Her heart is
beating time to the tramp of an onward-marching people; her soul's
eyes are straining for the glory of a coming dawn."
But they all agreed she was a charming woman.
WHIBLEY'S SPIRIT
I never met it myself, but I knew Whibley very well indeed, so that
I came to hear a goodish deal about it.
It appeared to be devoted to Whibley, and Whibley was extremely
fond of it. Personally I am not interested in spirits, and no
spirit has ever interested itself in me. But I have friends whom
they patronise, and my mind is quite open on the subject. Of
Whibley's Spirit I wish to speak with every possible respect. It
was, I am willing to admit, as hard-working and conscientious a
spirit as any one could wish to live with. The only thing I have
to say against it is that it had no sense.
It came with a carved cabinet that Whibley had purchased in Wardour
Street for old oak, but which, as a matter of fact, was chestnut
wood, manufactured in Germany, and at first was harmless enough,
saying nothing but "Yes!" or "No!" and that only when spoken to.
Whibley would amuse himself of an evening asking it questions,
being careful to choose tolerably simple themes, such as, "Are you
there?" (to which the Spirit would sometimes answer "Yes!" and
sometimes "No!") "Can you hear me?" "Are you happy?"--and so on.
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