The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1911-01-05

was the ogre Of the family. The men
ton Of his name cast dark shadow
on the party which was not dispelled
for full five minutes.
And now, without a word Of warn
ing from the ghost, they stood upon
a bleak and desert moor, where mon
Strous masses Of rude stone were cast
about as though it were the burial
place of giants, and water spread it
self wheresoever it listed-or it would
have done so but for the frost that
held it prisoner-and nothing grew but
moss and furze and coarse, rank grass
Down in the west the setting sun had
left a streak Of fiery red. which glared
upon the desolation for an instant like
sullen eye and, frowning lower, low
err, lower yet, was lost in the thick
gloom of darkest night.
It was a great surprise to Scrooge
while listening to the moaning Of the
wind and thinking what a solemn
, thing it was to move on through the
lonely darkness over an unknown
abyss whose depths were secrets as
profound as death. 1t was a great
surprise TO Scrooge while thus engag-
ed to hear a hearty laugh. 1t was a
| much greater surprise to Scrooge to
| to find himself in a bright. dry, gleam-
| ing ROOM, with the spirit standing
smiling by his side and looking at that
same nephew with approving affabil-
ity.
HE said that Christmas was a hum
bug, as 1 live" cried Scrooge's neph-
ew. "He believed it too!"
"More shame for him, Fredr' said
Scrooge's niece Indignantly. Bless
those women. They never do any
thing by halves. They are always in
| earnest.
She was very pretty, exceedingly
pretty, with a dimpled, surprised LOOK
that seemed made to be kissed-as
no doubt it was-all kinds of good
little dots about her chin that melted
into one another when she laughed
and the sunniest pair of eyes you ever
saw in any little creatures head Al
together she was what you would have
called provoking, you know. but salts
factory, too-oh. perfectly satisfactory
| Hes a comical old fellow" said
Scrooge's nephew-'that's the IrutI
and not so pleasant as he might be
However, his offenses carry their own
punishment, and have nothing to say
against him."
81 have no patience with him." OBJ
served Scrooge's niece. Scrooge's
niece's sisters and all the other ladies
expressed the same opinion
"Oh, i have" said Scrooge's neph
J ew. ST am sorry for him. l couldn't
be angry with him If tried. Who
suffers by his Ill whims? Himself
always Here he takes 1t into his
head to dislike US. and be won't come
and dine with us. What's the conse
| quence? He doesn't lose much Of u
| dinner"
| Indeed. 7 think he loses a very good
dinner" interrupted Scrooge's niece
| Everybody else said the same, and
they must be allowed to have been
competent judges because they he'd
just had dinner and, with the dessert
upon the table, were clustered round
the fire by lamplight.
"Well, / am very glad to hear it, >
said Scrooge's nephew, because
haven't any great faith in these young
| housekeepers What do you say. Top
PERI"
Topper had clearly got his eye upon
one Of Scrooge's niece's sisters. for be
answered that a bachelor was @
wretched outcast who had no right
to express an opinion on the subject
whereat Scrooge's niece's sister-ths
plump one with the lace tucker. moi
the one with the roses-blushed.
After tea they had some music, fol
they were a musical family and knew
what they were about when they sans
a glee or catch, can assure you, espe
cially Topper, who could growl away
In the bass like a good one and nevel
swell the large veins In bis forehead
or get red In the face over II
Scrooge's niece played we'll upon thu
harp and, among other tunes, a simpl,
little air Ia mere nothing-you nigh
learn to whistle II in two minutes
which had been familiar to the chilt
who fetched Scrooge from the board
ing school, as he had been reminded
by the Ghost OF Christmas Past
When the strain Of music sounded al
the things that ghost had shown hin
came upon bis mind. He softeneG
more and more and thought that IL b
could have listened TO 1t often year
ago he might have cultivated the kind
, nesses Of life for his own happiness
with his own hands without resortini
to the sections spade that buried ia
cob Marley.