, 1859-12-26

.d "a Inc ey p. Christmas to us ILL., m, deaFs.
Which nli The family re-echoed.
! God bless US every one" said Tiny Tim, the
lie sat very close tn his fathers side, upou bis
| little stool. Bob held his wthered little hand
/ in hts. as il be loved the chilli, md wished to
keep hin' BY big SIDE, aud dreaded that he might
| be taken from him.
| "Spirit," said Scrooge, w,th an interest that
i've" ''' 0s'' 'eD LIZ - " N'1' "'''
Il see vacant seat," replied the Ghost. " in
the poor chimney corner, and q crutch without
an owner. carefully preserved. II these sbad-
| ows remain uua'tered By the future, the child
"So, no." said Scrooge. "0h no, kiad Spir-
it: say he will be spared"
| "1f these shadows remain uualtered by the
iuture, none other Of my race," returned the
! GLost, will find him here. What, then. If
| he be like to die, he had better do IT, and de-
crease the surplus population
scrooge hung his head to hear his own words.
| quoted ty the Spirit, and was overcome with
penitcnce md grief.
| Man, said the Ghost, !" if man be in your
heart, not adamant, forhear that wicked cant
md where it is. Will you decide whan men
shall live, and what men shall de- 1t
maJ be thst in the eight Of heaven
you are more worthless and less it to lire than
| millions like this poor mans child. Oh God!
TO bear the insect on the leaf pronouncing on
| the dusti'
Scrooge bent before the Ghosts 4ebuke, aud
trembling cast his eyes upon the ground. But
he raised them speedily, on hearing his own
name.
"Mr. Scrooger said Bob: "I'll ei7e you Mr..
Scrooge, the Founder Of the Feast!"
"The Founder Of the Feast, indeed!" cried
Mrs Cratchit, reddening- ~ wish had him
here. I'd give him piece Of mr mud to feast
upon, and hope he'd hare d good appetite
My dear" said Bob" the Children, Christ
mas Day."
ut should be Christmas day, 1 nm sure,"
said she, II on which one drinks the health Of
such an odious, stingy, had, nnfeeling man AZ
hns M sSerooge enngs thst lou KNOW he IS Robert! No"
my dear" was Bob's miid answer, Christ
mas Day."
"1ll drink his health for your sake, and tho
day said Mrs. Craschit, as aot for his Long
Life to him! 4 merry Christmas and y happy
fsm mrs aearMhsbe dost md very happy.
The children drank the toast after her. It was
the first Of their proceedings which had no
hcastiness in it. Tiny Tim drank it last Of all,
but be didn't care twopcnce forit. Scrooge was
the Ogre Of the family. The mention Of his
name cast dark shadow on the party which
was not dispelfed for full five minutes.
Alter it had pazsed away, they were ten times
merrieE thanr before, from the mere reliefof
Scrooge the Da1efui being done with. Bob Cratch-
it told then, how he had a situation in bis
eye for Master Peter, which would bring in, if
obtained, full fire and sixpence weekly. The
two young Cratcfltts laughed tremendously 1t
the idea OF Peters being man of business:
and Peter himself looked thoughtfnlly at The
tire from between his collars as If he were de-
lbcratln. what particular investmentsl lie should
faYor when be CAME into the receipt Of thst be-
Waldering Income. Martha. who was poor ap-
prentice at q milliner's, then told them what
Kind ef work she had to do. and how many
hours she worked at stretch, and how she
meant to lie abedto morrow morning for good
long rest; tomorrow being holiday, she pas
sed ut home Also how she had seen
countess and lord. some days before, and how
the lord was much about as tnll as Peter; at
which Peter pulled un his collar so high that
rou couldn't have seen his head if you had been
there. All this time the chestuutx and the Jug
went round and round; and bye and bye they
had song, about lust child travelling in :he
snow, from Tiny Tim; who Ind plaintiye lit
tie voice, and sang it very well, indeed.
There was nothing Of high mark in this.
They were not handsome family; they were
not well dressed; their shoes were fur from be.
ing wafer proof; their clothes were scanty:
and Peter might hare known, and very likely
did, the inside of a paw nbrokcr's. but tier were
happy, grateful, pleased with one another, and
coutented with tue time; and when they fnded
and looked hnppiery yet in the bright sparkiin.s
Of the Spirits torch ut parting Scroose had lis
eye upon them, and especially upon Tiny Tim,
until the last