Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1881-12-24
Old Scrooge and Merry Christmas.

Old ScroOge and Merry Christmas.
"A merry Christmas, uncle! God save
you'll" cried cheerful voice. It was the
voice of Scrooge's nephew, who came upon
him SO quickly that this was the first in
timation he had of his approach.
BAIL" said Scrooge. "Humbug!"
He had so heated himself with rapid
walking in the fog and frost, this nephew
Of scrooge's, that he was all in glow; his
face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes
Christmas q humbug, uncla!" said
scrooge's nephew. you don't mean that,
I am sure?"
eyes, I do" said Scrooge. MERRY
Christmas! What right have you to be
merry? What reason have you to be mer-
ry? You're poor enough"
Come, then," returned tie nephew
gayly, what right have you to be. dismal?
What reason have you to be morose? You're
rick enough"
Scrooge, having no better answer ready
on the spur of the moment, said "Bah!"
again; and followed it up with "Humbug!"
Don't be cross, uncle! said the nephew.
What else can be" returned the uncle,
when live in such world of fools as
this? Merry Christmas! Out upon merry
Christmas! What's Ch,i,t time to you
but time for paying bills without money;
time for finding yourself a year older, and
not an hour richer; time for balancing
your books and having every item in EN-
through round dozen of months presented
dead against you2 If I could work my
WILL" said Scrooge, Indignantly. every
idiot who goes about with Merry Christ
mas on bis lips, should be boiled with his
holly through his heart He should"
'Uncle| pleaded the nephew
Nephew" returned the uncle, steruly,
keep Christmas in your own way, and let
me keep it in mine
Keep i'll" repeated Scrooge's nephew.
But you don't keep it."
"Let me leave it alone, Them said
Scrooge. much good may it do YOU!
Much good it has ever done you!'
"There are many things from which I
might have derived good, by which have
not profted, dare say returned theneph-
CIV, Christmas among the rest. But aul
sure have always thought Of Christmas
time, when it has come around-apart
from the veneration due to its sacred name
and origin, if anything belonging to it can
be apart from that-as good time, kind,
forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the
only time know of, in the long calendar
Of the year, when men and women
seem by one consent to open their shut
up hearts freely, and to think of people
below them as if they really were fellow
passengers to the grave, and not another
race of creatures bound on other iourne $.
And, therefore, uncle, though it has never
put scrap Of gold or silver in my pocket 1
believe that it has done me good, and acill
do me good; and say, God bless it,"
The clerk in..the bank lnvoluntarily APP
plauded. Becoming Immediately sensible
of the improperly, he poked the fire. and
extinguished the last fail spark for ever.
"Let me hear another sound FROM you.
said Scrooge, "and you'll keep your Christ
mas by losing your situation. You're qultea
powerful speaker, sir" he added, turning
to his nephew. II wonder you don't 90
into parliament.
Don't be angry, uncle. Come! Dine
with us to- morrow"
Scrooge said that he would see him-
yes, indeed he did. He went the whole
length Of the expression, and said that he
would see him in the extremity first.
But why?" cried Scrooge's nephew.
4Why did you get married." said
Scrooge.
Because fell in love.
Because you fell in Lowell" growled
Scrooge, as if that were the only thing in
the world more ridiculous than a merry
Christmas. "Good afternoon"
'Nav, uncle, but you never came to see
me before that happened, Why give it as
q reason for not coming now?'
Good afternoon, . said Scrooge.
Il want nothing from you; I ask moth.
ing of you; why cannot we be friends?"
Good afternoon said Scrooge.
II am sorry, with all my heart, to find
you so resolute. We have never had any
quarrel to which have been party. BIT
have made the trial in homage to Christ
mas, and I'll keep my Christmas to the last
Ssa merry Christmas, uncle!"
&c Cd afternoon, said Scrooge
And a happy New Yea,!"
Good afternoon" screamed Scrooge.
His nephew left the room without an
angry word, notwithstanding. He stopped
at the outer Go II to bestow the greetings Of
the season on the clerk. who. cold as he
was. was warmer than Scrooge, for he re-
turned them cordial y.
There's another fellow, muttered