The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-12-10


the crisp air laughed to hear it
The school Is not quite deserted.
said the ghost a solitary child u-c
lecfed by bis friends. Is left there still -
Scrooge said he knew l.. and De
sobbed
They left the highroad by n Me-! r..
membered lane and soon arl,rot. he'd
q mansion of dull red brick; w;th ~
tie weathercock surmoun'"d rurnin ~
the roof and a bell hangin" in il II
was large house. but un. ~ i,r'nk-':s
fortunes, for the spacious of:ic'->, We're
little used. their walls were damn and
messy. their windows broken ard their
gates decayed-
They went. the ghost and ScrO"ga.
across the hall to a door at the back
Of the house. 1t opened before Them
and disclosed a long. bare. melancholy
room, made barer still by lines Of plain
deal forms and desks. At one of these
a lonely boy was reading near a feeble
Ore. and Scrooge sat down upon a form
and wept to see his poor forgotten self
as he had used to be-
II WISH" Scrooge muttered. putting
his hand in his pocket and looking
about him, drying his eyes With his
cuff. "But it's too late now"
"what Is the matter?' asked the
spirit.
Nothing" said Scrooge. nothing.
There was a boy singing Christmas
carol at my door last night. ! should
have liked to give him something
that's ALL
The ghost smiled thoughtfuiiy and
waved its hand. saying as II did so.
LET Us see another Christmas"
Scrooge's former self grew larger at
the words. and the room became lit
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 you
do. He only knew that 1t was quite
correct: that every thing had happen.
ed so; that there he was alone again
when all 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 mourn
ful shake Of his head glanced anxious
~ toward the door.
It opened. and q little girl. much
younger than the boy. came darling
in and. putting her arms about bis
neck and often kissing him. addressed
him as her dear, dear brother"
81 have come to bring you home
dear brother" said the child. clappin:
her tiny hands and bending down t
laugh-"to bring you home. home
home!"
"Home, little FAM" returned tn
boy.
Eyes," said the child. brimful o
glee-"home for good and all. hom
forever and ever. Father Is so mucl
kinder than he used to be that home
like heaven. He spoke so gently to m
one dear night when l was going t
bed that l was not afraid to ask hin
once more If you might come home
and he said yes you should and sen
me in a coach to bring you. AM
you're to be a man." said the chile
opening her eyes, land are never t
come back here. but first we're to h
together all the Christmas long an
have the merriest time In all tn
world"
"You are quite a woman. little Fan!
exclaimed the boy.
She clapped her hands and laughe
and tried to touch his head. but. bein
too little. laughed again and stood
tdptoe to embrace him. Then she b'
!, gan to drag him. in her childish cage
, ness. toward the door. and he. nothin
, loath to go, accompanied her
, always a delicate creature who1
a breath might have withered." sal
, the ghost. but she had large heart
$50 she had" cried Scrooge. "Yo
, are right. I'll not gainsay it. spir'
God forbid"
"She died a woman" said the ghos
r "and had, as I think. children"
Zone child" Scrooge returned.
"True," said the ghost-"your nep
ew.''
scrooge seemed uneasy in his min
and answered briefly. Eyes"
Although they had but that mome
left the school behind them. they we
now in the busy thoroughfares OF
city. 1t was made plain enough
the dressing of the shops that her
too, it was Christmas time again. b
It was evening. and the streets we
lighted up.
The ghost stopped at a certain wal
house door and asked Scrooge II
I knew 1t.
"Know it," said Scrooge was
apprenticed hereT
They went in. At sight OF an
9entleman In Welsh wig sitting
hind such a high desk that II he n
been two inches taller he must ha
Knocked his head against the ceill
= scrooge cried in great excitement:
oil Eo17iv-iCS'