Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-24
gurnu Republican, s1arsra1pus auma, grrrnhrr a.

with such favor, that he begged like 8
boy to be allowed to stay until the
guests departed. But this the Spirit
said could not be done
/ Here is new game" said Scrooge
"one half hour, Spirit, only one!"
1t was a game called Yef and No
Where Scrooge's nephew had to think OF
something, and the rest must find OFT
what: he only answering to their ques-
tons yes or no, as the case was. The
brisk fire of questioning to which he
was exposed, ELECTED from him that he
was thinking of an animal, live ami
| NAL. rather n disagreeable animal, a
savage animal, an animal that growled
| and grunted sometimes, and talked
sometimes, and lived in London, and
walked about the streets, and wasn't
made a show of, and wasn't led by any,
body, and didn't live in a menagerie
and was never killed in a market and
was not horse, or an ass, or COW, OF
a bull, or tiger, or dog, or a pig, or
a cat or bear. At every fresh ques-
ton that was put to him, this nephew
burst into a fresh roar of laughter; and
\
| was obliged to get up off the sofa and
stamp. At last the plump sister, falling
| into a similar state, cried OUT
Il have it out! I know what it is,
Fred! / know what it is!''
What is it?' cried Fred
Its your Uncle Scro-o-o-o-ogel"
| Which 1t certainly was. Adnlira-
| ton was the universal sentiment, tho
some objected that the reply to us it a
| bear?" ought to have been Yes" mas
much as an answer in the negative was
sufficient to have diverted their
| thoughts from Mr.. Scrooge, supposing
| they had ever had any tendency that
way.
He has given us plenty of merri-
ment, am sure" said Fred. "and it
would be ungrateful not to drink his
health Here is glass of mulled wine
ready to our hand at the momen; and
say, Uncle Scrooge!'"
"Well! Uncle Scrooge!" they cried.
"a merry Christmas and happy
New Year to the old man, whatever he
isl" said Scrooge's nephew. He
wouldn't take it from me, but may he
have 1t, nevertheless. Uncle Scrooge!"
l
come so gay and light of heart, that he
would have pledged the unconscious
icompany in return, and thanked them
in an inaudible speech. if the Ghost had
| given him time, But the whole scene
passed off in the breath of the last
| word spoken by his nephew; and he
and the Spirit We're again upon their
| travels.
Much they saw, and far they went,
and many homes they visited, but al
ways with happy end. The Spirit
stood beside sick beds and they were
cheerful on foreign lands, and they
| were close at home; by struggling men.
and they We're patient in their greater
hope; by poverty, and 1t was rich. In
almshouse. hospital, and Jail, IN mis-
ery's every refuge, where vain man In
his little brief authority had not made
fast the door. and barred the Spirit out,
he left his blessing. and taught Scrooge
his precepts.
1t was a long night. if 1t We're only a
night; but Scrooge had his doubts OF
| this, because the Christmas holidays
appeared to be condensed into the space
of time they passed together 1t was
strange, too, that while Scrooge re-
manned unaltered in his outward form,
the Ghost grew older, clearly older.
Scroose had observed this change, but
never spoke of it, until they left a
ehildren's twelfth night party, when.
looking at the Spirit as they stood to-
sether in am open place. he noticed
that its hair was gray.
"Are spirits lives so short?" asked
Scrooge.
"My life upon this globe is very
brief" replied the Ghost. ut ends to-
night"
Tonight" cried Scrooge.
Tonight at midnight. Hank! The
time is drawing near"
The chimes were ringing the three
quarters past eleven at that moment.
Forgive me if / am not justified in
what / ASK" said Scrooge, looking in
tently at the Spirits robe, "but ] see
something strange, and not belonging
to yourself, protruding from your skirts.
1t is a foot or claw"
1T might be a claw, for the flesh
there is upon it, was the Spirits sor-
rowful reply. Look here"
From the foldings of its robe. 1t
brought two children, wretched, abject,
frightful, hideous, miserable. They
knelt down at Its feet, and chung upon
the outside of its garment.
80 man. look here! Look, look, down
here!" exclaimed the Ghost.
They We're a boy and girl. Yellow,
meagre, ragged, scowling, wolfish; but
PROSTATE, too, in their humility. Where
graceful youth should have filled their
features out, and touched them with its
freshest tints, stale and shriyeled
hand, like that of age, had pinched and
twisted them, and pulled them into
shreds. Where angels might have sat
enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out
menacing. No change, no degradation,
no perversion of humanity, in any
grade, thru all the mysteries of Won
derful creation, has monsters half so
horrible and dread.
Scrooge started back, appalled,. Hav-
ing them shown to him in this way, he
tried to say they were fine children,
but the words choked themselves,
rather than be parties to a lie of such
enormous magnitude.
spirit! are they yours?" Scrooge
could say no more.
"They are Mans" said the Spirit,
looking down upon them. And they
cling to me, appealing from their faith
ers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl
is Want. Beware of them both, and
all of their degree. but most of all be-
ware this boy, for on his brow | see
that written which is Doom, unless the
writing be erased. Deny it," cried the
Spirit, stretching out it's hand towards
UcIorIar thnSp who fell it vel |