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

] peals he had ever heard. Clash, clasl
t hammer; ding, dong, bell! Bell, dons
] ding; hammer, clang, clash! OH glori
Gus, glorious!
Running to the window. he opened /
l and put out his head. No fog, no mist
; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; colo
| piping for the blood 20 dance to; golde
, sunlight; heavenly sky; sweet fres
, air. merry bells. oh, glorious! Glori
GUS.
; Whats today?" cried Scrooge, call
mig downward to a boy in Sunda,
clothes, who perhaps had loitered in t.
look about him.
"Eh?" returned the boy, with all hi
might Of wonder.
! What's today, my fine fellow" saic
Scrooge.
TODAY" replied the boy. why
4 Christmas day
Its Christmas day!" said Scrooge tt
himself. Il haven't missed it. Thu
Spirits have done it all in one night
course they can. OF course they can
i Halo, my fine fellow!"
''Hallo!" returned the boy
DO you know the poulterer's, in the
next street but one, at the corner2'
Scrooge inquired.
Il should hope I did, replied the lad
"An intelligent boy!" said Scrooge
"a remarkable boy! Do you know
whether they've sold the prize turkey
that was hanging up there Mot the
/ little prize turkey, the big one?"
What, the one as big as me?" re-
turned the boy.
What delightful boy!" said
Scrooge. Its pleasure to talk to him.
Yes, my buck!''
| cts hanging there now replied the
boy.
| rs it?" said scrooge. Go and
buy it,
Walk er!'* exclaimed the boy.
mo, no." said Scrooge, Il am in earn
est. Go and. buy it, and tell EN- to bring
| it here, that l may give them the di-
rections where to take it. Come back
with the man, and I'll give you shill-
ing. Come back with him in less than
FIVE minutes, and I'll give you half a
crown!"
The boy was off like shot He must
have had a steady hand at a trigger
who could have got shot off half so
fast.
"I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's," whis-
rered Scrooge, rubbing his hands, and
splitting with a laugh. "He shan't know
who sends it. It's twice the size of Tiny
Tim. Joe Miller never made such a
joke as sending 1t to Rob's will bel"
The hand in which he wrote the adj
dress was not a steady one, but write it
he did, somehow. and went downstairs
Is open the street door, ready for the
coming of the poulterer's man. AS he
stood there awaiting his arrival, the
knocker caught his eye.
II shall love it as long as I live!"
cried Scrooge, patting 1t with his hand.
II scarcely ever looked at it before.
What an honest expression it has in its
face! It's wonderful knocker! Here's
the turkey. Halo! Whoop! How are
you? Merry Christlnas!"
It was turkey! He never could have
stood upon his legs, that bird. He
would have snapped 'em short off in
minute, like sticks of saaling-wax.
''Why, it's Impossible to carry that to
Camden Town." said Scrooge. You
must nave CAP.
The chuckle with which he said this
and the chuckle with which he paid for
the turkey, and the chuckle with which
he paid for the cab, and the chuckle
with which he recompensed the boy,
were only to be exceeded by the chuckle
with which he sat down breathless in
his chair again, and chuclled till he
cried.
Shaving was not an easy task. for his
hand continued to shake very much,
and shaving requires attention, even
when you don't dance while you are at
it. But il he had cut the end of his nose
off he would have put a piece of stick
ing plaster over it, and been quite sat
isfied.
He dressed himself call in his best,
and at last got out into the streets. The
PEOPLE were by this time pouring forth.
as he had seen them with the Ghost OF
Christmas Present: and walking with
his hands behind him, Scrooge regarded
every one with delighted smile. He
looked so irresistiply pleasant, in a
word. that three or four good-humored
fellows said. Good morning, sir! A
merry Christmas to you'll And Scrooge
said often afterwards that of all the
blithe sounds he had ever heard, those
were the blithest in his ears.
He had not gone far. when, coming on
towards him. he beheId the portly gem
tleman who had walked into his count
ing-house the day before, and said,
"Scrooge & Marley's, / believer? 1t
sent a pang across his heart to think
how this old gentleman would look upon
him when they met; but he knew what
path lay straight before him, and he
took it.
my dear SIR said Scrooge, quicken
ing his pace, and taking the old gentle
man by both his hands, "how do you
do? hope you succeeded yesterday. 1t
was very kind of you. A merry Christ
mas to you, sir!
"NIr. Scrooge?"
"Yes,a said Scrooge. THAT is my
name, and fear 1t may not be pleas
ant to you. Allow nee to ask your par
don. And will you have the goodness"
Here Scrooge whispered in his ear.
Lord bless mel" cried the gentle-
man, as If his breath were taken away.
my dear Mr.. Scrooge, are you seri-
ous?"
IF you please" said Scrooge. Not |
farthing less A great many back |
payments are included in 1t, assure
you. Will you do me that favor"
my dear sir" said the other, shaking
hands with him, 81 don't know what to
say to such munifi''-
"Don't say anything, please" retorted