The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-12-21

there IS a last chance for hsm 10 eS
cape Marley's fate. n warns mn
that three spirits will visit him sepa
rately. Scrooge is still ~incredulous
hit the spirits visit him that sam
evening. The first is the Ghost o
Christmas Past" He mentally sntter
90 tia spirit Of his fc-~ro~ sole 8
him his former sweetheart, a beauti
frl girl. who. after warning nm ,
ture. marries another. with whom sh
| is 40 hanrv as possible.
The spirit IS replaced by the fgur
| Of a nowerful and friendly giant
the 'Ghoet Of Christmas Present.
WHO guides him in a midnlght tou
through manv parts Of London. am
to the abode Of his poor clerk. who's
large family. desnite their poverty
! are enjoying their Christmas tcs ether
A loving and afectionate family the.
were. One Of them. a weak little fel
low, Tiny Tim. attracts S~crooge's at
tention. n he asks il the child viii
die.
II see a vacant chair. in the chin
ney corner, and a crutch without al
owner, carefully guarded. If thes'
shadows be 0 changed in n future
he will die"
The spirit then takes him to man.
poor peoples abodes, shows then
their poverty and suffering. and hi
Wv II IkdJ 81 ~ I'D dOoOC ! ~
called, terrifying his awakened con
science, as If they announced his owl
condemnation.
From the folds of it's robes tn
spirit brought two children; wretched
ahject. frightful, hideous, miserable
kneIt down at it's feet. and chung t.
the outside of it's garments. Yellow
re. ragged, scowling. wolfish, bu
PROSTATE in their humility. Wher'
graceful youth should have filled theil
features out, and touched them will
its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelet
hand, like that Of age, had pinchet
and twisted them, and pulled them t
shreds. Where angels might have
sat enthroned, devils lurked ane
glared out menacing.
This boy is Ignorance. This gir
is Want. Beware them both, and al
their degree; but most of all beware
this boy, for on his brow 1 see tina
written which is Doom, unless tn
writing be erased!"
Another spirit, that Of christina
Yet to Come" then makes it's appear
ance, n shows what may happen a
his death. for Scrooge perceives hi:
room, and he overhears two womer
and an old mar dividing his persona
property.
II hone he didn't die of anything
catching!"
Don't you be afraid of that.
wasn't so fon Of his company tina
I'd loiter about him for such thing:
hat shirt till your eyes ache, bu
you Won't find a hole in it, nor {
t~hread-bare place. It's the best h
had They'd have wasted it, if i
hadn't beer for met"
What do you mean by wasting
it?"
Putting it on him to be buried in
to be sure. Somebody was foo
enough to do it, but 1 took it of
again. If calico isn't good enough
for such a 1t isn't goot
enough for anything. It's quite a:
becoming to the body. He can't lool
| uglier than he did in that one"
It is then that Scrooge. whose ma
ture mas been restored to it's former
self, earnestly assures the spirit tha
he will make amends If he is allowed
time on earth.
Spirit, near met. 1 am not the mar
was! l will not be the man
must have been but for this inter.
course. Assure me hat I may change
these shadows by an altered life.
will honor Christmas in my heart
n will try to keep it all the year
] will live in the Past. the Present
and the future. The spirits of al
three shall strive within me. I will
not shut out the lessons they teach!'
In his agony he caught the spectra
hand. and was strong in his e%ntreaty
The spirit, stronger still, repulseG
him. Holding up his hand in one las
prayer to have his fate reversed, HI
saw an alteration in the phantom.
hood and dress. 1t shrunk, collapsed
n dwindled down-into a bed post
Yes, h bed post was his own
The bed was his own. Best and hap.
piest of all the time before him wa.
his own in which to make amends.
He was so f1nttered with his goot
intentions that his broken voice would
scarcely answer to his call.
II don't now what to do! I an
as light as a feather! am as happ,
as an angel! I am AS merry as a s~hoo
hoyi A merry Christmas to everybody