The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-12-29
that's all"

that's all"
The ghost smiled thoughtfully and
waved its hand. saying as Il did so.
'Let rs see another Christmas"
Scrooge's former SELF lew larger at
the words. and the roo.n became O lie.
tie darker and more dirty. The panels
shrunk. the windows cracked. frag-
ments Of plaster fell out Of the cell
ing. and the naked laths were shown
instead. but how all this was brought
about Scrooge knew no more than ron
do. He only knew that II was quite
correct. that -Ssers thing had happen
ed SO: that there he was alone again
when oil the other boys had gone home
for the jolly holidays.
He was not reading now. but walk
ing up and down despairingly. Scrooge
looked at the ghost and with a mourn
full shake of his head glanced anxious
ly toward the door
1t opened, and little girl. much
younger than the boy. came darting
in and. putting her arms about his
neck and often kissing him. addressed
him as her "dear, dear brother"
81 have come to bring you home.
dear brother" said the child. clapping
her tiny hands and bending down to
laugh-''to bring you home. home.
homei"
Home. little FanT returned the
boy.
"Yes," said the child. brimful of
glee-"home for good and all. home
forever and ever. Father Is so much
kinder than he used to be that homes
like heaven. He spoke so gently to me
one dear night when I was going to
bed that I was not afraid to ask him
once more IL you might come home,
and he said yes you should and sent
me in a coach to bring you. And
you're to be a man." said the child,
opening her eyes, land are never to
together all the Christmas long and
have the merriest time in all the
world"
"You are quite a woman. little Fam
exclaimed the boy.
She clapped her hands and laughed
and tried to touch his head, but, being
too little. laughed again and stood on
tptoe to embrace him. Then she be-
gan to drag him, In her childish eager
ness, toward the door. and he. nothing
1oath to go, accompanied her.
always a delicate creature whom
breath might have withered," said
the ghost, "but she had large heart" 4"
$50 she had" cried Scrooge. You
are right. I'll not gainsay 1t. spirit
God Forbid"
"She died a woman" said the ghost.
"and had. as think, children"
zone child" Scrooge returned.
True" said the ghost-"your neph-
ew."
Scrooge seemed uneasy In his mind.
and answered briefly. Yes"
Although they had but that moment
left the school behind them. they were
now in the busy thoroughfares OF a
city. It was made plain enough by
too, it was Christmas time again, but
1t was evening. and the streets were
lighted up.
The ghost stopped at certain ware
house door and asked Scrooge II he
knew it.
"Know itr said Scrooge. WAS !
apprenticed hereT'
They went In. At sight of an old
gentleman In a Welsh wig sitting be-
hind such q high desk that II he had
been two inches taller he must have
knocked his head against the ceiling
Scrooge cried in great excitement:
"Why, it's old Fezziwig"'
Old Fezziwig laid down his pen and
looked up at the clock, which point
ed to the hour Of T. He rubbed his
hands, adjusted his capacious waist
coat, laughed all over himself from his
shoes to his organ of benevolence and
called out In a comfortable. oily. rich.
fat, 1ovial voice:
"Yo no, there! Ebenezer! DickP
Scrooge's former self, now grown a
young man, came briskiy In. accompa-
MED by his fellow prentice.
''Dick wilkins, to be sure" said
Scrooge to the ghost. "Biess me. yes.
There he is. He was very much at
tached to me, was Dick Poor Dicki
Dear, dear!"
"Yo no, my boys" said Fezziwig,
mo more work tonight! Christmas
eve, Dick! Christmas, Ebenezer! Let's
have the shutters up" cried old Fezzi-
wig, with a sharp clap Of his hands,
before a man can say Jack Robin
SOM
In came a fiddler with a music book
and went up to the lofty desk and
made an orchestra Of 1t and tuned
like fifty stomach aches. In came Mrs.
Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile.
In came the three Miss Fezziwigs,
beaming and lovable. In came the six
young followers whose hearts they
broke. In came all the young men and
women employed in the business. In
same the housemaid with her cousin,
the baker. In came the cook with her
brothers particular friend. the milk
man. In came the boy from over the
way, who was suspected Of not having
board enough from bis master. trying
to hide himself behind the girl from
next door but one, who was proved to
have had her ears pulled by her mis-
tress. In they all came, one after
another, some shyly. some boldly,
some gracefully. some awkwardly,
some pushing. some puIling-in they
all came, anyhow and everyhow. Away
they all went, twenty couples at once.
hands half round and back again the
other way. down the middle and up
again, round and round In various
stages of affectionate grouping. old top
couple always turning MP in the wrong
I place, new top couple starting or
again as soon as they got there. all
top couples at last and not a bottom
one to help them When this result
, was brought about old Fezziwig. clap
ming his hands to stop the dance. cried