;*t
::
mad*- toward the window, clasp«*! its
cles turned up upon Its ghostly fore
The ghost sat down on the opposite i
rotie In supplication
bend.
side of Hie fireplace aa If ha were
They passed through the wall and
As Bcrooge looked fixedly at this ' quite used to It.
sto x l upon an open country rood with
phenomenon It was a knocker again.
“You don't lielleve In me." observed .
field* on either hand The city ti id
To »ay that he was not startled or j the glMMt.
entirely vanished. Not a vestige o f It
that hl» blood was not conscious of a - "I don't.” said Bcrooge.
was to he seen. The darkness and tbe
terrible sensation to which It had been , To alt »taring at those fixed, glaz«*)
the hirst o r the three spirits .
cnlst had vanished with It. for It was a
a stranger from Infancy would I** un eyes in alienee for a moment would
HEN Scrooge awoke ’ clear, cold winter day. with snow upon
true llut he put hla hand upon the ! play. Herooge felt, the very deuce with
It was so dark the ground.
key he had relinquished, turned It ! him. There wa» something very aw
th a t looking out ‘ "Good heaven!” said Bcrooge. clasp
(ttirdlly, walked In and lighted hla can
fnl. loo. In the specter's being provided
of bed. be could ■ ing his hand* together as be looked
tie.
with ac Infernal atmosphere of It»
scarcely d I s 11 n
about him. “I was bred In this place.
He did pause, with a moment's Ir- : own. Scrooge could not feel It him t
gulsh the tijraspar 1 was a boy here."
rexilutkin, before he shut the door, self, bnt th is wn» chstrly the cane. for. '
ent window from i “You recollect the way?" inquired
and tie did look cautiously tichlnd II though the ghoat sat [icrfectly motion
the opaiine wall* > tbe spirit.
Che fjm oua V u ltu re MU which,
first na If he ha'f exp»» l i s t to Is* terrl
ii-sa. its hair and aklrta and taaael» of hla cha in tier He was endeavoring
"Itcmemtier It!" cried Bcrooge with
with ito story of Ctny Ctm. ho»
lied with the »tght of Marley'» plgtn!l were at 111 agitated aa by tb" hot vapor to pierce the darkness with hl» ferret fervor. "I could walk It blindfold "
touched millions of htariu and
«ticking out Into the hull. But there fro m an oven.
cyi>* when the chimes of a neighbor!)! I "Strange to have forgotten it for se
wrought for human hlndltncoo
wa» nothing op the back of the door
"You see thl* toothpick?" said church struck the four quarters, t
many years." obeerved the ghost. "Let
except the screws and nuts that held Scrjoge. wishing, though It were only ; he listened for the hour.
us go on."
“ Keep It?" repeated Scrooge's neph (be knocker on. so he »aid "Pooh. for a tecontl. to divert the vision'»
To hl* great a»toulshment. the hei
They walked along the road. Scrooge
aw. "But you don't keep It."
IKioh!" and closed It with a hang
atony gaze from himself.
recognizing every gate and po«t and
bell went on from 6 to 7 and frott
“Let me leave It alone, then." said
The »»mud resounded through the
" I do." rep lied th e ghost.
tree, until a little market town appear
Bcrooge. "Much good may It do you , house like thunder Every room iihove
" W e ll." re tu rn e d Bcrooge. “ I have i to B and regularly up to 12. then «1
ed In the distance, with Its bridge. Ba
' and every cask In the wine merchant's b u t lo » w iillo w ib l* and I«- fo r th e rest | pad. Twelve! It was past 2 when
Much good It h i* ev«r done you!"
church nnd winding river Some shag
roll Hr I m -I ow appeared to have u aep- o f m y »lay* peMMs'Ulcd by u legion o f went to bed The clock was wroi
gy ponlen now were seen trotting to
"There are many thing» from wide
An
Icicle
mu*t
have
got
Into
the
work
ward them with boys upou their beck«.
I might have derived good by wlilel arate |x*iil of echoes o f If» own g o b lin * a ll o f m y o w n c n -u tlo n H u m Twelve!
M A H l.E ï'a UIIOKT.
bng, I te ll you h u m b u g !"
I have not profited. I dare any.” return Bcrooge was not a man to be frighten
who
called to other hoys in conHrw
He touched the spring of hl* repeater !
He fastened the door
A B I.E Y KU» d*Ult ed the nephew. •NJhrhdina* among tb« ed by echo»**
At th l* Hie s p irit ra i*« *l a f r ig h t f u l
gigs
and
carts driven by farin«-r* Ail
to
correct
thl*
most
preixwterou*
dock
to txtglil » t ili
rest. But I am sure I have alway» and walked aero»* the hall and up the e r) and »hook Its c h a in w ith such Its rapid little pulse* lieat 12 and these Ixiys were In great spirits and
T h c r e 1« t io d o u b t thought o f Chrlstuiaa time wlirn It ho» stalra. »lowly, too, trimming I lls can
a d is m a l m id a p p a llin g iio l*e th a t
shouted to each tittnr until the brood
w h u i et er n h o o i come round--apart from the veneration (lie ns he went
Scrooge held on tig h t to h l* c h a ir to I stopped.
But liefore be shut hla heavy door save h im s e lf fro m fa llin g In n «w txm I “Why. It Isn't |*isslble.'' said Scrooge. . field* were to full of merry mu ic t i.
tlia t. Tbe rsKtnliir due to Its sacred name nnd origin. It
the crisp air laughed to hear It
o f hio h iiri» ! win* anything belonging to It can tie apart he walked through hla rooms to ace B u i how m uch g re a te r was h l* h o rro r j “that I can have slept through a whole
"The school I* not quite deserted ”
day
and
fnr
Into
Hiiother
night
it
'
that all waa right.
He had J uki when, the p h a nto m tu iH iiK o f f t h e ,
algneit ti)' the «*l«*r from that—us a good time, a kind, for
Kyniini. Itu* rle rii giving, charitable. pleasant time. Hie anongt) recollection o f the face to de b lindage round Its head, u * I f II were i isn’t possible tbnl anything ha» hap ! said the ghost. "A solitary child. ■ --
lee ted by hl* friend*. I* left there sti.l,’
tti« undertaker and tin* chief mourtit-r only time I know o f In the long ealen sire to do that
too w a rm to w e a r lud<*irs. it * lo w e r i pen cd to the sun and this Is 12 at i
Scrooge »aid he knew It. and h»
noon!"
Quite satisfied. be closed til» door ! Ja<v dropped d o w n upon it * b re a s t!
Herooge h I kiii *«! It, and Scrooge's nnnie dnr o f the year when men and women
wu» good upon 'change for anything seem by one consent to open their ■rod locked him self In. double locked . Scrooge fell u|Hin his knees and ' The Idea being an alarming one. he | sobbed.
They left the highroad by a well re
scrambled out of tied and groped hl»
he <'ho«e to put hl* hand to Old Mur
shut np hearts freely nnd to think of 1 himself In. which was not hl* custom ' clasped bis hand* before hl* face.
way lo the window He was obliged membered lane acd »non approach«!»
ley wna ua dead a* a doornail.
.
Thu»
secured
again«!
surprise,
he
took
i
“Mercy!"
he
said.
"Dreadful
apparl
j
people below them aa If they really
Mind, I don’t mean to >ui.v Hint I
to fub the frost off with the sleeve of a mansion of dull red brick, with a lit
were fellow passenger* to the grave off Id» cravat, put on hl» dro»»lng ! tlon, why do you trouble tne?"
tle weathercock surmounted cuj*>la on
know of my own knowledge what the.'«*
his dressing gown before be could see
gown
nnd
»Uppers
and
his
night
cap
:
"It
I*
re»pilred
of
every
man.“
the
>
and not another race of creatures
the roof and a bell hanging tn IL It
ta particularly dead Mlmut a doornail
anything,
nail
he
could
»ee
very
little
i
and
»at
down
before
the
fire
to
tnke
,
ghost returmsl. "that the spirit within
wa* a large house, but one of bro’ten
I might have beau Inclined utyaelf to bound on other Journey« And there hla gruel.
him smmld walk abroad among hl* then. All be could make out wa* that fortune*, for the spacious o f f ic e « v e r » t
regard a coltin nail a* the deadest piece fore, uncle, though It has never put a
It wa» a very low fire Indeed, noth i fellow men and trav»*l far and wide, i it waa still very foggy and extremeiy
of Iron nionsery In tin* trade But the scrap of gold or silver In my pocket. Ing on aucb a bitter night. He wa» j and If that spirit goes not forth In cold and that there was no noise of , little used, their wall* were damn and
mossy, their windows broken ar.d rh«lr
I
believe
Hint
It
ha»
done
me
good
wtsdoiu of our ancestors I* In the
- obliged to alt close to It and brood life II 1» condemn«*! to do so after people running to and fro and making
almlle. and my unhallowed hand* ahull and will do me good, and I aay God over It before he could extract Hie | death it I* doomed to wander through a great stir, as there unquestionably gates decayed
not disturb It or the country's done for blcaa I l f
would have been If night had beaten | They went, the gho«t and B' r«M»ge.|
The clerk In the tank Involuntarily least senantlcn of warmth from such a the world—oh. woe Is me!—and wit- j off bright day and taken possession of across the tinl) to a door s i the l>a< k'
You will therefore penult me lo re
handful o f fuel. The fireplace was an ness what It cannot «hare, but might !
of the house It opened liefore them
peat emphatically that Marley waa a* applauded Becoming luiniisltately sen
old one built by somo Dutch mer burp »hared on earth and turned to the world.
and diselos«*! a long. bare, m*••an<-ho'r
slide
of
the
Impropriety,
be
poked
the
dead as a doornail.
Scrooge
went
to
bed
again
and
happiness
.”
chant long ago and paved all round
room, made barer still by line* of nlntn
Bcrtxige knew he wa* dead? Of fire and extinguished the last frail
tbongbt
and
thought
and
thought
It
i
with quaint Dutch tiles. dcHlgned to
Again the specter rained a cry and |
deal forms and d«*sk* At one of tb"«*
course he did
How could It tie otli apark forever.
”I.«-l me hear another sound from ! dlUNtrate the Scriptures. There were ■book Ha chain and wrung Its shadowy | over and over and over and could a lonely boy was rending nenr a feete*
erwlse? Scrooge and he were pan
make nothing of It. “Was It a dream fire, and Scrooge sat down upon a form
Gain* and Abel*. Pharaoh's daughters, band*
ners for I don't know how many you," said Bcrooge. “and you'll keep
queens of Shelia, angelic mt**»enger*
Bcrooge glanced about him on the | or not?"
and wept to see his poor forgotten twd*
years. Bcrooge was hl* sole executor your Christmas by losing your situ a
descending through the air on clouds floor tn the expectation o f finding him i Scrooge lay In this state until the as he had used to be.
hl* aole admlulatrator. Id* »ole n**lgti. tion.”
like feather 1**1*. Abrahams. Belshax- ' self surround»*! by *ome fifty or sixty j chimes had gone three-quarters more,
* “I w ish.” Scrooge muttered, potrine
"Don't In* nngry, uncle. Come; dine
his aole reatduary legatee, lit» »ole
: Kars, apostle* putting off to sen tn fathom* of Iron cable, but he could j when he remembered on a sudden that ! his hand In his pocket and looking
with us tomorrow."
friend and aole mourner.
the ghost had warned him of a visi
about him. drying bts eye» with hla
Scrooge said that ba would see him— butter I m h i I s . hundreds o f figures to see uoWiIng.
Bcrooge never painted out old Mur
attract Ills thoughts, nnd yet that face
“Jacob," lie »aid Imploringly—"old ■ tation when the bell tolled 1. He j cuff “But it's too late now “
ley's name. There It stixxl year» aft Yea, Indeed he did. He went the whole of Marley, eeven year* dead, came like
resolved
to
lie
awake
until
the
hour
e
Jacob .Marley, tell me more. Speak .
“What is the matter?” asked the
length of the expression and said that
erward iilmve the warehouse door
w as past.
the ancient prophet's rod and sw al comfort to me. Jacob.”
spirit.
Bcroogo A Marley. The tlrin wa* he would six* him tn that extrem ity
The quarter w as so long that he was
lowed up the whole.
"How It I* that I apjiear before you
“Nothing.” said Scrooge. “nothlHg.
known na Scrooge St Marley. Bouie first.
“ Humbug!” said Scrooge and walked tn a shape that you can see 1 may not more than once convinced he must ! There w as a boy singing a Christmas
"But why?" cried Scrooge's nephew
tlnu-a people new to the hu*ltn>*» call
have
sunk
Into
a
doze
unconsciously
|
seroas
the
room.
tell. I have sat Invisible beside you 1
carol nt my door last n igh t I should
cd Scrooge Bcrooge and »ometlnic* “W h y r
and missed the clock. At length It , have liked to give him aomething-
After several turns he «at down niuu) uU«l many a day."
"Good afternoon.” said Scrooge.
Marley, hut he answered to both
It was not an agreeable Idea. Scrooge broke upon his listening ear.
"I am sorry with all my heart to find agnln. A* he threw hta head back In
that’s all.”
name«. It wa» all I he *ame to him
the chair tils glance hnppen»*! to rest
“Dtngdong!"
Tbe ghost smiled thoughtttallj and
Oh, but be wn» n tight flntixl timid yon ho resolute. We have never had upon a bell. a dl*us»*l tiell. that bung a h I v e r e d and
“A quarter past.” said Scrooge. , waved Its hand, ezylng as tt did so.
at (be grindstone. Scrooge—a aquae* any quarrel lo which I have been u In the n»>m and communlca’ted for ! wiped the per-
counting.
“Ix*t us see another Christman.”
Ing. wrenching. .grasping. acraplng. party. But I have made the trial In dome pnrpoae now forgotten with a ! sptrarion f r o m
"Dlngdong!”
Scrooge's former self grew larger ah
clutching, covetou» old «Inner, hard homage to Christmas, and I'll keep chainlicr tn the highest story of the ■ bis brow.
“H alf past!" said Scrooge.
“That Is no light
the words, and the room became a tit
and sharp ns Hint, from which no my Christ maa humor to the la s t Bo
“Dlngdong!”
building It was with great natonlsb- j part of my |ien-
tle darker and more dirty. T he panels
steel I uk I ever struck out generous a merry Christmas, uncle!"
“A quarter to It." said Scrooge.
incut and with n strange. Inexplicable an ee," p u r s u e d
ahrunk. the windows erruted. frag
"Good afternoon." said Scrooge.
Are; secret and aclf contained and
"Dlngdong!”
dread
that
a»
he
look»*l
he
saw
this
!
the ghost " la m
m ents o f plaster fell ont ■< the cell
“And a happy New Year!”
solitary as an oyatcr. The cold within
“T he hour Itself.” said Scrooge tri- ' ing. and tbe naked laths were shown
bell lieglu to swing. It sw ung so so ft here tonight to
“Good afternoon." said Bcrooge.
hlui frose Id* old feat urea. nlp|ied 111»
umpbantly,
"and
nothing
else.”
Instead, bnt how all this w as brought
Hl» nephew left the room without ly In the outset that It scarcely mnde warn yon t h a t
pointed nose, shriveled hl* cheek, atlff
He spoke before the hour bell sound about Scrooge knew no mo«* than yoa
a wtund. but soon It rang out loudly, you have yet a
cited hl* gait, made Ida eye* red. hl* an nngry word notwithstanding. He
ed. which It now did with a deep, dull,
nnd so did every bell In the house.
chance and bone
do. He only knew that i t w as qslf»
Chiu lip» blue a nd »|x»«c u til s h re w d ly stopped at the outer door to bestow
hollow, melancholy ONE! Light flashed
This might have lasted half a min of es-aplng my
correct: that every thing bad happen
tn hla grating voice. A frosty rime the greetings of the season on the
up
In
the
room
upon
the
Instant,
and
;
ute
or
a
minute,
but
It
»«**ined
an
fate—a c h a n c e
ed so; that there he was aione agsla
wa« on Ida head and on til* eyebrow* clerk who. cold as he was. was warm
the curtains of his bed were drawn,
hour. The bells reused a» tbi*y had and hop«* of my
when all the other boys had gone home
and hla wiry chin, lie carried hl» own er than Bcrooge. for he returned them
and
Scrooge,
starting
up
Into
a
half
I
procuring. Etiene-
! begun—together They were succeed
for the Jolly holidays.
low temperature alw ays about with cordially.
recumbent
attitude,
found
him
self
face
i
| ed by a clanking noise deep down aer.”
He w as not reading now, but walk
At length the hour o f shutting up
him. He Iced hla office In the dog days
to face with the unearthly visitor who
"Yon were al
below, a» If some i*-rson were drag
ing up and down despairingly. Scrooge
and didn't thaw It ono degree nt the counting house arrived. With nu
drew them.
a
goo»l
ging a heavy chain over the casks In w ays
looked at the ghost and with a mourn
111 will Scrooge dismounted from his
Christman.
It was a strange figure, like a child. ; ful shake of his bead glanced anxious
friend to me.'*
the wine merchant'» cellar.
Once upon a time—o f all the good stool nnd tacitly admitted the fact to
Scrooge, " you w illbeiiaunt - yet not so like a child as like an old ’
The cellar door flew open with a s a i d
ly toward the door.
days In the year, on Chrlattnn* e v e - the expectant clerk In the tank, who booming sound, and then he heard the “T hank’ee."
bt three spir - man viewed through some supernnt- '
It opened, and a little girl, much
Instantly
snuffed
his
candle
out
and
old Bcrooge »lit busy In hl» counting
ursl medium, which gave him the ap younger than the boy. came darting
“Yon
will be ,T8-
noise much louder on the floors below,
house.
It was cold, bleak, biting put on hla hat.
then coming up the stairs, then coming haunted." rosuin«*! the ghost, “by three pearance of having receded from the In and. putting her arms about hla
"You'll want all day tomorrow, I
weather, foggy withal, and he could
view and being diminished to a child's neck and often kissing him. address«*!
spirits."
straight toward his door.
bear the paople In the court outside suppose?' said 8erooge.
Scrooge's countenance fell almost a« proportions. Its hair, which hung about him as her “dear, dear brother.”
' "It's humbug still." said Scrooge. "I
"If quite convenient, air.”
go w heeling t ip and down, hentlug
Its neck nnd down Its back, w as white
low a* the ghost's had done.
j won't believe It"
“I have come to bring yon home,
"It’s not convenient." said Bcrooge.
their hand» upon their breast» and
111* color changed, though, when I "Without their visits,” said the j as If with age. and yet the face had dear brother.” said the child, clapping
"and
It's
not
fair.
»tamping their feet t t |t o n the pavement
not
a
wrinkle
In
It.
and
the
tenderest
ghost,
"you
cannot
hope
to
shun
the
’ without a pause It came on through i
her tiny hands and bending down to
If 1 was to atop
stones lo warm them. The city clock»
the heavy door and pasa<*d Into the path I tread. Expect the first tomor- ' bloom w as on the skin. The arms were laugh—“to bring you borne, home,
half a crown for
had only Just gone 3. but It w as quite
row when the bell tolls 1. expect i very long and muscular, the hands the home!"
room before Ills eyes.
it you'd think
dark already
The same face, the very same—Mar the second on the next night at the same as If its hold were o f uncommon
“Home. little Fan?” returned the
yourself
III
used.
The door o f Scrooge'» couutlng hon»e
ley In hts pigtail, usual waistcoat, sam e hour, the third upon the next strength. Its legs and feet, most dell boy.
I'll tie bound."
w as open that he might keep Ida eye
cately
formed,
were,
like
those
upper
night
when
the
last
stroke
o
f
12
has
tights nnd boota. the tassels on the
“Yes,” said the child, brimful of
The clerk sm il
upon his clerk, who In a dismal little
latter bristling like his pigtail and his ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no members, bare. It wore a tunic o' glee—“home for good and all, home
ed
faintly.
cell beyond, a sort of tank, wna copy
, coat skirt* and the hair upon his head. : more and look that, for your own j the purest whi»e. and round its wnl*'
"And yet." said The cbala tie drew w n cla»i>ed about sake, you remember w hat has pass»*! w as bound a lustrous belt, tbe sheen forever and ever. Father is so much
ing letter*. Bcrooge had n very anmll
Scrooge,
"
y
o
»
of which w as beautiful. It held n kinder than he used to be that home’s
fire, hut the clerk's lire was so very
bis middle. I l was long and wound between us."
like heaven. H e spoke so gently to me
don't think me about him tike a tail, nnd It was made
much smaller that It looked like one
The apparition walked backward branch of fresh green holly In It* bn*“ ' one dear night when I w as going to
III
used
when
I
and
In
singular
contradiction
of
tlmi
coal. But he couldn't replenish It. for
(for Bcrooge eliserved It closely) of from him. and at every step It look
p a y a d a y ’ s cash boxea, keys, padlocks, ledgers, the window raise*! itself a little, so ! wintry emblem had Its dress trimmed bed that I w as not afraid to ask him
Bcrooge kept the coal box In his own
once more If you might come home,
w
a
g
e
s
for
no
room, and so surely as the clerk came
deeds atid heavy purses wrought In Mint when the specter reached It It : with summer flowers. Bat the s tra ti and he said yes you should and sent
work."
gest
thing
about
It
w
as
that
from
the
In with the shovel the master predict
steel. His body was transparent, so was wide open. It beckoned Bcrooge ,
me I d a coach to bring you. And
The clerk ob
to approach, which he dill. When they ! crown o f Its head there sprang a
ed that It would he uecesHnry for them
you’re to be a man." said the child,
served
that
It
"
a
poor
excuse
roa
bright,
clear
Jet
o
f
light
by
which
all
to part, wherefore the clerk put on
were within tw o paces of each other I
opening her eyes, “and are never te
riC K IN O
A MAN'S wan only ouce a
hla white comforter nnd tried to warm
Marley's ghest held up Its band, warn this was visible and which was doubt
POCKET.”
come back here, but first we're to be
year.
lilm sclf nt the candle. In which effort,
lag him to come no nearer. Scrooge i less the occasion of Its using In Its together til the Christmas long and
great
extinguisher
"A poor excuse for picking a man's
duller
moments
I
not being a man of a strong Imnglnn
stopped—not so much In obedience as In I
have the merriest time In all the
pocket every 25th of December." said
tlon. he failed.
surprise and fear, for on the raising of i for a cap. which
world.”
Scrooge,
buttoning
hl»
greatcoat
to
the hand he became sensible o f confus- | It now held un
"A merry Christmas, uncle! God
“You are quite a woman, little F a n r
"But 1 suppose yob must
ed noises in the air, Incoherent sounds der Its arm.
save you!" cried a cheerful voice It the chin.
exclaimed the boy.
of lamentation and regret, w allings In- , “Are you the
was the voice of Scrooge'* nephew, have the whole day. Be here all the
She clapped her hands and laughed
expresslbly sorrowful and self accusa spirit, air, whose
who came upon him so quickly that earlier next morning."
and tried to touch his head, but, being
The
clerk
promised
that
he
would,
coming
w
as
fore
Mil* wus the llrst Intimation he hail |
tory. The specter, after listening for
too little, laughed again and stood on
and Scrooge walked out with a growl.
a moment. Joined In the mournful told to me?” ask
of hla approach
tiptoe to embrace him. Then she be
ed Scrooge.
Scrooge took Ills melancholy dinner
dirge
nnd
floated
out
upon
the
bleak,
"BaW” sa id Bcrooge. " H u m b u g !”
»GAIN THH a ra cT K H WRUNG ITS SHADOWT
gan to drag him. In her chtlHlsh eager
“I
am.”
In
his
usual
melancholy
taveau
and.
He had so heated himself with rapid
dark n igh t
HANDS.
ness, toward the door, and he. nothing
Tho
voice
waa
having
rend
all
the
newspaper»
and
wnlklug In the fog and frost, this |
Scrooge closed the window and ex
loath to go, accompanied her.
that
Scrooge,
observing
him
and
look
soft
and
gentle,
beguiled
the
root
o
f
the
evening
with
nephew of Scrooge’», that he wn» all !
amined the door by which the ghost
“Always a delicate creature whom
ing through his waistcoat, could see
s i n g u l a r l y low.
hi n glow. HI* face wa* ruddy and I his banker’s book. v ent home to bed
had
entered.
It
w
as
double
locked,
ns
a breath might have withered,” seld
the two butlons on his coat behind.
as If. Instead of
He
lived
In
chnnibers
which
had
once
handsome.
the ghost, “but she had a large heart."
“How now?” said Scrooge, caustic he bad locked It with his owu hands, being so close be
“Christmas a humbug, uncle!" anld | belonged to hl* deceased partner.
"So she had.” cried Scrooge. "You
and cold as ever. "What do you want and the bolts were undisturbed. He side him. it were
Now.
It
Is
a
fnct
that
there
was
noth
Scrooge’s nephew. "You don’t mean
tried to say “Humbug!” but stopp«*i at a distance.
are rig h t I’ll not gainsay it, spirit.
ing nt all particular about the knocker with me?”
that, 1 am sure.”
at
the
first
syllable
and
being,
from
,
“Much.” Marley’s voice, no doubt
"W ho
and
God forbid!"
"I do." said Scrooge. “Merry Christ on the door except that It was very
the emotion h e had undergone, or the I
"She died a woman." said the ghost,
what are you?"
about
I
t
large.
And
then
let
any
man
explain
mas! Whnt right have you to be mer
fatigue* of the day, or his glim pse of Scrooge demand
“and had. as I think, children."
"Who
are
you?”
to
mo
If
he
can
how
It
happened
that
the Invisible world, or the dull conver- j
ry? What reason have you to be mer
"One child.” Scrooge returned.
ed.
“Ask me who I wo»**
Scrooge, having hts key In the lock of
satlon of the g h o st or the lateness of
ry?"
“True.” said the ghost—“your neph
“I am the Ghoat
“Who
were
you.
then?”
said
Scrooge,
the
door,
saw
*n
the
knocker
without
A
e
hour,
much
In
need
o
f
repose,
went
"Come, then." returned the nephew
of C h r 1 a t mas
ew.”
(
raising his voice. "You're particular—
Its
undergoing
any
Intermediate
proc
straight to bed without undreesing and P a s t”
gayly. "Whnt right have yon to he
Scrooge seemed uneasy In his mind,
ess *.r change, not a knocker, but Mnr- for a shade.” He was going to say fell asleep upon the Instant
"I AM T H E OHO8T OT
dismal?"
It put out its
and answered briefly, “Yea.”
"to a shade,” but substituted this as
CHRISTMAS P A S T .”
Bcrooge, having no better answer ley’s face.
strong hand ns It
Although they had but that moment
Marley’s face. It was not In Im more appropriate.
ready, on the spur of the moment sulci ,
spoke and clasped him gently by the left the school behind them, they were
"In life I w as your partner, Jacob
penetrable shadow, as the other objects
“Bah!" again nnd followed It up with
arm.
now In the busy thoroughfares of *
In the .yard were, but had a dismal Marley.”
"Humbug!"
"Rise and walk w ith me."
“Can you—can you sit uown?” asked
light about It, like a bad lobster In a
"Uncle!” pleaded the nephew.
The grasp, though gentle as a wo
dark cellar. It waa not angry or fe Scrooge, looking doubtfully at him.
“Nephew," returned the uncle stern
man's hand, was not to be resisted
•T can.”
melons. but looked at Scrooge aa Mar-
Continued on editorial page
ly. "keep Christinas In your owu way
Scropgirose,.bjit, flu.dUtg that the splt ii
"Do I t then,!'
lej used tq look—with gho|tly_ specta
uad let me keep It In mine.”
Chapter
Two
Charles Dickem
Chapter
Ona M