The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-12-25
SoROoGES CHRISTMAS

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at don't know what day of the month
il is" said Scrooge: 81 don't know
how long l have been among the
Spirits. / don't know anything. ]
am quite a baby. Never mind. ]
don't care. I'd rather be baby. Hal
loi Whoopl Halo herel7
He was checked in his Transports by
the churches ringing out the lnstiest
peals he had ever heard. Clash, clash,
hammer ding, dong, bell. Bell, dong,
ding hammer, clang, clashl Oh, glo-
rious, gloriousl
Running 10 the window he opened
it, and put out his head. No fog, no
mist clear, bright, joyial, stirring,
cold cold, piping for the blood to
dance ;golden sunlight heavenly sky /;
sweet, fresh air; merry bells. Oil
glorious gloriousl
tEWhat's to-day ?" cried Serooge,
calling downward to a boy in Sunday
clothes, who perhaps had loitered in
to look about him.
"Eh 2" returned the boy with all his
might of wonder.
whats to-day, my fine fellow p
said Scrooge.
''To-day 7 replied the boy. aWhy,
Christmas Day."
dts Christmas Day !" said Scrooge
to himself. ~ haven't missed Ii. The
Spirits have done it all in one night.
They can do anything they like. Of
course they can. OF course they can.
Halo, my fine fellowl"
"Hallop returned the boy.
''Do you know the Poulterer,s in the
next street, but one at the corner I"
ScroOge inquired.
sI should hope did," replied the
lad.
"An intelligent boy 7" said Scrooge.
"a remarkable bOyi Do you know
whether they've sold the prize turkey
that was hanging up there Mot the
little prize turkey the big onel"
"Whatl The one as big as me ?" re-
turned the boy.
"What a delightful boy!'' said
Scrooge. ttIts pleasure to talk to
him. Yes, my luck !"
is it ?" said ScrOoge. $50 and buy
it."
@Walk-erl" exclaimed the boy.
fNo, do" said Scrooge, sI am in
earnest. Go and buy it, and tell 'em
to bring it here, that may give him
the directions where to take il. Come
back with him in less than five mine
utes, and III give half a crownl"
The boy was of like a shot. He
must have had a steady hand at q trig-
ger who could have got shot OF half
so fast.
s.Ill send it to Bob Cratchitt's,
whispered Scrooge, rubbing his
hands, and splitting with 3 laugh. HE
shan't know who sends it. It's twice
the size of Tiny Tim. Joe Miller new
er made such joke as sending it to
Bob's will be !"
The hand in which he wrote the ad-
dress was not steady one, but write
it he did, somehow, and went down
stairs to open the street door, ready
for the coming of the poulterer's man.
As be stood there, waiting his arrival,
the knnckefscanght his eye.
al shall love it as long as I live /"
cried Scrooge, patting it with his
hand. al scarcely ever looked at it be-
fore. What an honest expression it
has in its facel It's u wonderful
knocker Here's the Turkey. Hal
loi Whoopl How are you Merry
Christmas I"
It eods q Turkey He never could
have stood upon his legs, that bird.
He would have snapped 'em off short
in q minute, like sticks of sealing-wax.
"Why, its impossible to carry that
to Camden Town." said Scrooge.
'sYOu must have 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
chuclle with which he recompensed
the boy, were only to be exceeded by
the chuckle with which he sat down
breathIess in his chair again, and
chuckIed till he cried.
Shaving was not an easy task, fOI
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 of, he would have put piece
of sticking plaster over it, and been
quite satisfied.
He dressed himself GALL in his best, .
and at last got out into the streets
The people were by this time pouring
forth, as he had seen them with the
Ghost of Christmas Present ndwalk-
ing with his hands behind him,
Screoge regarded every one with :
delighted smile. He looked SO irres.
4 istibly pleasant, in word, that three
or four good-humored fellows said
tGood morning, sirl A merry Christ.
mas to you" And Scrooge said offer
afterward that of all the blithe sounds
he had ever heard, those were thu
blithest in his ears.
He went to church, and walked
about the streets, and watched th,
people hurrying to and fro, and pat
ted the children on the head, and qnes
toned beggars, and looked down in
to the kitchens of houses, aud up Il
the windoWs; and found that every
, thing could give him pleasure. He haC