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

scroose never painted out old Marley's
name. There II stood years afterward
above the warehouse door-Scrooge & Mar
ley. The firm was known As Scrooge &
Marley. Sometimes people new to the
business called Scrooge Scroogs and some
times Marley. but he answered to both
names. 1t was all the same to him.
No warmth could warm. no wintry
weather chin him. No wind that blew
was bitterer than he. no falling snow was
more intent upon its purpose, no pelting
rain less open to entreaty.
Nobody ever stopped him In the street
to say. with gladstone looks. my dear
scrooge. how are you? When will you
come to see mer' No bexsars implored
him to bestow triie. no children asked
him what 1t was o'clock. no man or woman
ever once In all his life inquired the way
to such and such place. Of Scrooge. Even
the blind mems dogs appeared to know
him. and when they saw him coming on
would tug their owners into doorways and
up courts, and then would wag their tails
as though they said. mo eye at all is bet
ter than an evil eye, dark masterr'
But what did Scrooge care? 1t was the
very thing he liked.
Once upon time-of all the good days
In the year. on Christmas eve-old Scrpoge
sat busy in his counting house. 1t was
cold. bleak, biting weather-foggy withal-
and he could hear the people in the court
outside go wheeling up and down, beating
their hands upon their breasts and stamp
ing their feet upon the pavement stones
to warm them The city clocks had only
just gone 3. but 1t was quite dark already
1t had not been light all day-and candles
were haring in the windows of the neigh
boring offices, like rudy smears upon
the palpable brown air. The fog came
pouring in at every chink and keyhole. and
was 50 dense without that. although the
court was Of the narrowest the houses
opposite were mere phantoms.
The door of Scrooge's counting house
was open. that he might keep his eye
upon his clerk. who. In a dismal little cell
beyond. was copying letters. Scrooge had
q very small fire. but the clerks fire was
20 very much smaller that It looked like
one coal But he couldn't replenish 1t, for
Scrooge kept the coal box in his own room.
and 50 surely as the clerk came in with the
shovel. the master predicted that It would
De necessary for them to part. Wherefore
the clerk put on his white comforter and
tried to warm himself at the candle, In
which effort not being a man of strong
Imagination, he failed.
"A merry Christmas. unclei God save
you? cried a cheerful voice 1t 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.
Bah!' said Scrooge. "Humbusr'
He had 50 heated himself with rapid
walking in the fog and frost, this nephew
OF Scrooge's. that ho was all in a glow;
his face was rudy and handsome; his eyes
sparkled. and his breath smoked again.
Christmas humbug. uncler' said
scrooge's nephew. You don't mean that,
i am sure?''
I do" said Scrooge. Merry Christmasl
what right have you to be merry? Out
upon Christmas, What's Christmas time
to you but a time for paying bills without
money; time for finding yourself a year
Older and not an hour richer; a time for
balancing your books and having every
Item In EN- through a round dozen of
months presented dead against you? If I
could work my WILL said Scrooge, indig-
hantly, every idiot who goes about with
Merry Christmas on his lips should be
boiled with his own pudding and buried
with a stake of holly run through his
heart. He shouldT'
"Cncle!' pleaded the nephew.
NspheW! returned the uncle, sternIy,
keep Christmas in your own way and Let
ME keep 1t in mine"
Keep it!' repeated Scrooge's nephew.
but yOu don't keep it,
set Let me :., leave it alone. then" said
Much good a. has ever done your
There are many things from which I
might have derived good by which I have
NO. prohted. l dare say" returned the
nephew, christmas among the rest. BUT
am sure l have always thought OF Christ
mas time, when it has come round-anart
from the veneration due to its sacred name
ana origin. II anything belonging to IL can
be apart from that-as a good time: a kind
forgivtng. charitable. pleasant time: the
only time i know Of, In the long calendar
o. the year. when men and women seem by
one consent to open their shut-up hear ts
Freely. and to think of people below them
as IL they really were fellow-passengers
10 the grave, and not another race of crea-
lures bound on other journeys And there
fore, uncle. though IL has never put a scran
OF gold or silver in my pocket 1 believe
That 1t has done me good, and will do me
good; and say, God bless itr'
The clerk involuntarily applauded Re-
coming Immediately sensible of the impro-
pnety, he poked the fire, and extinguished
the last frail spark forever.
Let me hear another sound from YOU"
said Scrooge, and you'll keep your Christ
mas by losing your situationi You're quite
q powerful speaker. SIR he added, turning
parliament"
Don't be angry. uncle. Comet Dine with
US tomorrow"
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 that extremity first
But why?' cried Scrooge's nephew.
"Whyr'
Why did you get married?' said Scrooge.
Because / fell in love"
because you fell in lover growled
Scrocge. as II that were the only thing in
the world more ridiculous than a merry
Christmas. Good afternoon
Nay, uncle, but you never came to see
me before that happened. Why give II as
q reason for not coming now?"
Good afternoon" said Scrooe.
81 want nothing from you: 1 ask nothing
OF you: why cannot we be frien&~?''
Good afternoon" said Scroo.e
81 am sorry with all my hear to fine YOU
30 resolUte. We have never had any quar-
rel. 10 which l have been a party Blu I
have made the trial in homage to Chris.
mas. and I'll keep my Christmas humor to
the last. So, A Merry Christmas unclep'
Good afternoon said Scrooge
And. a Happy New Year,
Good afternoon" said Scrooge
His nephew left the room without an