The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-20
Doxp M flDolx ANO t AGAIN,
 HANDS AROUND M BACK AGAIN

ously he fought on th0 onslaught. when the wild array had quieted a lit tie. he turned to his wife and said;
 'sHeIls, I saw an old friend of yours this afternoon. It was Mir. Scrooge. passed his odice window and he sat over candle working. His partner lies dying. I hear, and there he sat alone. Quite alons in the world. do believe"
 aspirit.v said scroogs, in a broken voice. remove me from this place.
 Instantly he was in his own room, and he sank at once into heavy sium- Der. When Serooge sat up in bed again he had no occasion to be told what time it was. As he opened his eyes the clock tolled: One.
 His room was a grove of living green and giistening berries. A mighty blaze went up from the old petrefacr tion of hearth. On throne Of tur- great joints of meat, sucking pigs, long wFeaths of sausages. barrels of oysters, apples and oranges sat giant glorious to see. with q glowing torch like Plenty's horn. Around him wreathed the steam of fragrant bowl of punch.
 "I am the ghost of Christmas Pres ant" said the giant. Touch my robe"
 Instantly they stood in the street. It was Christmas morning. A rough but brisk and not unpleasant noise was in the air. The people were shoveling the snow away. The sky was gloomy. The streets were choked with mist and va- DOTS. There was nothing very cheer ful in the day or in the town; yet ev- anywhere an air of cheerfulness was abroad. The shops were radiant with glorious things to eat and drink. The customers crashed into each others baskets wildly, forgot their purchases and their change in their excitement. made a hundred mistakes and laughed the more for each one.
 < The very goldfish in the grocer's win . dow seemed to know that there was something going on. and went gasping around and around their little world in slow and passionless excitement.
 On the streets were innumerable poor people carrying their dinners to the bakers shops to be cooked. As these humble revelers passed him the Spirit never failed to sprinkle incense on their dishes from his torch. r
 They went on Into the suburbs of the city, Straight into the house of clerk went the Spirit. and ScrooGe observed 1t was a remarkable quality of the ghost that he stood be- meath the low roof quite as gloriousIy and like a supernatural creature as if he had been in the loftiest hall.
 On the threshold he stopped to bless Bob cratchit's dwelling with the spFiRklings of his torch. Bob had but fifteen bob" a week himself. He pocketed on Saturdays only fifteen copies of his Christian name; yet the ghost of Christmas Present blessed his four-roomed house!
 Mrs. cratchlt was dressed but poorly in a twtce-turned gown, but brave in ribbons which are cheap and nnake a goodly show for sixpence, Master Pe- ter -Cratchit sat in a monstrous shlrt collar (Bob's private property conferred on his son fin honor of the day). and. rejoicing to ind himself so gallantly att tired, yearned to show his linen in the fashionable parks. Two smaller Crat- ehits burst in and screamed that they had sTielled the goose cooking in the bakers shop and known 1t for their own. And then Bob came in, his thread bare clothes alarmed and brushed to look seasonabIe, and Tiny Tim upon his shoulder.
 crutch and had his limbs supported by an iron frame!
 They ell ran at him. and the strong young Cratehits carried Tiny Tim to the wash house that he might hear the pudding singing in the copper and Bob told Mrs. Bob how good Tiny Tim had been at church, and how on the way home he had said that he hoped the people saw him in church, because he was a cripple and 1t might be pleasant for them to remember on Christmas Day who made lame beggars walk and blind men see.
 Bob's vice was tremulous when he told them this. and trembled more when he said that Tiny Tim was growing strong and hearty.
 ' His active little eFuteh was heard upon the floor, and back came Tiny Tim