Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-01-11
THE GHOST OF MARLEY.

IT we may believe our author-and who
would dsbelicve Charles Dickens when
Christmas is the topic ?-Scrooge was one
of those very heartless men whom st.
Nicholas, the Christmas God, loves so very
much to reconstruct. "Marley was dead"
and Scrooge, the surviving partner O.! the
house of ScroCgc and Marley, was deter.
mined that its notoriety-its reputation
should not suffer. Scrooge had not mis-
taken himself, and when Christmas Eve
came, and all the world was full of Joy, he
retired within himself, closed his shell to
the world and was the same crusty old
fellow, as of yore. A jovial nQphew's cheer
full salutations, the earnest appeal of a
brother merchant, who was at work for
charity, the almost touching devotion OF
faithful old servant, Bob Cratchit, failed
to reach the old mans heart.
"Merry Christmas" he said. "Out
upon merry Christmas p What's Christ
mas time to you but time for paying
bills without money a time for finding
yomse! a year older, and not an hour
richer time for balancing your books
and having every item i'll 'em through a
round dozen Of months presented dead
against you? If | could work my will"
said Scrooge Indignantly, "every idiot
who goes about with Merry Christmas,
on his Fps, should be boiled with his own
pudding, and buried with stake of holly
run through bis heart. He shouldw
That night, as Scrooge sat in his dismal
rooms, the ghost Of old Marley, his late
partner came to him, and that their inter
view was no pleasant one for Scrooge may
well be imagined. So strongly did Marley
hold up his sins of omission to him that
Scrooge there and then promised faithfully
that he would change his ways.
"Gone spirit" he said. 81 will honor
Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it
all the year. | will live in the Past, the
Present, and the Future The Spirits Of
all Three shall strive within me- | will
not shut cut the lessons that they teach,
Oh, tex me may sponge away the writ
ings on this stonem
In his agony, he caught the spectral
hand. 1t sought to free itself, but he was
Ftrong in his cntreaty, and detained it
The Spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him.
Holding up his hands in a last prayer tc
have his fate reversed, lie saw an alteration
in the Phantom's hood and dress. II
shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled down into
bcdpost.
Let us read on and see how finally
Scrooge kept his promise.
81 will live in the Past, the Presenl
and the Future" Scrooge repeated, as he
scrambled out Of bed. "The Spirits of al
Three shall strive within me. Oh jacob
Marley ! Heaven and the Christmas Time
be praised for this | say it OH my knees
old Jacob; on my knees p
He was so fluttered and so glowing with
his good intentions, that his broken voice
would scarcely answer to his call. He had
been sobbing violently in bis conflict with
the Spirit, and his face was wet with tears
don't know what to dom criet
Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same
breath and making perfect LAGOON o
himself with his stockings. I" / am as light
as feather, ] am as happy as an angel,
am as merry as school-boy am a.
giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christ
mas to everybody A happy Now Year t.
all the world Halo here ! Whoop Hallo9
He had friSked into the sitting-room
and was now standing there: perfectly
winded.
"There's the saucepan that the grue
was in % cried Scrooge, starting off again