Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-12-22


better, manw
Scrooge entered timidly and hung
his head before this spirit.
II am the Ghost of Christmas Pres
ent," said the spirit. "LOok upon mew
Scrooge reverently did so, 1t was
clothed in one simple deep green robe
or mantle bordered with white fur.
This garment hung SO loosely on the
figure that it's capacious breast was
bare, as If disdaining to be warded or
concealed by any artifice. Its feet,
observable beneath the ample folds Of
the garment, were also bare, and on
it's head 1t wore no other covering than
a holly wreath set here and there with
shining icicleS. It's dark brown curlS
were long and free-free as it's genial
face, its sparkling eye, its open hand,
its CHEEKY voice, its unconstrained de-
meanor and it's joyful air. Girded
round it's middle was an antique scab-
bard, but no sword was in it, and the
ancient sheath was eaten up with rust.
The Ghost of Christmas Present rose.
Spirit" said Scrooge submissive1y,
conduct me where you will. 1 went
forth last night on compulsion, and
learned a lesson which is working
now. Tonight, II you have aught to
teach me, let me profit by it,"
Touch my robev'
Scrooge did as he was told and held
it fast.
Holly, mistletoe, red berries, ivy, tur.
keys, geese. game, poultry, Drawn,
meat, pigs, sausages, oysters, pies, pud-
dings, fruit and punch, all vanished in
stantly. So did the room, the fire, the
ruddy glow, the hour Of night, and
they stood In the city streets on Chris
mas morning, where for the weather
was severeD the people made a rough
but brisk and not unpleasant kind of
music IN scraping the snow from the
pavement in front Of their dwellings
and from the tops Of their houses,
whence it was mad delight to the boys
to see it come pumping down into the
road below and splitting into artificial
little snowstorms.
1t was a remarkable quality of the
ghost (Which Scrooge had observed at
the baker's) that, Notwithstanding his
gigantic size, he could accommodate
himself to any place with ease and
that he stood beneath low roof quite
as gracefully and like q supernatural
creature as it was possible he could
have done in any lofty hall.
And perhaps it was the pleasure the
good spirit had in showing off this
power OF his or else it was his own
kind, generous, hearty nature and his
sympathy with all poor men that led
him straight to Scrooge's clerk, for
there he went and took Scrooge with
him, holding to his robe.
Then up rose Mrs. Cratchit, wife OF
the clerk, dressed out but poorly in a
twice turned gown, but brave In rib
bons which are cheap and make
goodly show for sixpence, and she laid
the cloth, assisted by Belinda Cratch1t,
second of her daughters, also brave In
ribbons, while Master Peter Cratchit
plunged a fork into the saucepan OF
potatoes and, getting the corners OF
his monstrous shirt collar Bob's pri-
vate property, conferred upon his son
and heir in honor Of the day. into his
mouth, rejoiced to find himself so
CALAMITY attired and yearned to show
his linen in the fashionable parks.
And now two smaller Cratchits. boy
and girl, came tearing in, screaming
that outside the bakers they had
smelt the goose and known it for their
own, and, basking in luxurious
thoughts Of sage and onion, these
young Cratchits danced about the Ia
BILE and exalted Master Peter Cratchit
to the skies, while he mot proud, al
though his collars nearly choked him)
blew the fire until the slow potatoes,