New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-12-25

His color changed though, when, without
pause, it came on through the heavy door, and
passed into the room before his eyes. Upon it's
coming in, the dying fame leaped up, as though
it cried II know him Marley's Ghost z and
fell again.
The same face, the very same. Marley in
his pig-tail usual waistcoat, tights, and boots :
the tassels on the latter brstling, like biz pigtail,
and his coat-skirts, and the hair upon his head.
The chain he drew was clasped about his mid
die. 1t was long, and wound about him like a
tail; and it was made (for Scrooge observed it
Closely of cash boxes, keys. padlocks. ledgers,
deeds, and heavy purses wrought in steel. His
body was transparent: so that Scrooge, nbserv-
ing him, and looking through his waistcoat,
could see the two buttons on dis coat behind
Scrooge had often heard it said that Marley
had no bowels, but he had never believed it un-
til now. f' aaS
No, nor did he believe it even now. Though
he looked the phantom through and through,
and saw it standing before him; though he felt
the chilling influence of its death-cold eyes
and marked the very texture of the folded kerr
chief bound about his head and chin, which
wrapper he had not observed before: he was
still incredulous and fought against his senses.
$" How now!" said Scrooge caustic and cold
as ever. What do you want with me I"
"Much p'-Marlrys voice, no doubt about it.
"Who are you" =t4ltl
"Ask me who ydS." ags
"Who ,Oere you, then p said scrooge, raising
his voice. &c You're particular--for shade ?
He was going to say ''to shade" but substi-
tuted this, as more appropriate. 81
"In life was your partner, Jacob Marley"
" Can you--can you sit down." inquired
Scrooge, looking doubtfully at him. Cams
al can" .s-
edo it then" %
Scrooge asked the question, because he didn't
know whether a ghost 80 transparent might
find himself in a condition to take chair; and
felt that in the event of its being impossible, it
might involve the necessity of an embarrassing
explanation. But the ghost sat down on the
opposite side of the fireplace, as if he were quite
used to it. ~
you don't believe in me-" said the ghost
I" I DON'T" said scrooge.
"What evidence would you have of my reali-
ty, beyond that of your senses |" M v
81 don't know" said Scrooge.
"Why do you doubt your senses "
&c Because" said Scrooge, SEA little thing af-
fects me A slight disorder of the stomach
makes them cheats. You may be an undgested
bit of beef, o blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese
a fragment Of an underdone potato. There's
more Of gravy than of grave about you what.
ever you are ~ 85s
Scrooge was not much In the habit Of crack.
ing jokes, nor did he feel, in his heart, by any
means waggish then. The truth is, that he
trid to be smart, as q means of distracting his
own attention, and keeping down his terror
for the spectres voice disturbed the very mar.
row in his bones.
To sit, staring at those fixed, glazed eyes, il
silence for a moment, would play, Scrooge felt
the very deuce with him. There was something
very awful, too, in the spectre's being provided
h
could not feel it himself, but this was clearly
the case; Tor though the ghost sat perfectly mo
tionless its hair, and skirts, and tassels, wer,
still agitated, as by the hot va por from an oven
+" You see this toothpick;" said Scrooge, re
turning quickly to the charge, for the reason jus
assigned; and wishing, though it were only fo
second, to divert the Visions stony gaze from
himself
81 do replied the Ghost, ~.
"You are not looking at it," said Scrooge.
"But I see it," said the Ghost, "notwith
standing
"Well" returned Scrooge, 81 have but tt
swallow this; and be for the rest of my day
prosecuted by a1egon of COLLINS, all of my owl
creation. Humhug, tell you-humbug ~
At this the spirit raised frightful cry, AM
shook its chain with such a frightful and appal
ing noise, that Scrooge held on tight to hi
chair, to save himself from falling in swoon
But how much greater was his horror, whel
the phantom, taking off the bandage round it
| head, as it it were too warm too wear in doors
its lower jaw dropped down upon its breast
scrooge fell upon his knees, and clasped hi
hands before his face
"Mercy!" he said. !" Dreadful apparitior
why do you trouble me-"
''Mau of the worldly mind replied til
| Ghost, do you believe in me or not :"
81 do" said Scrooge. 'sI must But VIII,
| do spirits walk the earth, and why do the,
come to me"
"It is required of every man. the Ghost re
turned, that the spirit within him should wall
abroad among his fellow men. and travel ia
| and wide; and if that spirit goes not forth il
| life. it is condemned to do so after death It i
doomed to wander through the world-oh, w
is me! and witness what it cannot share, blu
| might have shared on earth, and turned to hap
piness!'
| Again the spectre raised a cry, and shook it
chain, and wrung its shadowy hands
| s'You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling
s'Tell me Why"
81 wear the chain forged in life," reptile,
the Ghost ''I made it link by link, and var,
by yard: girded it on of my own free will, an
of my own free will l wore it. Is its patterl
strange to you7"
| Scrooge trembled more and more.
| "Or would you know" pursued the Ghost
:" the weight and length of the strong coil yo
bear yourself' 1t was full as heavy and a
long as this, seven Christmas Ewes ago 70
have labored on it since It is ponderou
chain 70
Scrooge glanced about him on the floor, i
the expectation of finding himself surrounded b
some fifty or sixty fathoms OF ice cable: but h
could see nothing.
'sJacob,a he said, imploringly. "old Jaco
Marley, tell me more. Speak comfort to mt
Jacob"
"Ihave none to give" the Ghost replied. 81
and is conveyed by other ministers, to othe
kinds of men. Nor can tell you what I woulc
| A very little more is all permitted to me.
where. My spirit never walked beyond on
never roved beyond the narrow limits of on
money changing hole; and weary journeys Il
before mer ..,
1t was habit with Scrooge, whenever he be
came thoughtful, to put his hands in his breecl
said, he did so now, but without lifting up h
eyes, or getting off his knees.
&c You must have been very slow about it. Js
ner, though with humility and Difference.
'sSlow - the Ghost repeated.
"Seven years dead" unused Scrooge, san
travelling all the time?'
"The whole tilne,'' said the Ghost. s
s'You travel fast" said Scrooge.
con the wings of the wind" replied IL
Ghost
Vo,, ,s.lNt t,oSvo