The evening world. Newspaper, December 21, 1915, Page 17

; The Greate Story Eve PRRLDRALDBLDL LL ALA EB SHARLES OPHIS OF PRECEDING INSTALMENT, Sorooge is a stingy and grouchy Lon- Wusiness man, who refuses to consider ae anything but ® costly niisance, On is confronted by the ghost of is former business partner, who Hexooge of the impending visit of three STAVE ONE. (Continued.) Marley’s Ghost. JOT so much in obedience as \ the raising of the hand he became sensible of confusad noises in the air; incoherent da of lamentation and regret; yall Inexpreasibly sorrowful and wit-acousatory. The spectre, after for @ moment, joined in the n dirge, and floated out upon @ bleak, dark night. Serooge followed to the window, in his curlosity. He looked The air was filled with phantoms, haste, and moaning ar they went, one of them wore chains like 9 Ghost; some few (they be guilty governments) were d together; none were free. Many ‘been personally known to Scrooge their lives. He had been quite niliar with one old ghost, in a waistcoat, with a monstrous safe attached to his ankle, who piteously at being unable to @ wretched woman with an in- whom he saw below, upon a orstep. The misery with them all aa, clearly, that thoy sought to in- terfere, for good, In human matters, and had lost the power forever. Whether these creatures faded into mist, or mist enshrouded them, he could not tell But they and their epirit voices faded together; and the nigt became as it had been when he walked home. * terooge closed the window, and ex- amined the door by which the Ghost hed entered, It was double-locked, es he bad locked it with his own nands, and the bolts were undis- turbed. He tried to say “Humbug! ut Miopped wt (ue first syllable. And being, from the emotion he had un- dergone, or the fatigues of the day, or bia glimpse of the Invisible World, ar the dull conversation of the Ghost, or the Jateness of the hour, much in need of, repose, went straight to bed, without undressing, and fell esleep on the instan STAVE TWO The First of the Three Spirits. SEERYEN Scrooge awoke it was Pe * go dark that, looking out of cf bed, he could scarcely dis- ‘ tinguish the transparent 4 window from the opaque walls of his chamber. Fle was en- feavoring to perce the darkness with fe ferret eyes, when the chimes of a wéighboring church struck the four §uarters, So he listened for the hour. To his great astonishment the heavy bell went on from six to seven, and from seven to eight, and regular- ly up ta twelve; then stopped. ‘Twelve! It was past two when he to bed. The clock was wrong. ‘Am icicle must have got into the works. Twelve! se -touched the spring of his re- 1 to correct this most prepos- clock. Its rapid Uttle pulse twelye, and stopped, “Why, it isn't possible,” “that I can have sald slept night. It isn't possible that hing bas happened to the sun, this ia twelve at noon!" idea being an alarming one, he mbled out of bed and groped his to the window. He was obliged rub the frost off with the sleeve ‘@ressing-gown before he could thing; and could see very lit+ All he could make out was, jt was still very foggy and ex- ly cold, and that there was no of people running to and fro, making @ great stir, as there un~ jonably would have been if night peaten off bright day, and taken ion of the world. ooge went to bed again and ht, and thought, and thought it ‘and over, and could make noth~ of it. The more he thought the lore perplexed he was, and the more Sndenvored not to think, the more thought. fariey'’s Ghost bothered him ex~ ingly. Every time he resolved hin himself, after mature Inquiry, that it. was alla dream, his mind flew Mack again, like a strong spring re- ‘eased, to Its first position, and pre~ Sagpted the same problem to be worked {through, Was it a dream or not?" Btyooge lay in this state Until the ne three-quarters more, Reon wk voureinbs red on a sudden that o Giust had, warned him of a visita~ tion when the bell tolled one, He re- solved to lie awake until the hour was passed; and, considering that he could no more go to sleep than go to Heaven, this was, perhaps, the wisest resolu ton in his power, ‘Whe quarter was so long that he was rmore than onge convinced he must have sunk into a doze unconsciously PH “atid missed the clock, At length It UP “broke upon his listening ear, o Ding, dong “$ quarter counting. “Ding, do #Halt-past, ing, dong quarter to it,” said Scrooge. “Ding, dong!" he hour itself,” sald Berog antl: nd nothing else we poke, before the hour Bell sound- ‘eg, which it now did with « doep, dull, hollow, melancholy “One.” — Light “flashed up in the. room upon the in- fant,.and the curtains of his bed were drawn, ‘The curtains of his bed were ¢ side, | tell you, by a Not the curtains at his feet, nor the curtains is back, but those to which his ‘was addressed. The curtains past,” sald Scrooge, id Scrooge, e tri PORSS ROSE OESEH OAL SECEEEE LORE SS SHOES S SO SES 38 A Christmas SARA AON in surprise and fear; tor on > fanderix.; hither and thither in rest- be h a whole day and far into an- g) Carol st Yuletide ( r Written ‘ MAAR an ene ss DICKENS. IterMterirrriiiiiriitiiiiitiit td of his bed were drawn aside; and Scrooge, starting up into a half-re- cumbent attitude, found himself tace to face with the unearthly visitor who Urew them; ag close to it as am now to you, and I am standing in pirit at your elbow, It was a strange figure—like a child; yet not #o like a child as like an old man, viewed thro gh some supernat- ural medium, which gave him the appearance of having receded from the view, and being diminished to a id's proportions, Ite hair, which bout its neck and down its ‘as white, as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in it, and the tenderest bloom was on the skin. The arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold were of uncommon strengt: Its legs and feet, most delicately formed, were, like those upper members, bara It wore a tunic of the purest white; a... round its Waist was bound a jus- trous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful, It held a branch of fresh en holly In its han jar contradiction of that wintry e bem, had its dress trimmed with But the strangest it. Was, that from the head there sprung a it of ight, by which all and which was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great ex- tinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm, Even this, though, when Scroo, looked at {tt With increasing steadi- ness, was not its strangest quality, For as its belt sparkled and glittered now in on part and now in another, and what was light one instant at another time was dark, so the figure itself fluctuated in its distinctness; being now a thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a head, now a head without a body; of which dissolving parts no outline would be visible In the dense gloom wherein they melted away. And, in the very wonder of this, it would be itself again, distinct and clear as ever, “Are you the Spirit, slr, whose com- ing was foretold to me?” asked Scrooge. “1 am!" ‘The volce was soft and gentle, Singularly low, as if instead of being so close beside him, it were at @ distance, “Who and what are you?” §, demanded, is hte s) “Lam the Ghost of Christmas Past,” “Long Past?" Inqutred Scrooge, ob- servant of its dwarfish stature, “No. Your past." Perhaps Scrooge could not have told anybody why, if anybody could have asked him, but he had a special de- sire to see the Spirit in his cap, and begged him to be covered, “What! exclaimed the Ghost, “would you so soon put out, with worldly hands, the light I give? Ie it not enough that you are one of those whose passions made this cap, and force me through whole traing of years to wear it low upon my brow?" Scrooge reverently disclaimed all in. tention to offend or any knowledge of having wilfully “bonnetted” — the Spirit at any 4 vd of his life, He then made bold to inquire what busi- ness brought him there, “Your welfare!" said the Ghost, Scrooge expressed himself much obliged, but could not help thinking that a night of unbroken rest would have been more conducive to that end, The Spirit must have heard him thinking, for it said immediately: ‘ an reclamation, then, Take heed!" Tt put out its strong hand as tt spoke and clasped him gently by the arm, “Rise, and walk with me!” It would have been Scrooge to plead that the weather and the hour were not adapted to pedestrian purposes; that bed was warm, and the thermometer a long way below freezing; that he wa clad but lightly in his slippers, dress. ing gown and nightcap, and that he had a cold upon him at the time, The rasp, though gentle as a woman's nd, was not to be resisted, He rose, but finding that the Spirit made toward the window, clasped its robe ip supplication, “lam a mortal,” Scrooge remon- strated, “and liable to fall, “Bear but a touch of my hand there,” said the Spirit, laying it upon Kis heart, “and you shall be upheld in more than this!” As the words wer spoken they passed through the It and stood upon an open countr: ‘oad, with flelds on either hand, je city had entirely vanished, Not a vestige of it was to be seen, The darkness and the mist had vanished with it, for it was a clear, cold, winter day, with snow upon the ground, “Good heeven!" aid Scrooge, clasp- ing his hands together, as he looked about him, “I was bred in this place, I was a boy here! The Spirit gazed upon him mildly, Its gentle touch, though it had been light and instantaneous, present to the old ma fecling. He was conscious of a thou- sand odors floating in the air, each one connected with a thousand thoughts, and hopes, and joys, and cares, long, long forgottent Your lip is trembling,” said the “And what is that upon your srooge muttered, with an unusual catching in his voice, that it was « pimple, and begged the Ghost to lead hin: e he would, You recollect the way?” inquired Spirit, !" erled Berooge ‘L could walk it blindfold, “Strange to have forgotten it for so many years!" observed the Ghost, “Let us go on." They walked along the road, Scrooge recognizing every gate and post and treo; until a little market- town appeared in UW distance, wiih its bridge, its church and winding river, Some shaggy ponies now were seen trotting toward them, with boys upon their back, whe called to other boys in country gigs and carts, driven by farmers, All these boys were in great spirits, and shouted to each other, until the broad fields were #0 full of merry music that the crisp air laughed to hear it. “These are but shadows of the things that have been,” said the Ghost. “Phey have no conselousness of us! The jocund travellers came on; and as they came, Scrooge knew and named them every one, Why was he rejoiced beyond all bounds to see in vain for | The Evening World Daily Magazine! Tuesday, December 21, 1918 | Tough Luck! on ae DYE MY NO'S OLD BATH ROBE A DIFFERENT COLO! His CHRISTHAS: AND HES THAT 'S '4 THINKS IT'S A NEWO THIS YEAR 1'UL tein teeter SOME CAT FuR IT STYLISH ” EMPTY THE HIN WISE them? Why did his cold eye g! and jis heart leap up as they t No, \T DIDN'T WoRK AT ALL | FORGOT TO BReForRE DYEING IT AND JONN Found Some PINK To BACCO IN THE POCKETS AND IT PuT MAKE cTOuN, YouR OLO BATH ROBE WAS So FADED | GAVE IT AWAY. HERE IS 4 NEW ONE | BouGHT For YouR KMAS POCKETS he came home again after sailing Uttle round the island. ‘Poor Robin Cru- “You ara quite @ woman, Fan!" exclaimed the boy. ‘Why was he filled with glad- soe, where have you bee: She clapped her handa and laughed, when he heard them give each soe?" man tho and tried to touch his head; but bo- other Merry Christmas, dreaming, but he wasn't ing too little, laughed ain, and parted at crossroads and t their several homes? = What Merry Christmas to Scrooge? upon Merry Christmas! What had it ever done to him? “The school is not quite deserted,” id the Ghost, “A solitary child, lected by his friends, is left there ne 1 Serooge said he knew it. And he sobbed. ‘They left the high road by a well- remembered lane and soon approached a mansfon of dull red brick, with a little weathercock-surmounted —cu- nd a bell hanging It was a large house, but one of broken fortunes; for the spacious offices were little used, thelr walls were damp and mossy, their windows broken and their gates decayed. Fowls clucked and strutted in the sables, and the coach houses and sheds were overrun with grass, Nor was it more retentive of its ancient state, within; for entering the dreary hall d glancing through the open doors of many rooms, they found them poorly furnished, cold and va! ‘There was an earthly savor in the . a chilly bareness In the place, which associated itself somehow with too much getting up by candlelight, and not too much to eat. ‘They went, the Ghost and Scrooge, across the hall, to a door at the back of the house. Lt opened before them, and disclosed a long, bare, melancholy room, made barer still by lines of plain forms and desks. t one of these a lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire; and Scrooge sat down upon a form and wept to see his poor forgotten self as he had used to be, Not a latent echo In the house, not & squeak scuffle from the mice behind the panelling, not a drip from the half-thawed water spout in the dull yard behind; not sigh among the leafless boughs of one despondent poplar; not the idle swinging of an empty | storehouse door-—no, not a clicking in the fire but fell upon the heart of Serooge with softening in- fluence and gave a freer passage to his tears. The Spirit touched him on the arm and pointed to his younger self, In- tent upon his reading, Suddenly a man in foreign garments, wonder- fully real and distinct to look at, stood outside the window wits an axe stuck In his belt and leading by the bridle an ass laden with wood. “Why, it's Ali Baba!” Rerooge ex- ES claimed in ecstasy, “It's dear honest All Baba! Yes, yes, T know One Christmas time, when yonder solitary child was left here al) alone, he did come, for the first time, Just like that, Poor boy! And Valentine,” said Scrooge, “and his wild brother Orson; where they go! And what's his name, who was put down {n his drawers, ‘asleep, at the Gate of Da-| mascus; don't you see him? And tho Sultan's Groom turned upside down by the Genil; there he is upon his} head! Serve him right! I'm glad of it. What business had he to be mar-| ned to the Princess?” ! To hear Scrooge expending all the| earnestness of his nature on such subjects, in @ most extraordinary | voice between laughing and crying, and to see his heightened and excited | face would have been a surprise to} his business friends in the city, In- deed “There's the Parrot!" cried Scrooge. “Green body and yellow tail, with a thing like a lettuce growing out of the top of his head; there he is! Poor Robin Crusoe, he called him when Parrot, you know. There goes Fri- utood on tiptoe to embrace him day, running for his life to the little she bogan to drag him, in her child- creek! Halloa! Hoo Halloa!" ish eagern toward the door; and Then, with a rapidity of transition he, nothing loath to go, accompanied very foreign to his usual character, her. he said, in pity for his former self, A terri “Poor boy and cried arain, “Bring down “L wish,” Serooge muttered, putting ther his hand in his pocket, and looking Svhoolm about him, after drying his eyes with voice in the hall cried, Mastor Serooge’s box, his cuff; “but it’s too late now erie Reo spinat ete matter?” asked the iinds with hin. He then conveyed ba Ud him and his sister into the veriest ‘Nothing,” said Scrooge, “nothing, There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should to have given bim something: old well of a shivering best parlor that ever was seen, where the maps upon the wall and the celestial and . terrestrial globes in the windows, The Giiost smiled thoughtfully, ang Wem wasy with cold, waved its hand, saying, as it did so, ere ne duced a decanter of Lae tab aes ansihar Chtlatimast”? curioualy light wine, and a block of Scrooge’s former self grew larger at curlously heavy e and udminis- the Worle, and the room becamera lite teed instalments of’ thowe dainties tle darker'and more dirty, ‘The pancly {0 {he voune peopl shrunk, the windows cracked; frag- ments of plaster fell out of the ceil ine, and the naked laths were shown instead; but how all this was brought to offer a glass of posthoy, whd 4 thanked the gentleman, but if it were about, Scrooge knew no more than {he Aumne tp ax he had tasted before you do, He only knew that It was trink being by this time tied on to quite correct; that everything had ino ton of the chaise, the children er | bade the schoolmaster goodby right gone home for the jolly holida pt EE yo ey He was not redding now, but walk- ing up and down despairingly. Scrooge looked at the Ghost, and, with 4 mournful shake of his head, glanced anxiously toward the door It opened, and @ little girl, much quick wheels dashing the hoar-frost and snow from off the dark leaves of the evergreens like spray. “Always a delicate creature, whom a breath might withered,” said younger than the boy, caine darting ;20«jrowt “But she hud a large in, and, putting her arms about his we neck, an often ki ing him, addressed ,.80 she had," cried Serdoge. him as her “dear, dear brother.” shee ett ; ont not gaingay it, “I have oome to bring you home, SMirit. God forbi¢ ae dear brother!” said the child clap- “She died a woman,” said the ping her hands, and bending down to {ihomt, “and had, as I think, chil- ian To bring you home, home, © ene child.” Scrooge returned. “Home, little Fan!" returned the True,” said the Ghost, “Your a nephew said the child, brimful of | Scrooxe seemed wnensy in his mind, Jome, for good and all, Home, @94 answered briefly, “Yes, . Father Although they had but that mo- Kinder than he used to be ent left the school behind them, like Heaven! He spok they were now in the busy thorough me one dear night whe fares of w elty, where shadowy pas to bed that | was not ra passed and repassed; | wh him onee more if you might arts and coach bat home; and he said Yes, you should, fer way, and all the strife and sent me in @ coach to bring you, tumult of a real city were, Tt was And you're to be a man id’ the made plain enough, by the dressing child, opening her eyes, “and ara of the shops, that here, too, it wan never to como back here; but first, Christinas-time again; but. it we're to be together all the Christ: evening, and the atreets were | mas long, and have the merriest up tima in al] the world,” The Ghost stopped at a certain ONE OF THE MANY THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO ARE READING THE EVENING WORLD'S Complete Novel Each Week? 1# not, you are robbing yourself of the richost fiction treat ever offered te the readers of a newspape The Evening World, every week, prints a novel by some famous author, These novels are issued complete in six large daily inétalments. They are selected with a view to suiting tho tastes of all readers, And the tremendous success of the plan has long been demonst In The Evening World's “COMPLETE NOVEL EACH WEE sories is the foremost work of such “best-seller” authors as Robert W. Chambers, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Rupert Hushes, James Oliver Cu wood, Morgan Robertson, Margaret Widdemer, George Randolph Che: ter, Louis Joseph Vance, Edgar Rico Burroughs and many others of equal celebrity. (DEA } GOING To DO THAT FoR SOHN THAT WAS “TOUGH Luck | A GRAND i By Bertrand hands to stop the dance, cried ou! “Well done!” and the fiddier plan bis hot face into a pot of porter, es+ Peclally provided for that purpose, But, scorning rest, upon his pearance he instantly began in, though there were no dancers yet, ea if the other fiddier had been carried home, exhausted, on a shutter, and he were a brand-new man resolved to beat bie out Of sight, or perish. There were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances, and there was cake, and there was win and there was a great piece of ¢o} roast, and there was @ areat plece cold boiled, and there were mince pies, and plenty of beer. But the Rreat effect of the evening came afte: the roast and boiled, when the fi dier (an artful dog, mind! the sort of who knew his business better you or L could have told tt him!) k up “Sir Roger de Coverley,” Then old Pezziwig stood out dance with Mr vuniwig. Top cou. ple, too; with a good stiff piece of work cut out for them; three or four OH How LOVELY! APINK BATH Rope TRINNeD WITH FuR | LLL GNE IFT Yoo Ron (2) (Sust WHAT FWANTED] | and wren'y mr of partners: people | BECAUSE you! Nee ee sig Soon st welktanne™ wae BO 88 ih But if they had been twice many tines—old Veasiwig would have been a matoh for them, and so would Mrs, Fegziwig. As to her, she 1s worthy to be hi Partner in every sense of the term. if that's not high | praise, tell me higher, and Uli use it, 1A positive Itht appeared to twa from Fezziwig's calve: They sho of the dance like moo! have predicted, at any what would become of | Pezaiwig had gone all through the dance; advance and retire, both hands to your partner, bow and courtesy, corkscrew, — thread-theenesdie, back ain to your place; We “out—cut eo deftly, that he appe: to wink with his legs, and came upon | his feet again without « stagger. | When the clock struck 11, this a mestic ball broke up. Mr, and M ‘oxviwig took their stations, one on either side the door, and shaking is with every person individually as he or she went out, wished him or ler a Merry Christmas, When every- body had retired but the two "pren- | tices, they did the same to them? and thus the cheerful votces died awa; jand the Inds were left to their be which were under a counter In the ek shop, Pwsuring, the whole of this time a Scrooge had acted ike a man out of hy ( wits, His heart and sou! wore in ie scene, and with his former self. Horated everything, remem- rything, enjoyed everything, nt the strangest agita- not until now, when the former self and bered ¢ Jand unders | ton. 1 w at 7 ce | Pick were turned from them, that remembered the Ghost, and became conscious that It was looking full upon Kelle him, while {be light upon itp head heh} | burnt very clear. 2! 1) matter,” said the coy these silly people so btw] wasehou door and asked Scrooge ~ “small!” echoed Scrooge. it he knew it, nhn'apiritaismed. to. hima to isten “Know it!” said Scrooge. “Was I to the two apprentices, who were apprenticed here? pouring out their hearts in praise of They went “= At sight of an old Jogsiwig, and, when he had done go, gentleman in a Welsh wis, sitting be- yaide hind such @ high desk that if he had Why! In it not? He has spant been two inches taller ho must have put afew po@nds of your mortal knocked his head against the ceiling, money: three or four, perhaps. Ie Scrooge cried in great excitement: that so much that he deserves this “Why, it's old Kesziwig! heart; it Old Fe: looked up at th pene t n't that,” sald Scrooge, heated by the remark, and speaking uncon- { olowsly’ Ike his former, not hie lat~ k, he hour of 7. He rubbed bis ha: ter, self; “it Inn’t that, Spirit, He adjusted his capacions watstco: has the power to render us happy or I over hime unhap 6 our service Nght or bur some; a pleasure or @ toll, Say that his power lies in words and jed ou! a comfortable, oily, ric Jooks; in things so slight and lasig- fat, jovial voice: “Yo-ho, there! Ebenezer! Dick!" nificant t it in i ible Scrooge’s former self, now grown & and count ‘om up; what then? The young man, came briskly In, accom- happiness he gives is quite as great panied by his fellow-'prentice, as if it cont a fortune. “Dick Wilkins, to be sure!" said Me fatt the Spirit's glance and Scrooge to the Ghost. “Bless me, yes, stopped, 4 Thore he is. He was very much « ‘What is the matter?” aaked the howt . “Nothing particular, mnething, 1 think, Diek! tached to Poor Dear, dear , Was Dick, said Scrooge, the Ghost in- Yo-ho, my boy sald Fesuiwis 4 No more work to-night, Christmas "!* . i howld ve, Dick, Christmas, Ebenezer! Let's)" N ald Bcrooge—"nd. al os have the shutters up,” cried cid like to } CL tad Le, one ore wig, with a sharp clap of his hands, $0 ny ‘ re A fore @ man can way Jack Robin- | tlh Cnt ive iierance tp, he y ‘ > wish; and Scrooge an (eee ei eegey chatwed Inte ugain stood side by sido tn the open the street with the shutters—one, two, #!°. ve three--had fem up in their places pee Ft aida observed four, five, sik--barred ‘em and pinned the Spirit, “Quick! ‘em—seven, eight, nine—and caine Thix waa not addressed to Serogge, back before you could have got to any one whom he could see, but twelve, panting like race horses, “Hilli-ho!" cried old Fezziwig, skip- ping down from the high desk with wonderful agility, “Clear away, my Juced an immediate effect. himself. Hi « man in the prip had not the harsh and W. Sinclair} Ee eee eee happiness when we is fraught with misery are two, How often and how keenly I have thought of this, I will not a It is enough that f ave thought of it, and pom “Have I ever sought release?” “In words? No. Never.” In what, “Ina ure; spirit; in another nother Hi as ite great sverything that made my lov worth or value in your al, bad never been between ert, eee mildty, but i. ness, upon seek me out and try to win me now? to the netics of Ah, no!” tate soppeniee! et ipite bimaelf. in 4 A pale. with @ struggle, “You ve learned » Truth like this, | know bow strong and ir- resistible it must be. But if you were free Lae ge to-morrow, . can oven { believe that you choose a dowerless gi your very confidence with her, wi everything by Gain; or, choosing a moment you were enough to your own gulding prinel; to do so, do I nog know that your repentance and regret would surely follow? Td ar se you. With a full h for she love of lim you once were He was about to speak: but, with ber head turned from him, she re- sumed: “You me past he memory of what 1# half makes me hope you will— Pain in thie, A very, very briet and you will disml | the recal- \ \ of It gladly, a9 an unprofitable dream, trom which It happened well a woke. May you be ha in iife fal have chosen! ue ao lett him, and they parted. “Spirit!” wald so Pa tow me no more! Cunduct Why do you delight to torture mer “Ona shadow more!” exclaimed the more!" erled T don't wish to see it. “no Show more, ‘we no more!” the rete him in both his to observe What happened nowt, They were in another scene and nileas Ghost pinioned rma, and forced him place; a room, not very Li wome, but full of contort Near to the winter fire sat a beautiful young ir, oo ane that last that Berooge be- posite her danchter The Tae We this room wan perfectly tumultusas, for there were more children there in him agitated state of could count; and, colebrated herd in t ean Hae were not forty children conduc! war saedeeting bye but every ohil if like forty, Consequences were uproartous Teyona hand belief; but Bo one seemed to care; on the con’ the mot! 4 ter laugh eartily, Mand tase tk very much; and the latter, ag sinning to mingte tn the sports, got pillaged by the young bri ‘mon’ ruthleasly, Wi would or A given to be one of them! never could ba 1 wouldn't for Iitle anos, would le a wouldn't have it off, God bless my soul! to Sve ur life, As to measuring her waist 4 sport, ay they did, bold young brood, I couldn't have done it; | should have expected my arm to have grown round it for a punishment, and never come straight again. And yet 1 should have dearly tked, I own, to have touched her Up We questio: her, that to Pang | me he oh upon the lashes of her met oven, loose waves of had ry ir, an ii would be a Keepaake ferent: Sion in short, I should havo liked, | do co fons, to have the light child, and “yet te test license of « have be E snghes to how its vatne, linc: jut now a knocking at the door wa, heard, and such @ rush immediately ensued, that she, with laughing face and ap teeerea Gress, was borne it, in the centre of @ flushed and boisterous group, just in time to Breet the father, who came at. tonded by @ man laden with Chris: mas toys and presents. Then the shouting and the struggling, and the onslaught that was made on the de- fonsetns Porter! The scaling him with chairs for ladders, to into his pockets, despoil him wn Paper parcels, hold on tight by his cravat, hug him found the pom~- his back, and kick his legs in irrepressible affection! ‘The shout of wonder and deli whic! development of ee yo lads, and let's have lots of room hero! rigid lines of later years, but it had oop Hi Hill-ho, Dick, Chirrup, Ebenezer!" — begun to wear the signs of care and Oh dia a Clear’ away!” Thero was nothing avarice, ‘There waa an eawer, arondy, bal take! the cnt they wouldn't have cleared away, or restless motion in couldn't have cleared away, with old whowed the paysion that had taken Pulling & doll's frying pag into his Feasiwig looking on, It was done in root 1d where the shadow of the ft hance ie more than suspected aminute, Every movable was packed grow) tree would fall, hey, glued on ones Aetitious tur- off, ay if it were dismissed from pub- — He 4 not alone, but sat by the Sey B wooden iter! ‘The fa fair lic young girl in a mourns n whose eyes there were rkied Nght life foreverm« * side in the ete sy f jone out of the Ghost of Christ. and warm, and dey, and bright a naw E rou as you Would desire to sce upon natters little,” she sald softly, a winter's nig “po you, very litte, Another idol has tn cume u fiddler with a dine; and if it can ch and ind went up to the lofty de und (ommtort, you in time to come, a made an orchestra of Hy 4 tried to do, F have no just ke f machaches, Ate aie, Ue te ONS Yost Jul bas displaced you?" be i In caine the three Miss Fea Wiss, beaming and lovable, In ¢ ean six young followers Whose hearts broke, in came all the young nen and women employed in the bus ness. In came the housemaid, wih | her cousin, the baker, In camo th 4 verity os the cook, with her broth par f triend, the milkman, In cam y f from over the way, who was susp Ce ed of not having b gh ft a have jig master; trying h ' beyond the behind the givl fre x coach 1 have s one, Who Was proved to hay at 4 fall off 0 one, until eurs pulled by her mistress. 1 144 4 in, engrossed all came, one af un + Jwhyly, soine boldly, ne graceta ed. “Ben if nome awkwardly, Horn ney wiser, what pulling: In they all eyine, anyhow and ward you." everyhow She Away they all went, twenty Agee at once; bunds half round Ou tra vd Jagain the when » both po Jand up agai until, in go | ous stages ' u ahd prove old lop nl t ry. Y 1 the wrong ple When it was made, you here; all top couple i ind not "1 he tently |a bottom one to help them! wn ling telly you that When this result’ was brought yo! not at you are,” she res labout, old Fesaiwig, clapping his turned. “Iam, That which promised immenae relief of Dading thin a false alarm ‘he Joy, and gratitud id ecstasy! They ure abt allke, It is enough far eeegel “4 b the children and their ‘omations ‘wot out of the parlor, and, by one step at 4 time, up to the top of the house, where they went to bed and ao gabe sided And now Scrooge looked on more attentively than ever, when the mae- hou ing his daughter eaning fondly ™, sat down with vat hie own fire. n he thought that such ure. quite es graceful amice. might have ealied father. and been a xpring-time in haeward win of his life, his y dim indded 1 the busban Old friend of we ow I ad don't L know?” breath, laugh- Mr. Beroowe,” ‘ was, | passed hip s \t was not shut eandle inside, I ely hel seeing him, Hi 8 Upon the point of death, T and there he sat alone, Qui ny the wor'd, T do believe,” “Solrit!" said Sereoge, in