, 1859-12-26
39trss 4 Trihtltte,


But soon the steep|es called good people all
to church and chapel, and away they came
iocking throug the streets in their bost clothes
and with their eayest faces. And At The same
time there emerged from scores of bye.street.
lanes. and naueess turniugs, inuumerab!e PEG
g!et carrying their dinners 10 The bakers sho1is
inc sight Of these poor jewellers appeared tc
interest the Spirit very much, for he stood With
ocEoogc beside him in tt bakers DOORWAY, uud
taxing on the covers as their bearers passed
spF1nkled incense on their dinners from hi.
torch And it was very uncommon kind
Of torch, for once or twice when there
were angry words between some dinner.
carriers who had jostled with each othe. he sbed
few drops Of water on them from it, and thei,
good hnmor. was restored directly. For. they
said, 1t was shame to quarrel upon Christmas
-" l. there peculiar haror in what you sprin;
kie from your torcl, ," asked Scrooge.
There is. Nv own
"Noula It apply to any kind Of dinner On this
day." asked serooge,
To any Kindly given. To n poor one
why 10 poor one mostt" asked Se,ooee
Because it needs it most
spirit" said Scrooge, alter \ moments
thought, ~ wonder you, Of all the beingsin the
many worlds nbout us, should desire 10 craruu
these peoples opportunities of innocent enjoy.
H1Gnt!
~" cried the Spirit.
dining esery seventh day, often the only day on
which they can be said to dine at al,,' sail
Scrooge. Wouldn't you.
"l." cried the Spirit.
"ioa seek to close these places on the Sew
eth Day !" aaia 6crooge. '@Aud it comes to
II teekw exclaimed the Shirt,
EnrrfFe frn IF T m, ,rrnr-.
done in Jour name, or at least, in that OF your
family, - said Scroogc.
There nre some upon this earth Of yours"
returned the Spirit, 'who lar ciaim to Know us,
md who do their deeds OF passion, pride. i'll.
viii, hatred, envy, bigotrr, and seiishness in
our namc; "ho arc a. strange to us and oil our
kith and kin, as If they bud never lived. Re-
member that, and charge their doing IS on them
selves, not u.s."
scrooge promised that he would; aud thev
went on, invisible, as they had been before, INTO
the suburbs Of the town. It was remarkable
quality Of the Ghost (which Scrooge had Oh.
served ut tue bakcr's) that, notwithstanding his
any place with ease; mud TINT lie stood beneath
4 low roof quite as gracefully and like super
latural creature, as was possible he could have
done, in my lotty ball.
Aud perhaps it was The pleasure the good
Spirit had in showing OF tlis power of his, or
else it was his own kind, generous, Lea, t.
nature, and lis sympathy with all poor men,
for there be went, aud took Scrooge with him,
holding to his robe; anal on the Threshold Of
tue ioor The Spirit smiled, aud stoppcd to bless
Bob Cratchit's dwelling with the sprinklings Of
bis torch. Think Of that Bob had but fifteen
shillings.1 L week himself; and yet the Ghost of
Christmas Present blessed bis tour-roo.ned
house.
Then up rose Mrs. Cratclit, Cratchit's wife.
dressed out but poorly in twice turned gown,
but brave in ribands. which are cheap and make
goodfy show for 1ixpence: aud she laid the
clo1h, assisted by Belinda Cratclit, second oi
ber daughters, also brave in ribauds; while
Master Peter Cratchit plunged fork into the
saucepan Of potatoes. and getting the corners
of his monstrous shirt-coliar (l5ob's private
property, conferred upon his son and heir in
honor Of the day. into his mouth, reioiccd to
6u1 himself So gallant1y attircd. md yearneti
to show his linen in the fashionable parks. Aud
now two smaller Cratchits, boy aud girl, came
tearing in, screaming that outside tile bakers
they had smelt the goose, aud known it lur
thoughts Of sage and oaions. these young
Cratchits danced about the table, aud exalted
Master Peter Cra.chit 10 the skies, while he {not
proud, although his collars nearly choked hin,}
blew tile fire. until the slow potatoes, bubbling
up, knocked loudly at the saucepan lid, to be .el
ont aud peeled.
"wi.at h4s ever got your precious f4ther,
Tiny Tim i; and Martha warn't US late last
Christmas Day, by ha!f au hourr
Here's Aarsln, mother!" said o girl, appear
ing us she spoke.
Here's Martha, mosher!'' cried the Two
young Cratchits. :Hu,rah: There's suA
goose. Martial"
"Why, bless your heart alire, my dear, how
{n4A = M fSs SnfH k+s r$n1,S ~
dozen times, and linking OF her shawl and bon
net for her, with officious zeal.
"We'd deal Of work TO finish up last night"
replied the girl, ''and VIC had to clear away this
morning, molher!'
well! Never mind, SO long ns YOU are
como" said Mrs. Cratchlt. "Sit &c down before
the fire, my dear, and have warm, Lord bless
ye:"
"No, no! There's father coming" cried tho
two young Cratchits, who wcre everywhere Mt
once. 'sli,de, Martha. hider So Nartha hid
herself, spa in came little Bob Tic father, with
ut lenst- three feet Of comforter, hanging
down before him; and his threadbarc clothes
Tiny Tim upon lis shoulder. Alas for Tiny
Tim, lie bore q little cr,i.ch, and had his limbs
supported By au iron frame!
Wig, where's our Mnrthas" cried Bob
Crntehit looking round.
Not con,ins!" said Mrs. Cratchit.
"Not coning!' said bob. with sudden de-
e!ension in his high spirits; for be had been
Tins blood horse a'l the way from church, and
had come home rampant. "Not coming upon
Christmas Day!'
Martha didn't like to sec him disappointed, if
1t were only in joke; so she came ont prcma-
turclv from behind the closet door, and run into
tis arms, while the two young Cratchits hustled
Tiny Tim, and bore him of into the wash
house, ttat he migl'. hear the pudding singing
in the copper!
"And low did little Tim bchayc:" asked
Mrs. Cratchit, when she Lad rnilied Bob on his
cretlu!ity. and hob hnd hugged his daughter to
LAS good Is gold" said Bob, .taud better.
Somehow he gets thoughtful sitting by himself
SO much, and thinks the strangest things you
ever heard. lie told ms, coming home, thut he
hoped the people saw him in the church, be-
cause he was cripple. aud it might be pleasant
to them to remember upon Christmas Day, srIo
made lame bcEsars walk, and blind men Sec"
lIob's voice mas treniulous when he told them
this, aud treu,blrd more when he said that TINY
Tim Was growing strong and hearty.
His active little crutch WAS heard upon
the floor, nnl back came Tiny Tim before
brother and sister to his stool beside the
fire: and while Bob, turning up bis cugs. as If,
poor fellow, they we're capable Of being made
more shabby Some hot mixture
in jug viii, gin and lemons, sud stirred it
round and round, mud put It on the hob to 8in-
mer: Master Peter and the two ubiquitous
young CratcEits went to fetch the goose, with
which they soon returned in high procession.
Such u hustle epsued that yon might harc
thought goose the rarest Of all birds; feath-
cred phenomenon, to which black swan Was
matter Of course; md, in truth, it was some
thing vcry like it In that House. Mrs. Cgatehit
made the gravy (ready beforehand in little
sauceean) Kissing hot; Master Peter mashed
the potatoes with incredible vigor; Miss Be'iu-
da swcctened up the app1e-sauce; Martha dust
ed the hot plates; Bob took Tiny Tim beside
him in tiny corner, ut the table; the two
young Cratchits set chairs for everybody, not
forgetting themselves, and mounting guard
upon their posts, crammed spoons into their
months. lest they should shrek for goose before
their tur, came 70 te helped. At last the dish
cs we're set on, mud grace was said. Ii was sue
ceeded by a breath1ess pause, as Mrs. Cratchit,
looking slowly all along the carrin:; knife, pre-
pared TO plunge it in the breast; but when she
did, md when tue long-expcctcd gush Of stuff.
iny issued furtl,, one Inurmur Of delight arose
all round the board. and cven Tiny Tim. excited
By the two young Crntchsts, beat Oh the table
with the handle Of his knife, aua feebly cried
hurrah:
There never WAS such goose. Bob said he
did ut believe there tyerwas such goose cook.
cd. Its tenderness and flavor, size and cbeap.
ness, were tue themes Of universal admiration.
Ekcd out By the apple-sauee and mashed pota.
toes il wnH d sufficient dinner fnr the Hhn1a