The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1910-12-15

true. Sl!U the SH">t- !o"' "'i''
ew''
Scroogc 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 thorouchfares OF a
CITY. Ii was made plain enough by
the dressing of the shops that here
too. it was Christmas time again. but
It was evening. and the streets were
lighted up.
The ghost stopped at certain ware
house door and asked Scrooge II he
knew ii.
Know it, said Scrooge. WAS
apprenticed hereT =,
! They went in At sight OF an OH
gentleman in a Welsh wig sitting De-
hind such q high desk that II be 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 FeZZiwiC laid down his pen ana
looked M M the clock. which p"in'-
cd 70 the hour of I. He rubbed MS
hands. adjusted his capacious waist
coat, laughed all over himself from his
shoes TO his organ of benevolence ana
called out in a comfortable. oily, rich'
fat. jOvial voice:
.'Yo no. there. Ebenezer! DICK!
Scroose's former self. now grown
Young man. came briskly in. accompa-
MED by his fellow prentice.
..Dick Wilkins. to be sure. said
Scroose to the ghost. BLESS me- yes.
There he is. He was very much at
tached to me, was Dick. Poor Dick!
Dear, dear.
"Yo no. my boys" said Fezziwig.
no more work tonigh+. 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.
SON.
In came fiddler with 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 FcZziwigs.
beaming and lovablc. In came the six
young followers whose hearts they
broke. In came all the young men and
women employed in the business. In
Il l,a,.
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 his master, trying
10 hide himself behind the girl from
next door but one. who vas 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 pullinG-in they
all came. anyhow and everyhow. Away
they all went. twenty couples ut once.
hands half round and back again the
other way. down the middle and up
again. round and round in various
stages of afrcCtionate grouping. old top
couple always turning up in tho wrong
place. now top couple starting off
again as soon as they got there all
,op couples at last and not Il bottom
one to help them. When this result
was brought about old FezZiwi%. clap
ping his hands to stop the dance. cried
out. We'll done" and the fiddler
rlungCd his hot face into q pot of por-
ter especially provided for that pur-
pose. But. Scorning rest. upon his re-
appearance. he instantly began again.
though there were no dancers yet. as
if the other fiddler had been carried
home exhausted on Il shutter and he
were Il brand new man resolved to beat
him out Of sight or perish.
When the clock struck II this do
mrStic ball broke up. Mr.. and Mrs.
FCZZiwig took their stations, one on
either side The door. and. shaking
hands with every person individually
'lS III III SIX N'liN 'uN' "i'7'iNH t'''''
her merry Christmas. When every
body had retired but the tw" -
tirrS they did the same 10 them. ana
thus the cheerful voices died away. and
the lads were left to their beds. which
were under counter in the back shop.
(. During the whole Of this time
Scrooce had acted like Il man out OF
his wits. His heart and soul were In
the scene and with his former self. He
corroboratcd everything. remembered
everything, enjoyed everything and
underwent the StrangcSt agitation.
What is the natter" asked the
ghost
Nothing particular" said ScrooGe.
Something, l think" the ghost in
sisted.
No" said Scrooge: no. | should
like to be able to say word or two to
nv clerk just now-that'S all"
His former self turned down the
lamps as he gave utterance to the