The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-30

sighed lugubriously. The footballs above
US seemed penetrating our apartment; and
ghostly hands, some OF US fancied, were
uuttering from the dark panels behind.
4 have forgotten" resumed the Aim
less Traveller nonchalantly. the many
marvellous potents attributed by my In
dian friend TO what still remains within
this phial, fer IL has never been opened;
but recall one ascribed power with es-
pecial clearness tonight. from the pecu-
liar and ] may say startling phenomena
which have similarly affected every one
OF US here
1T is this: When this powder is cast
upon the fire, so long as its flame shall
continue, every object near us will be-
come clearly observable. Every soul
within this inn will be subject to
our instant inspection. 1t will chain spec
trail spirits TO our hiding. 1t will even. so
its maker asserted, reveal the secrets OF
the dead One condition only shall exist
that we who invoke the spell shall be Of
one mind and heart. and these solely bent
on good INTENT Travellers ALL shall this
eastern spell be wrought
We had Involuntary huddled together.
and a whispered, half shuddering assent
was family given.
The Aimless Traveller stepped quickly
past US, turned Off the lights, move softly
70 tne fireplace and tossed the contents
OF the phial among the brightest embers.
For brief period of time sickening
oder filled the room. This was followed
by dense darkness in which there were
stihed eXclamations and quick lraspfn.ys
OF each others hands and arms Sud
denlN herce tongues OF flame leaped roar
lngiy up the chimney, succeeded again bv
lmpenetrable darkness and gloom: and i'm
moment more supernatural light i'll
tered through and through every division
wall and every floor and ceiling OF the an
cient inn.
Every guest in every apartment, every
scene of anxiety. placidity or festivity
was as clearly revealed as though we
were participants in each. Every beam
every rafter, every bent and gnarled piece
OF studcing, every lath. every brick and
every daub of mortar while retaining its
form, was still translucent and LOUDLY
clear as pane of polished glass.
Ihe most astounding feature of this con-
dltlon was that our own bodies were as
pel'ueent as all other material things. 1t
even seemed that the action of each
others vital organs, the wondrous Jour
neys of blood, the depositing of mole
culdr particles and the displacement and
renewal of tissues. and even that hither-
TO lmpenetrable mystery, the very action
and thought formulation of the brain,
were momentarily subject to most minute
I analyzation by our still ordinarily con-
sciuos minds.
Whether this miracle of oriental dia-
bolism continued for moments or minutes
at last, as if with one impulse of mental
concentration, the material sight and the
spiritual mind of our company were
turned toward the source of the still i'm
perative footballs above us.
one glance, q glance quickly and sue
cessively transformed from intense and
curious interest to surprise, pity and in
dtgnant protest. suffeed to disclose the
material personality and environment of
the wraiths who had so insistively and re-
currently dispossessed US of nearly eV-
cry happy spirit of the night
In an almost windowiess garrett CORE
spending precisely with the dimensions of
our own apartment, We're an old old man
OF peculiarly commanding head and
shoulders and body dwndlng to almost
nothingness I'm its downward course like
shriveled beet, and a little old woman
companion, tramp tramp, tramp.ng, in
some remorseless vigil that must be done
The room was furnitureless and fireless
one deal table, bed on which lay scant
but cleanly rags, a few volumes of lidless
books and stacks upon stacks of dusty
/ dog-eared manuscript, with q few value
less belongings and keepsakes Of better
days, We're all the bitterly cherries place
contained.
The old mans face was already set and
vacuous, as though the irrevocability of
hopelessness was almost fixed behind it,
I
stamped with the lines and shapings of
that heroism which only death can dim
or end and slight and fragile as she was
she seemed to quite sustain her compan-
ion upon his feeble and reluctant feet.
With a fierce and hopeful energy she
pressed him on and on. now and then
chating his trembling hands while cheer
lily urging:
Have courage, father deari The Goals
are gone, but it's brave way we have of
keeping nice and warmi Faith, now, this
is the way. sixty years ago, we tramped
the hills behind old Youghal by the sea -
Yes, yes, Kate, love.-but Will they
never Gomez" he moaned while YEARLY
hanging back as if to listen and to rest.
Come is it?' Can't you see the face
of St. Pauls dial there? 1t lacks nigh an
hour Of twelve!-Holy Mother of God!
Look down in mercy here" This with
averted head. You wouldn't ask them to
come before the year was done; now
would you, father. dear?"
Il N very hungry and cold!' he moaned,
as If unheeding or unhearing her pitiful
announcements. ''WiI they be ready to
print it at once; at once Kate, love? be-
fore-before I'm gomez
"Ready?-Ready, is it, cushla asthorei
Let them but see the great work you've
done; let them but lay eyes on these beau
tiful pages; let them but now know the
stores of lore on dear old ireland you've
got from this day, to away back behind
the flood; let them but understand how
your whole blessed life was bled, drop by
drop, into the immortal life of your Encv-
clopedia Hibernica; and you'll be the
greatest and most glorious of men,
Wont Splitpenny get it all, Kate.
love?" he asked with childish fear and
! trepidation.
"spltpenny. indeed. All. no, father
darling, never fear! He's but borrowed
our tribes here to send them back in a
great New Years surprise! It'll be the
glad day, father dear; when your happy
eyes see it all!-Holy Mother of God! Look
down look down.
1t seemed that our hearts would burst
from this tragedy above our heads, for the
infinite heroism of the WIFE the seeming
approaching mortal dissolution of the hus-
band, the agony Of their dolor. of their
helplessness, and the spell upon us rem
dering us motionless and helpless where
we sat, with the very pulses in our veins
all but stilled. But in an instant more.
after a few tremuious f1ashings and pal
ings in the fireplace, the end of the mar
velous spell had come
Send instantly for Spltpenny-' thun-
dered the Clerical Traveller, as the rest of
with blaDchpd faces roe.,..ls..--