Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-16

said his wife.
Eyes. my DEAR" returned Bob II wish
you could have gone. 1t would have done
you good to see how green a place 1t Is
| But you'll see it often. / promised him that
/ would walk there on Sunday. My little
little child" cried Bob, my little child!
He broke down all at once. He couldn't
! help it, II he could have helped it, he and
his child would have been farther apart per
haps than they were.
He left the room and went upstairs into
the room above. which was lighted cheer
fully. and hung with Christmas. There wal
a chair set close beside the child, and thers
were signs of some one having been there
lately. Poor Bob sat down in it, and when he
| had thought a little and composed himself
he kissed the little face. He was recon.
ciled to what had happened, and went down
| again quite happy.
| They drew about the fire. and talked; the
them of the extraordinary kindness Of Mr.
Scrooge's nephew, whom he had scarcely
seen but once. and who. meeting him In
the street that day and seeing that he look.
| ed little-"just a little down, you know, "
said Bob, inquired what had happened to
| distress him. ION which," said Bob. "for
| he Is the pleasantest-spoken gentleman you
ever heard. told him. 4 am heartily sorry
sorry for your good wife BY the by, how
ne ever knew that 1 don't know"
| knew what, my dear?'
| why. that you were good wife" replied
! Everybody knows thatv' said Peter.
Very well observed my boy!" cried Bob
| II hope they do. Heartily sorry,' he said.
+, for your ,r good Wife If l can be Of service
card, that's where 1 live. Pray come to
me- Now. it wasn't" cried Bob, 'for the
| sake OF anything he might be able to do for
| us. so much as for his kind way, that this
was quite delightful. 1t really seemed as II
u.s.
I'm sure he's a good soulr' said Mrs.
Cratchit.
You would be sure of it, my dear" re-
turned Bob 'if you saw and spoke to him.
| l shouldn't be at all surprised-mark what
l say-if he got Peter a better situation
only hear that. Peter" said Mrs.
And then" cried one of the girls. Peter
VIII be keeping company with some one.
and setting up for himself"
Get along with you," retorted Peter grin
ming.
ITS just as likely as not" said Bob, zone
OF these days; though there's plenty of
time for that, my dear. But, however and
whenever we part from one another. I am
sure We shall none of US forget poor Tiny
| Tim-shall we?-or this first parting that
there was among us?'
Never, father!' cried they all.
And l know" said Bob, II know, my
dears that when we recollect how patient
and how mild he was-although he was a
little, little child-we shall not quarrel easily
among ourselves, and forget poor Tiny Tim
in doing it,
mo, never father" they all cried again.
am very happy said little Bob Il am
kissed him, the two young Cratchits kissed
him and Peter and himself shook hands.
Spirit of Tiny Tim, the childish essence was
from GodI
"specter.' said scrooge something in
forms me that your parting moment is at
hand. 1 know it, but know not how Tell
cead?"
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come con-
Veyed him, as before-though at a different
time, he thought; indeed, there seemed no
oruer IN these latter visions. save that they
were In the future-into the resorts Of bus
mess men, but showed him not himself.
indeed the Spirit did not stay for anything
but went straight on, as to the end lust
now desired, until besought by Scrooge to
tarry for moment.
This court" said scrooge. through
whlch we hurry now, Is where nv place Of
occupation is. and has been for a length of
tine. see the house. Let me behold what
l shall be in days to come"
else where 'oAA'eu
me me-, house is yonder." Scrooge exclaim-
eo; why do You point away?"
me memorable finger underwent no
Scrooge FASTENED to the window of his Of
nee and looked in. 1t was an office still
put not his The furniture was not the
same and the figure in the chair was not
n' Hs in,r Inc phantom pointed as before
ne joined IL once again and, wondering
why and whittier he had gone accomns niaS
IL until they reached an iron gate He
paused to look round before entering.
"A church yard. Here. them the wretched
man. whose name he had now to learn Lev
underneath the ground 1t was n worthy
place. Walled In by houses; oyerrun nv
grass and weeds. the growth of yegeta tion;s
uedtn, not life; choked up with too much
WORTHY placei
me Spirit stood among the graves and
pointed down to one. He advanced towa I'd
~, uenioiihs. The phantom was exactly as
1t had been, but he dreaded that he s.n
new menaclng in its solemn shape.
beiore L draw nearer to that STONE IN
which you point" said Scrooge. "answsr
me one question. Are these the shadows of
the things that Win be, or are thev ~
shadows of the things that Nav be. only o.,
Stili the Ghost pointed down to the grave
by which 1t stood e~'e
Mems courses will foreshadow certain
enos, 10 which, If persevered in they must
lead" said Scrooge. But If the co;,rs sau ~
departed from the ends will change Ssv a.
Is thus with what you show me!'
The Spirit was immovable as ever
Scrooge crept toward 1t, trembling az he
went. and following the finger read m,,n,,
the stone OF the neglected grave his own
rame. Ebenezer Scrooge Wv"
Am that man who lay upon the bed ?''
ne cried. upon his knees
The finger pointed from the grave tn him
and back again. --'''''
mo, Spirit! o, no. nor
The finger still was there. =
spirit! he cried, tightly clutchine at his
robe; hear me! 1 am not the man 1 was,
I VIII not be the man I must have been bat
for this intercourse. Why show me this ~
am past all hope?"
shake. "
Good Spirit" he pursued, as down unon
the ground he fell before it. your nature
lntercedes for me and pities me- Assure me
that yet may change these shadows Won
nave shown me by an altered l.fer'
The Kind hand trembled
Il will honor Christmas in NV heart and
try to Keep it all the year. 1 will live in the
past, the present and the future The
spirits OF all three shall strive within me
L VIII not shut out the lessons that thew
teach. Oh, tell me may sponge away the
writing on this stonew
In his agony, he caught the spectral
hand. 1t sought to free ITSELF but he was
strong In his entreaty and detained It.
me spirit, stronger yet, repulsed him.
HOLDING up his hands in a last praver
to have his fate reversed. he saw an altera-
ton in the Phantom's hood and dress. II
shIunk. collapsed and dwirG led down into
STAvE ".
THE END OF 1T.
Yes! and the bedpost was his own. The
bed was his own. the room was his own.
Best and happiest of all, the Time before