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

I smaller that 1t looked like one coal. Bu
| he couldn't replenish it, for ScrooSs
kept the coal-box in his own room; ane
| so surely as the clerk came in with INT
shovel the master predicted that
would be necessary for them to part
| Wherefore the clerk put on his white
comforter and tried to warm himse1
| the candle; in which effort. not being
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 tht
first intimation he had of his approach
"Bah." said Scrooge. "Humbug'
He had SO heated himself with rapic
walking in the fog and frost, this neph-
ew of Scrooge's, that he was all in
glow: his face was ruddy and hand
some; his eyes sparlded. and his breath
smoked again.
christmas a humbug, uncle!" said
Scrooge's nephew. You don't mean
that, am sure?"
II do" said Scrooge. merry Christ
mas! What right have you to be mer-
ry9 What reason have you to be mer-
ry? You're poor enough.
"Come, them" returned the nephew
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!" again: and followed it up with
"Humbug!'
.Don't be cross, uncie!" said the
nephew.
what else can I be-" returned the
uncle. "wfen I live In such world OF
fools as this2 Merry Christmas. Out
upon merry Christmas! What's Christ
mas-time to you but 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 'em thru q
round dozen of months presented dead
against you? If could work my will,
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 1t"
.'Let me leave 1T alone. then
Scrooge. Much good may it do you!
Much good it has ever done you'll"
"There are many things from Which
I might have derived good by which
have not profited, / dare say" returned
thsy
But / am sure I have always though
| of Christmas time, when 1t has come
| nd.--apart from the veneration due
| to it's sacred name and origin, II any
| thing belonging to it can be apart from
| that,-as a good time; kind, forgivins
charitable. pleasant time: the only tim'
| know of, in the long calendar of tbs
! year, when men and women seem b.
] one consent to open their shut-uI
| hearts freely, and to think of people be-
| low them as If they really were fellow
| passengers to the grave, and not an
other race of creatures bound on othei
| Journeys. And therefore, uncle. tho /
/ has never put a scrap of gold or silyel
| in my pocket, / believe that it has don'
| me good, and will do me good: and
say, God bless it,
The clerk in the tank involuntaril.
/ applauded. Becoming Immediately sen
sible of the improperly, he poked TIL
!, fire, and extinguished the last frai
spark forever.
Let me hear another sound from
you," said Scrooge, "and you'll keel
your Christmas by losing your situa
! 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! Din,
with us tomorrow"
Scrooge said that he would see hin
- Yes, indeed, he did. He went thu
/ whole length of the expression, ant
tremity first
But why?' cried Scrooge'ss nephew
E'sWhy?"
why did you get married." sal
1 Scrooge.
/ Because I fell in love-"
Because you fell in Lowell" growle'
/ Scrooge, as if that were the only thin,
in the world more ridiculous than
| merry Christmas. "Good afternoon!
Nay, uncle, but you never came t
/ see me before that happened. WI,
i give it as a reason for not comini
now?"
/ Good afternoon" said Scrooge.
q want nothing from you: I asl
nothing of you; why can not we b
friends?'
Good afternooni" said Scrooge.
I am sorry, with all my heart, t
find you so resolute. We have neve
i had any quarrel to which | have bee
a party. But / have made the trial Il
4 homage to Christmas, and I'll keep m
i Christmas humor to the last. So
merry Christmas, uncle!"
i Good afternoon!" said Scrooge.
i "And a happy new year,
4 Good afternoon!" said Scrooge.
4 His nephew left the room withou
an angry word, notwithstanding. III
stopped at the outer door to bestow tn
i greetings OF the season on the clerl
i who, cold as he was, was warmer tina
Scrooge. for he returned them cordial
4 ly.
j There's another fellow" muttere
Scrooge, who overheard him: I'm
4 clarb with fifteen shillings a week an