The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-20
M OARlEC Dl(KLNJ
.1IurnbuElo bad serooEe.

he had never behaved It fIfl now.
 Around Marleys waist was a great chain. that was wound around him like a tail. scrooge observed that 1t was made Of cash boxes. keys, lsdgers. deeds and purses wrought in steel.
 The spirit raised . dreadful waiiing cry and shock its chain. would you know" 1t asked, "the weight and length of the letters that you bear yoarself? They were fully as heavy and as long as these seven Christmas eyes ago. You have labored on them since They make a ponderous etain!"
 -"But you were always a good man of business Jacob" faftered Scrooge.
 "Businessl,' cried the ghost. wiring ing It's hands. "Mankind was my busi- ness. The common welfare was my business. Charity, mercy forbearancs and benevoleHce were all my business The dealings of my trade were but a drop of, water in the comprehensive ocean, of my -bvsinessy'
 It held up its chain and flung t heavily to the floor again
 Listen. Ebenexer seroogei" con- tiHusd the ghost, 'f am here to give you chance to escape my fate. Three Spirits will come to you. Expect the first tomorrow when the clock tolls
 
 night at the same time. The third will come on the next night when the last stroke of Twelve has ceased to vibrateir
 The ghost walked to the window and raised its hand. Scrooga became ssn- sible of confused noises in the air; in- coherent sounds of iannentatIon and regret: wRiiings inexpressibly sorrow fut The ghost joined in the mournful dirge and fioated out into the bleak. dark night
 scrooge followed to the window. desperate in his curiosity. The air was filled with phantoms wandering In restless haste. Every one wore chains like Marley. He saw one old ghost In white waisteoat whom he had known we'll in fife. A monstrous safe was attached to his ankle and he cried. plteously at being unable to help wretched woman with an Infant whom he saw below on . doorstep.
 Scrooge stepped back from the win dow. dropped on his bed and knew no more eilI he was awakened by the heavy stroke of the tower clock: Onel
 4 great light flashed up in the room. Before him stood a strange figure, like q child. and yet not so like . child as an old man viewed through some su- pernaturai medium which gave him the appearance of having reeeded from view and being diminished to a clild's proportions. It wore a pure white tu- mic and bore holly branch.
 - ''WhsE- ara voulP sa5d, .EcRooge with trembling voice.
 ssTs am ti1e ghost of Christmas Past.' replied tho Spirit. Arise. and come With mess
 The Spirit graspsd his wrist with a hand delicate as a woman's, but not to hns fsSA .k. 4..n.k x- a ths window. and ,Serooge fell to his
 "dy hand shall up-bear you in more than this" said the Spirit The next Instant they stood on an open country road. in the brightness of clear wint- CT day.i
 .'Gobd hesven~ said scrOogs. q was a boy here!''
 e Strange to have forgotten 1t so many years!" said the Spirit. F
 They went on. Scrogge noting and remsmbering every little landmark. every gate and post and tree. At least they came to a school building, and. entering, beheld a lonely boy reading by the fire. Scrooge sat down upon a form and a tear stole down his hard old face at the sight of his own for- gotten self ~~
 The Spirit touched him on the arm anu pOAHtC0 LO tUO WAhuONs A Hlan in Oriental garments, with an ax In hls belt, leading. an, ass by the bridIe. stood there. looking in.
 why it's Ali Baba!" exclaimed Screoge. forgetting all about his counting house. Yes. yes! One Christmas time he came for the first time. just like thatI And what's his name who was put down at the gates of Damascus in his sleep! And the GnftaFaAu f4ffFahd a2VAifAA h the genii! And there goes Robinson Crusoe!"
 The door opened and a little girl came running in and put her arms around the boy and kissed him again and again, and told him that she had come to take him home. Home, home. cried she, elapping her little hands and dragging him with childish eagerness toward the door. ,-,.
 "Always a delicate creature whom a breath might have withered." said the Spirit "But she had a large heart"
 scrooga cried: 50 she had! She hadr' And he thought with something like eompunction of his nephew. the only child that she had left behind. The next Instant the scene vanished and Scroogc found himself In ware house. where stood an old, stout fel- low with Welsh wig. laughing jo-a yially and ordering his two appren- tices to put up the shutter and prepare to celebrate Christmas Eve. "Old Fe2- ziwig!" cried Scrooge. And Dick Wil- kinsF' added he, looking at the ap- prentice, who was bustling around with his younger self. He was much attached to me, was Dick!'
 In came a fiddler. In came Mrs. Fez- zfwig, one vast. substantial smile. Tn came the three Miss Fezziwigs with the six young fellows whose hearts thev broke. In came all the young men and women employed in the bus" mess In came the boy from next door who was suspected of being underfed by his master, trying to hide behind the girl from next door but one. In they all came and away they all wont. twenty couples at ohce, down the mia. dle and up again, hands round and back again, all top couples at last and not bottom one to help them.
 There was great piece of cold roast and a great piece of cold boiled and there was plenty of beer and minee pies and cake and negus and ferfeits and more dances and such good wishes and merry good will! It had cost Mir. Fezziwlg three or four pounds The happiness that he gave was as great as if 1t had been a fortune.
 Serooge and the Spirit suddenly stood side by side before a. young girl. scrooge saw himself older now. a man in the prime of life. His face showed ths signs of care and avariee. There was an eager, greedy look in his eye. She was telling him that he regretted his engagement to her because she was poor. He denied 1t. but hIs very denial was confession. She turned away from him and they parted.
 The Spirit led him swiftly to another place. There he saw her again. now a handsome. cheerful matron. By her