The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-12-27
speech If the Ghost had given him
Much thew aaw and for tho.

went, and many homes they visited,
but always with happy end. The
Spirit stood beside sick beds, and
they were cheerful; on foreign
lands. and they were close at home;
by struggling men, and they were
patient In their greater hope; by
poverty. and 1t was rich. In aims
house, hospital and Jail, in misery's
every refuge, where vain man in his
little brief authority had not made
fast the door, and barred the Spirit
out, he left his blessing, and taught
Scrooge his precepts.
1t was long night, If it were
only night; but Scrooge had his
doubts of this, because the Christ
mas holidays appeared to be con-
densed into the space Of time they
passed together. 1t was strange.
too, that while Scrooge remained
unaltered in his outward form, the
Ghost grew older, clearly older.
Scrooge had observed this change,
but never spoke of it, until they
left children's twelfth night party,
when, looking at the Spirit as they
stood together in an open place he
noticed that his hair was gray
Are spirits lives so short?" ask
ed Scrooge.
MY life upon this globe is very
short" replied the Ghost. 1T ends
tonight"
Tonight" cried Scrooge.
Tonight at'midnight. Hank. The
| time is drawing near"
The chimes were ringing the
three quarters past eleven at that
moment.
Forgive me if | am not justified
in what ask" said Scrooge, look
ing intently at the Spirits robe,
but | see something strange. and
not belonging to yourself. protrud-
ing from your skirts. Is it foot
or a claw"
ut might be claw, for the flesh
there is upon it," was the Spirits
sorrOwful reply. Look here"
! From the fOldings of its robe it
brought two children, wretched, alb
ject. frightful, hideous, miserable.
They knelt down at its feet, and
chung upon the outside of it's gar
ment.
"Oh, man! look here. Look, look,
down here" exclaimed the Ghost.
They were boy and girl. Vel
low. meagre, ragged, scowling, wolf
ish, but PROSTATE, too, in their hui
mility. Where graceful youth should
have filled their features out, and
touched them with its freshest
tints, a stale and shriveled hanf
like that OF age, had pinched and
twisted them and pulled them into
shreds. Where angels might have
sat enthroned, devils lurked, and
glared out menacing. No change,
no degradation. no perversion OF
humanity, in any grade, through all
he mysteries of wonderful creation,
has monsters half so horrible and
dread.
Scrooge started back, appalled,.
Having them. shown to him in this
way. he tried to say they were fine
children, but the words choked
themselves, rather than be parties
to lie of such enormous magni-
tude
Spirit! are they yours" Scrooge
could say no more.
They are Mans said the
Spirit, looking down upon them.
And they cling to me, appealing
from their fathers. This boy is
Ignorance. This girl is Want. Be.
ware of them both, and all of their
degree. but most of all beware this
boy, for on his brow see that writ
ten which is Doom. unless the writ
ing be erased. Deny it," cried the
Spirit. stretching out its hand to-
ward the city. ISLANDER those who
tell it ye. Admit it tor your fac
tious purposes, and make It worse !.
And bide the end"
Have they no refuge or re-
source?" cried Scroge.
Are there no prisons" said the
Spirit, turning on him for the last
time with his own words. Are
there no warehouses; ?"
The bell struck twelve
Scroge looked about him for the
Ghost. and saw it not. AS the last
stroke ceased to vibrate. he remem
bered the prediction of old Jacob
Marley, and lifting up his eyes, be
held solemn phantom, draped and
hooded, coming like mist along
the ground toward him.
Ito be continued)