it said
softly. don t you know that when you
sleep your SOULS at liberty to go width
er it will, bound only to be back by the
time you awaken You know? Well,
when next you sleep, your Christmas
spirit and I Will try our strength, that 5
alll'' And from its confident expression
and Vans hopeless one it is enough
too.
mo, body" resumed the soul 1o-
vially, I'm too fond Of you TO leave
you lightly. And why all this unfat-
tering despair You re used to me now
You wouldn't know how to obey any
other sort Of spirit. That new one Of
yours hash half my intellect. Come,
let US be as we were.
But Van, with a mighty effort, flung
of the depression that he knew and hated
so we'll. s'Neverl'' he declared i've
done my last task for you, old fellow
If you won't 20 to old Golthwalte, you
must wander around without 4 body.
You can't have me- defy you'll
"A little rashl' it chuckled. X es,
decidedly rash I can make it most un-
pleasant for you. On the whole, think
1 will. It will make my dominion 50
much the greater when I do regain pos
session of You. You shall plunge into
all the excuses and designations that L
have SO far only suggested to you.
Van had gradually become conscious
of a strangely oppressed feeling, togeth-
er with a passionate desire for sleep,
but he resolutely fought it off, dreading
lest the threatened conflict between his
old soul and the new spirit should take
place before the latter had attained suf-
dcient strength to withstand the power