The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20

beat on the table with the handle of his
 knife and feebly cried, 'Hurrahl"
 1t was wonderful goose. Its tender
 ness and sizc and flavor and cheapness
 were the themes of universal admiration.
 Fixed out by apple sauce and mashed po-
 tatoes, 1t was sufficient dinner for the
 whole family. Indeed, as Mrs Cratchit
 said with great delight, surveying one
 small atom of bone upon the dish, they
 hadn't ate 1t all at last
 And 1t was a wonderful pudding. Bob
 Cratchit said that he regarded 1t as the
 gi eatest success achieved by Mrs. Crat-
 chit since their marriage. Mrs. Cratchit said that now the weight was off her mind
 she would confess she had had her doubts
 about the quantity Of flour. Nobody said
 or thought it was at all a small pudding
 for so large family.
 Then they gathered around the fire and
 Rob Cratchit served the punch In the
 family olsplay of glass, two tumblers and
 custard cup without handle "A
 merry Christmas to us all, my dears, cried Bob. "God bless us"
 God bless us every one!' said Tiny
 Tim.
 He sat very close to his fathers side
 on his little stool, and Bob held the lit tie, shrunken hand In his, as if he feared
 that he might be taken away.
 Spirit" said Scrooge, with an interest that he had never felt before, Tell me
 if Tiny Tim will live" , ''I see a vacant chair by the chimney
 corner" said the Spirit. If these shad- ows remain unaItered by the future, the child will die. What then? He would
 better do 1t and decrease the surplus pop uiation.''
 Scrooge hung his head. "Oh man, man!" said the Spirit. ITO
 hear the insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry
 brothers in the dusti' And now, without word of warning, they stood on bleak and desert moor,
 where monstrous stones were cast about and nothing grew. But light shone from the window of poor hut. and there sat
 miners around fire singing a Christmas
 song The Spirit, without tarrying,
 rushed to sea. Scrooge's frightened eyes
 saw the last of the land, frightiul range of rocks behind him. His ears were deaf
 ened by the laundering of water. On they went, till at league from shore
 they came to a lighthouse built on a
 sunken reef Great heaps of seaweed clung to its base. Storm birds rose and
 fell around it. The waters dashed high at it. Yet even here two men who watched the light Joined their horny hands over the rough table and wished each other a Merry Christmas and the elder of the two, with his face all damaged and scared with hard weather, struck up a sturdy song that was like the gale itself
 Again the ghost sped on till far away ttey saw a ship. Dark, ghostly figures
 stood upon the deck at their stations, whipped by bitter wind and cutting spray, but each man there hummed Christmas tune or spoke of those whom he cared for at home.
 Suddenly tho bell struck 12! Scrooge found himself in his room. Lift ing up lIs eyes he beheld a solemn phan- tom, draped and hooded, coming like a
 mist toward him.
 Scrooge sank to his knees The very air through which the Spirit moved seemed tc breathe mystery and awe. He knew without word that he was in the pres ence of Christmas yet to come. The city seemed to spring around him all at once. It was day, and the Spirit
 led him toward little group of his busi- ness acquaintances who stood on Change as he and they stood every day. "So he's dead said one. T thought he'd never die"
 Suppose we make up party and vol i unteer to go to his funeral" said another. Upon my soul, don't know who'll so | if we don't"
 q don't mind going if lunch is pro- vided." yawned third. But I must 1 be fed if I make one" They all laughed and strolled away. | The Spirit glided toward another group. There. too, were men whom he knew per fectly. very wealthy men of great i'm