Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-06
CHAPTER Nv.
The Last of the Spirits.

gloom and mystery.
II was shrouded in a deep black gar
n,ant which concealed its head, its
face its form. and left nothing OF IL
visible save one outstretched mana.
Rut for this il would have been DIM
cult 70 detach it's figure from the ngnt
and separate it from the darkness py
which it was surrounded.
He felt that it was tall and stately
when it came beside him ana tnat ts
mysterious presence hlled MIN VIII
solemn dread. He knew no more 1or
the snirit neither spoke nor moved.
II am in the presence Of the Gnost
of Christ was Yet to Gomez SAID
Scrooge.
The spirit answered not, but pointed
downward with its hand.
You are about to show me shad-
ows of the things that have not nap
pened, but will happen in the time De.
fore u.s." Scrooge pursued. is thal
so, spirit ?"
The upper portion of the garment
was contracted for an instant in It's
folds, as If the spirit had inclined its
head. That was the only answer ne
Although we'll used to ghostly COM
pany by this time, Scrooge reared the
silent shape so much that MS legs
trembled beneath him, and he found
prepared to follow it. The spirit
paused a moment as observing his
condition and giving hipT time to re-
But scrooge was an the worse for
this 1t thrilled him with vague;
uncertain horror to know that pehlnu
the dusky shroud there were ghostly
eyes intently fixed upon him, while ne
though he stretched his own to the
a SDeC-
tral hand and one great heap OF black.
Ghost of the Future" he eXclalm-
ed. "I fear you more than any specter
/ have seen. But, as know your pur-
pose is to do me good and as l nope
to be another man from what was
am prepared to bear you company ana
do it with a thankful heart. VIII you
not speak to me?'
II gave him no reply. The hand was
pointed straight before them.
Lead on" said Scrooge, lead on.
The night is waning fast, and 1t Is pre-
cious time to me, l know. Lead on
spirit"
The phantom moved away as 1t had
come toward him. Scrooge folloWed
in the shadow of its dress, which bore
him up, he thought, and carried him
along.
They scarcely seemed to enter the
city, for the city rather seemed to
spring up about them and encompass
them of it's own act But there they
were in the heart of it, on change,
among the merchants, who hurried
up and down and chinked the money
in their pockets, and conVersed In
groups. and looked at their watches,
and trified thoughtfully with their
great gold seals, and so forth, as
Scrooge had seen them often.
The spirit stopped beside one little
knot of business men. Observing that
one hand was pointed to them, Scrooge
advanced to listen to their talk:
NO" said a great fat man with a
monstrous chin; Il don't know much
about it either way. 1 only know he's
dead
other.
Last night, I believe"
WHY, what was the matter with
him." asked third, taking vast
quantity of snuff out of very large
snuffbox Il thought he'd never die.
God knows" said the first, with a
yawn.
What has he done with his
money!" asked a red faced gentleman
with a pendulous eXcrescence on the
end of his nose that shook like the
gills of a turkey cock.
II haven't heard" said the man with
the large chin, yawning again. Left
il to his company, perhaps. He hasn
left it to me. That's all l know"
This pleasantly was received with
q general laugh.
ITS likely to a very cheap funer-
al" said the same speaker, for upon
my life 1 don't know of anybody to go
TO it. Suppose we make up party
and volunteer"
II don't mind going if lunch is
provided" observed the gentleman
with the excrescence on his nose.
But must be fed, if make one.
Another laughed.
well, l am the most disinterested
among you, after ALL" said the first
speaker, for 1 never wear black
gloves and never eat lunch. But I'll
offer to go if anybody else will. When
l come TO think of it, I'm not at all
sure that l wasn't his most particular
friend, for we used to stop and speak
whenever we met. By, by"
Spirit" said Scrooge, shuddering
from head to foot, Il see, l see. The
case of this unhappy man might be
my own My life tends that way now.
Merciful heaven, what is this?"
He recoiled in terror, for the scene
had changed, and now he almost
touched a bed, a bare uncurtained
bed. on which, beneath ragged sheet.
lay a something covered up, when,
though it was dumb, announced itself
in awful language.
The room was very dark, too dark to
be observed with any accuracy, though
Scrooge glanced around it in obedl-
ence to a secret impulse, anxious to
know what kind of room it was.
pale light, rising in the outer air, fell
straight upon the bed, and on 1t, un-
watched, unwept, uncared for, was the
body of this man.
He lay in the dark, empty house
with not man, woman or child to
say he was kind TO me in this or that
and for the memory of one kind word
/ will be kind to him. cat was tear
ing at the door. and there was sound
of gnawing rats beneath the hearth
stone. What they wanted in the room
of death and why they were so rest
less and disturbed Scrooge did not
dare to think.
Spirit" he said, this is a fearful
place. In leaving it | shall not leave
it's lesson, trust me. Let us gO,'
Still the ghost pointed with an un-
moved finger to the head.
Il understand YOU" ScrOoge return
ed. "and 1 would do it if l could. But
/ have not the power spirit. L have
not the power"
Again it seemed to look upon him.
IL lnele Is dIN pSlSOll III lIlS lO"l
who feels emotion caused by this
mans DEATH" said Scrooge, show that
person TO me. spirit. l beseech you
The phantom spread its dark robe
before him for a moment like wing,
and, Withdrawing it, revealed room
by daylight. where a mother and her
children were.
She was expecting some one and
with anxious eagerness. for she walk
hn or rfn a
every sound, looked out from the win
dow. glanced at the clock. tried, but
in vain. to work with her needle and
could hardly bear the voices of the
children in their play.
At length the long expected knock
vas heard. She hurried TO the door
and met her husband, a man whose
face was carewOrn and depressed,
though he was young. There was
remarkable expression in it now, a
kind of serious delight, of which he
felt ashamed and which he struggled