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COPYRIGHT 1914- EY THE. oTAP C-g.
A Christmas Editorial By Charles Dickens
—From “A Christmas Carol”
Mnrlty wiu dead; to begin with.
There Is no doubt whatever about
that. The register of hi* burial was
signed by the Clergyman, the clerk,
the undertaken and the chief mourn
er Scrooge signed It; and Scrooge's
name was rood upon 'Change for any
thing he chose to put hla hand to.
Old Marley waa as dead a* a door
nail.
Scrooge knew he was dead ? Of
course he did. How could It be other
wise? Scrooge and he were iwrtnera
for 1 don't know how many yeara
Scrooge was hla aole executor. Ills
sole administrator, his sole assign, his
sol* residuary legatee, his sole friend
and sole mourner.
Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand
at the grindstone, Scrooge! a aqtteM
lng. wrenching, grasping, scraping,
clutching, covetous old sinner!
External heat and cold had little In
fluence on Scrooge. No warmth could
warm, nor wintry weather chill hint.
No wind that blew was more hitler
than he, no falling snow was more
Intent upon tt* purpose, no pelting
rain less open to entreaty. Foul
weather didn't know where to h: v*
him. The heaviest rain, and snow,
and hall, and sleet, could boast of
the advantage over him In only one
respect. They often "came down”
handsomely and Scrooge never did.
On a certain Christmas eve. after
Scrooge hail gtowled at his neph
ew for Inviting him to dinner and
wishing him a Merry Christmas,
growled at two gentlrmen for
asking hint to give something to
the poor, and growled at hi* un
derpaid clerk. Boh Cralchlt, father
of Tiny Tim. for begging leave to
spend Christmas Pay at home, he
went to the chambers once occu
pied by his dead partner and him
self. now by himself alone
Just as he wss shout to go to
bed there was a clanking of chalna
and Into the room, right through
the panels of the door, which was
locked and bolted, came the ghost
of Marley.
"Mercy! Presdful apparition, why
do you trouble me '" cried Scrooge
"Why do spirits walk the earth, and
why do they come to me?"
"It Is required of every man." the
ghost returned, "that the spirit with
in him should walk abroad among hla
fallow-men and travel for and wide:
and If that aplrlt goes not forth In
life. It I* condemned to do so after
death. 1 cannot rest. I cannot stay I
cannot linger Hnvwhrre. My spirit
never walked beyond our counting
house- mark me In life, my spirit
never roved beyond the narrow limits
of our money -changing hole: and
weary Journeys lie before me'"
“Seven year* dead." mused Scrooge
“and traveling all the time!"
"Oh! captive, hound and double
Ironed," cried phantom, "not to know
that age* of Incessant lat>or by Im
mortal creature* for this earth must
pass Into eternity before the good of
which It Is susceptible Is all develop
ed Not to know that any Christian
spirit working kindly In It* little
sphere whatever It may be will find
Its mortal life too short for Its vast
means of usefulness Not to know
that no space of regret can make
amends for one life's opportunity mis
used; Vet such was I! Such was 1!
"But you were always a good man
of business, Jacob," faltered Scrooge,
who now began to apply this to him
self.
"Business!" cried the ghost, wring
ing Us hands again. "Mankind was
my business. The common welfare
was my business; charity, mercy, for
bearance and benevolence, were all
my business. The dealings of my
trade were hut a drop of water in
the comprehensive ocean of my busi
ness!"
Scrooge was very much dismayed
to hear the specter going on at this
rate, and began to quake exceedingly.
"Hear me!" cried the ghost. "My
time Is nearlj gone.”
“I mu here tonight to warn you
that you have yet a chance and hope
of escaping my fate A chance and
hope of procuring, Ebenexer.”
"You were always a good friend to
me," said Scrooge. "Thank'ee!”
"Vou will he haunted." resumed the
ghost, "by three spirits. - '
The first of the three spirits
was the lihosl of Christmas l'aat,
which took Scrooge hack to the
days of his boyhood and youth,
showing hint their Joys and their
lost opportunities.
The second was the Ghost of
Christmas Present. It took Scrooge
to the homes of his underpaid
clerk and the nephew who had
wished him a Merry Christmas,
and showed him Just how these
kept the high day, and Just how
they regarded the growling part
ner of the dead Marley.
The third was the Ghost of
Christ nine Yet to Come, and by
the time It come Scrooge had re
solved to change his mode of Uf*.
"Spirit"' he cried, tight clutching
at Its robe, "hear me! I am not the
man 1 was V will not he the man I
must have been but for thta Inter
course
•'flood spirit," he pursued. "Your
nature Intercedes for me, and pities
me Assures me that I yet may
change these shadows you have shown
tne by an altered life'
"1 will honor Christmas In my heart
and try to keep It all the year. 1 will
live In the past, the present and the
future. The spirit of all three shall
strive within me I will not shut out
the lessons that they teach."
Holding up his hands In one last
prayer to have his fate reversed, h*
saw an alteration In the Phantom's
hi od and dress It shrunk, collapsed
and dwindled down Into a bed post
Yes. and the bedpost waa hla own.
The bed was his own. the room was
his own. Best and happiest of all,
the time before hint was hi* own, to
make amends In!
"1 will live In the past, the present
and the future!" Scrooge repeated aa
he scrambled out of bed. "The spirits
ot all three shall strive within me."
He was so fluttered and so glom-
Ing with his good Intentions that his
broken voice would scarcely answer
to Ids call He had been sobbing vio
lently In his conflict with the spirit,
and his face was wet with tears
"I don't know what to do’" cried
Scrooge, laughing and crying In the
same breath. "I ant as light as a
feather. I am as happy as an angel.
I am as merry as a schoohoy. 1 am
as giddy as a drunken man A Merry
Christmas to everybody! A Happy
New Year to all the world! Hallo,
here! Whoop! Hallo!"
Really, for a man who had been
mil of practice for so many years, It
was a splendid laugh, a most lllus
trloiis laugh. The father of a long
long line of brilliant laughs!
"I dent know what day of the
month It is,” said Scrooge. "I don't
know how long I've been among the
spirits. I don’t know anything. I’m
quite s haby. Never mind, 1 don’t
care. I'd rather he a baby. Halo!
Whoop! Hallo, here!”
He was checked in his transports
by the churches ringing out the Inst
il st peals he had ever heard. Clash,
clang, hnmmar, ding, dong, hell!
Bell, dong, ding, hammer, clang,
clash! Oh, glorious, glorious!
Running to the window, he opened
It and put out his head. No fog, no
mist; clear, bright; Jovial, stirring,
cold: cold, piping for the Mood to
dance to; golden sunlight; heavenly
sky; sweet fresh alp; merry hells. Oh,
glorious! Glorious!
“What’s today?" cried Scrooge, rail
ing downward to a hoy in Sunday
clothes, who perhaps had loitered In
to look about him.
"Eh?" returned the hoy.
"What’s today, my fine fellow?"
"Today?" replied the boy. "Why
Christmas Pay.”
"It's Christmas Pay!" said Scrooge
to himself. "I haven't missed it. The
spirits have don* it all In one night.
They can do anything they ’.lke. Of
course they can. Of course they can.
Hallo, my fine fellow!”
"Hallo!” returned the boy.
"Po you know the poulrterer’s In the
next street but one, at the corner?"
Scrooge Inquired.
"I should hope I did," replied the lad.
"An Intelligent boy!" said Scrooge
"A remarkable hoy! Po you know
whether they've sold the prize turkey
that was hanging up there? Not the
little prize turkey; the hlg one?”
"What, the one as big as nte?" re
turned the boy.
"What a delightful hoy! said
Scrooge. “It's a pleasure to talk to
him. Yes, tny buck!"
"It’s hanging there now,” replied the
hoy.
“It Is?" said Scrooge. “Go and buv
It."
"Walker!" exclaimed the boy.
"No, no," said Scrooge: "I am In
earnest. Go and buy It and tell 'em
to bring It hero that 1 may give them
the direction where to take It. Come
hack with the man. and I'll give you
a shilling. Come hack with him In
less thnn five minutes, and I'll give
you half-a-crown'”
The boy was off like a shot. He
must have had a steady hand at a
trigger who could have got a shot off
half so fast.
"I'll send It to Boh Cratchlt's!"
whispered Scrooge, rubbing his hands
and splitting with a laugh. "He sh'n't
know who sends It. It's twice the
site of Tiny Tim .”
The hand In which he wrote the
address was not a steady one, hut
write it he did, somehow, and went
downstairs to open the street door,
ready for the coming of the poulter
er's man.
tt was a turkey. He could never
have stood upon his legs, that bird.
THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA.
He would have snapped ’em short off
in a minute, like sticks of sealing wax.
"Why, it's impossible to carry that
to Cadmen town,” said Scrooge. “You
must have a cab."
The chuckle with which he said
this, and the chuckle with which he
paid for the turkey, and the chuckle
with which he paid for the cab, and
the chuckle with which he recompens
ed the hoy, were only to be exceeded
by the chuckle with which he sat
down breathless In his chair again
and chuckled till he cried.
Shaving was not an easy task,
for his hand continued to shake
very much; and shaving requires
attention, even when you don't
dance while you are at it. But
if he had cut the end of his nose
off, he would have put a piece of
sticking plaster over It and been
quite satisfied
He dressed himself “all in his
best,” and at last got out Into the
strepts. The people were by this
time pouring forth as he had sepn
them with the ghost of Christmas
Present; and. wnlklng with his
hands behind him Scrooge regard
ed every' one with a delightful
smile. He looked so Irresistibly
plensnnt, in a word that three or
four good-humored fellows said,
"Good morning, sir! A Merry
Christmas to you!” And Scrooge
said often afterward that of alt
the blithe sounds he had ever
heard, those yvere the blithest In
his ears.
Ho had not cone far, whon, com
ing on toward him, ho beheld one of
the portly gentlemen who had walked
Into his counting house the day be
fore It sent a pang across his heart
to think how this old gentleman would
look upon him whon they met; but
lie knew what path lay straight before
him. and he took it.
"My dear sir." said Scrooge, quick
ening his pace and taking the old
gentleman by both his hands. "How
do you do? I hope you succeeded
yesterday. Tt was very kind of you.
A Merry Christmas to you, sir!"
“Mr. Scrooge?”
"Yes," said Scrooge. “That is my
name, and I fear it may not be pleas
ant to you. Allow tne to ask your
pardon. And will you have the good
ness —here Scrooge whispered in his
ear.
"laird bless you!" cried the gentle
man, as if his breath were gone. "My
• ear Mr. Scrooge, are you serious?”
"If you please," said Scrooge. "Not
a farthing less. A great many back
payments are included in it. I assure
you. Will you l do me that favor?’
"My dear sir." said th > other, shak
ink hands with him. “I don’t know
what to say to such munifi—"
"Don’t say anything, please," re
torted Scrooge. "Come and see me.
Will you come and see me?"
"I will!" cried the old gentleman.
And it was clear he meant to do It.
"Thank'ee," said Scrooge. "1 am
much obliged to you. 1 thank you
fifty times Bless you!"
He went to church and walked about
the streets, and watched the people
hurrying to and fro. and patted chil
dren on the head, and questioned beg
gars. and looked down into the kitch
ens of houses and up to the windows;
and found that everything could yield
him pleasure He had never dreamed
that any walk—that anything—could
give him so much happiness In the
afternoon he turned his steps toward
his nephew's house.
He passed the door a doten times
before he had the courage to go up
and knock. But he made a dash, and
did it.
"Is your master at home, my dear?”
said Scrooge to the girl. “Nice girl'
Very!”
"Yes, sir.”
“Where is he, my love?” said
Scrooge.
"He’s in the dining room, sir. along
with mistress. I'll show you upstairs,
if you please.”
"Thank’ee. He knows me,” said
Scrooge, with his hand already on the
dining room lock. "I’ll go in here,
my dear.”
He turned it gently and slided his
face in, round the door. They were
looking at the table (which was spread
out in great array); for these young
housekeepers are always nevrous on
such points, and like to see that every
thing is right.
“Fred!” said Scrooge.
"Why, bless my soul!" cried Fred.
“Who's that?”
‘‘lt’s I. Y’our Uncle Scrooge. I have
come to dinner. Will you let me in,
Fred ?”
I-et him in! It is a mercy he didn't
shake his arm off. He was at home
in five minutes.. Wonderful pany,
wonderful games, wonderful unanim
ity, wonderful happiness!
But lie was early at the office next
morning. Oh, he was early there, if
he could only be there first, and catch
Bob Catchit coming late! That was
the thing he had set his heart upon.
And he did it; yes, he did! The
clock struck nine. No Bob. A quar
ter past. No Bob. He was fully
eighteen minutes and a half behind
his time. Scrooge sat with his door
yvide open, that he might see him
come in.
His hat was off before he opened
the door; his comforter too. He was
on his stool in a Jiffy, driving away
with his pen as if he were trying to
overtake !) o'clock.
"Hallo!" growled Scrooge, in his ac
customed voice as near as he could
feign it. “What do you mean by
coining here at this time of day?”
"1 am very sorry, sir,” said Bob. "I
am behind my time.”
"You are?" repeated Scrooge. "Y'es,
I think you are. Step this way, sir,
if you please.”
"It’s only once a year, sir, pleaded
Boh. "It shall not be repeated. 1 was
making r. ther merry yesterday, sir.”
"Now. i'll tell you what, my friend,”
said Scrooge. “I am not going to
stand this sort of thing any longer.
And therefor.,” he continued, leaping
from his stool and giving Bob such a
dig in the waistcoat that he staggered
hack, "and therefore I am about to
raise your salary!"
Bob trembled, and got a little nearer
to the ruler. He had a momentary
Idea of knocking Scrooge down with
it; holding him. and calling to the
people In the court for help and a
strait-waistcoat.
“A Merry Christmas. Boh!" said
Scrooge, with an earnestness that
could not be mistaken, as he clap
ped him on the back. "A merrier
Christmas. Bob, my good fellow,
than 1 have given you for many a
year! I’ll - raise your salary, and
endeavor to usstst your struggling
family; and we will discuss your
affairs this very afternoon, over a
Christmas bowl of smoking
Mshop, Bob’ Make up the fires,
and buy another coal scuttle be
fore you "dot another I." Bob
Ctatchit!"
Scrooge was better than his word.
He did it all. and infinitely more; and
to Tiny Tim. who did not die, he
sax a second father. He became as
good a friend, as good a master, and
as good a man, as the good old city
knew, or any other good old city, town
or borough in the good old world.
Some people laughed to see the al
teration in him, but lie let them laugh
and little heeded them; for he was
wise enough to know that nothing
ever happened on this globe, for good,
at which some people did not have
their fill of laughter in the outset;
and, knowing that such as these would
be blind, anyway, he thought it quite
as well that they should wrinkle up
their eyes in grins as have malady
in less attractive forms. His own
heart laughed; and that was quite
enough for him.
He had no further intercourse with
spirits, but lived upon the total ab
stinence principle, ever afterward;
and ti was always said of him that he
knew how to keep Christmas well, if
any man alive possessed the knowl
edge. May that be truly said of us,
and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim
observed, God Bless Us, Every One!
Before Shopping Read Herald Ads
Consider Me
If you have unduly delayed your purchasing of
Christmas gifts be patient with those who have
to minister to your needs
fUESDAY, DECEMBER 22.
CHRISTMAS
SUGGESTIONS
A box of Fine Cigars,
Meerschaum or French
Briar Pipe. Fine Amber
Cigar or Cigarette Hold
er, Cigar or Cigarette
Case
Will Make a Most Acceptable as
Well as Appreciative Christmas
Gift for Your Gentlemen
Friends.
Cigars of highest qual
ity ianging from $1 per
box upwards.
Some of our well-known
brands:
Optimo,
Sanchez & Haya,
Tadema,
La Profercncia,
Santa ella,
San Felice,
La Folwin,
Cinco,
C. H. S.
Careful Attention Given Instruc
tions Regarding Deliveries.
Ladies Specially Invited
to Call.
Burdell - Cooper
Tobacco Co.
718 BROAD ST. PHONE 23
ARE YOU MOVING?
JF you are moving this
season be sure to
give us at least ten days’
notice so your telephone
may be moved promptly.
Call at the office to
day and sign an order
for the move.
Southern Bell Telephone
Sc Telegraph Company