Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-24

smaller that 1t looked like one coal But
he couldn't replenish 1T, for Scrooge
kept the coal-box in his own room; ana
so surely as the clerk came in with the
shovel, the master predicted that 1t
| would be 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, uncle! 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 intimation he had of his approach.
| '.Bah!" said Scrooge. "Humbug
| He had so heated himself with rapid
walking in the fog and frost. this neph-
ew of Scrooge's, that he was all in
glow: his face was rudy and hand
some: his eyes sparkled, and his breath
smoked again.
"Christrnas humbug, uncle!" said
Scroore's nephew. "You don't mean
that, am sure?"
81 do" said Scrocge. Merry Christ
mas! What right have you to be mer-
| ry? What reason have you to be mer-
ry? You're poor enough.
/
gayly. "What right have you to be
dismal? What reason have you to be
| morose? You're rich enough"
Scrooge, having no better answer
ready on the spur of the moment, said
"Bah,n again; and followed 1T up with
| "Humbug!''
Don't be cross. uncle!" said the
nephew.
"What else can I be-" returned the
uncle, when live in such a world OF
| fools as this? Merry Christmas! Out
upon merry Christmas! What's Christ
mas-tim to you but a time for paying
bills without money: a time for finding
yourself year older, and not an hour
richer: a time for balancing your books
and having every item in 'em thru a
round dozen of months presented dead
against you? If could work my will, i
said Scrooge, Indignantly, EVERY idiot
fwho goes about with Merry Christmas
on his lips should be boiled with his
own pudding, and buried with stake
of holly thru his heart. He should!"
"Uncle!" pleaded the nephew.
"Nephew!. returned the uncle stern
| ", keep Christmas in your own way,
and let me keep it in mine"
Keep it," repeated Scrooge's neph-
/! ew .But you don't keep it."
LET me leave it alone. then"
Scrooge. much good may it do you!
Much good it has ever done you'll"
There are many things from which
might have derived good by which
have not profited, dare say" returned
the nephew, christmas among the rest.
i But / am sure / have always thought
| of Christmas time, when 1t has come
round,--apart from the veneration due
to its sacred name and origin, If any
thing belonging to 1t can be apart from
! that-as a good time; kind, forgiying
charitable, pleasant time; the only time
i I 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 be-
| low them as II they really were fellow
passengers to the grave. and not an
other race of creatures bound on other
Journeys. And therefore, uncle, tho 1t
has never put scrap of gold or silver
| in my pocket, believe that 1t has done
me good, and will do me good; and
say, God bless it,"
The clerk in the tank involuntarily
applauded. Becoming Immediately sem
sible of the impropriety, he poked the
/, fire, and extinguished the last frail
spark forever.
LET me hear another sound from
YOU" said Scrooge, land you'll keep
your Christmas by losing. your situa-
4 ton! You're quite a powerful speaker
SIR he added, turning to his nephew.
II wonder you don't go into parlia-
ment.'
Don't be angry, uncle. Come! 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 ex-
tremity first.
"But why?" cried Scrooge'sy nephew
E"Why?"
why did you get married." said
Scrooge.
Because fell in love"
Because you fell in love!" growled
Scrooge, as if that were the only thing
in the world more ridiculous than q
merry Christmas. "Good afternoonn
Nay, uncle, but you never came to
see rue before that happened. Why
/ give it as a reason for not coming
/ now?"
1 Good afternoon" said Scrooge.
II want nothing from you; I ask
nothing of you; why can not we be
friends?"
4 Good afternoon!'' said Scrooge.
4 4 am sorry, with all my heart, tc
find you so resolute. We have never
had any quarrel, to which l have beer
a party. But / have made the trial ir
homage to Christmas, and I'll keep my
4 Christmas humor to the last. So g
merry Christmas, uncle!"
Good afternoon!" said Scrooge.
And happy new year,"
Good afternoon" said Scrooge.
His nephew left the room withou
an angry word notwithstanding. HI
stopped at the outer door to bestow th'
greetings of the season on the clerk
, who cold as he was was warmer thar
Scrooge, for he returned them cordial.
!. ly.
$; There's another fellow" mutteret
Scrooge, who overheard him; I'm!
clerk, with fifteen shillings a week. ant