The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-12-24

house OF keokuk There is even more
hustle than on the former days, bring
ing UP the odds and ends IN readiness
for the happy events of tomorrow.
Are there any Scrooges In Keokuk7
II there are they had better be getting
ready for their pilgrimage with the
spirits tonight, for these sprites will
sure come to trouble their unsatisfed
dreams They always appear to sord-
idness, greed and crouch.
"A Merry Christmas, uncle, God
save you,s cried cheerful voice. 1t
was the roles of Scrooges' nephew
who came upon him so quickly that
this was the first intimation he had OF
his approach.
"Bahls said scrooge. "Humbug.'
Christmas humbug,' said
Scrooge's nephew You don't mean
that / am sure
q do said scrooge. Merry Christ
mas. What right have you to be
merry? What reason have you to be
merry? You're poor enough
Come then" returned the nephew
gaily. What right have you to be
dismal2 What reason have you to be
morose? You're rich enough"
Scrooge, having no better answer
ready on the spur of the moment.
said Bah again: and followed it up
with: aHnmbug. What else can l
be?' returned the uncle, when l live
in such a world of fools as this? Mer-
r. Christmas, Out upon merry Christ.
mas What's Christmas time to you
but time for paying bills without
money: a time for finding yourself a
year older. and not an hour richer; a
time for balancing your books, and
having every item in EN- through a
round dozen Of months presented
dead against your II / could work my
WILL said Scrogge in dignity, every
idiot who goes about with Merry
Christmas on his lips should be boiled
with his own pudding. and buried with
a stake Of holly through his heart. He
should
Uncleir pleaded the nephew.
Nephew returned the uncle
sternIy. keep Christmas in your owr
way and let NE keep it In mine
Keep IT. repeated scrooge's
nephew. @But you don't keep it.
There came sound through
Scrooge's keyhoIe from the voice o
the owner Of Zone scant young nose
gnawed and nnnbed By the hungr.
cold as bones are gnawed by dogs.
and these are the two lines Of tbs
carol that Scrooge heard:
God bless you, merry gentleman,
Nay nothing you dismay.''
scrooge seized the ruler with SUE
energy Of action, that the singer fee
/ in terror, leaving the keyhoIe TO tf'
fog and even more congenial frost
The spirits came and presented Il
Scrooge q uloylng picture show of hi.
oTn vretched graspfng, grouchy life
Scrooge trembled There were brigh
spots in thig drama
Bob Crschitts dinner was thrown
rpon prettfe- canvass than the weirc
spectres were being shown.
/ These ftwo tumbIerE and a custarc
fowl) held the hot stun from the jug
however. Sc vel as golden gobleti
woIld have doae, and Bob serTed +
Cur win becoming locks, while tn,
chegtnuts On the fire sputtered ant
cracked noiefly. Then Bob proposed
II Merry Christmas 70 US all, m.
dears. God bless you"
4God bless us, every one said Tin,
TIN, q the last
There was change IN scroogi
after his dream agnt With the spirits
Gonae people Laaaaec 70 see the alter
attoo ia him, 5u+ he let them laugh
ard little hee5ed them; for he wa
vie esonzn W know that nothin
ever naDpened On this globe, Tor gooc
81 whsen soras people did not nag
heir sgi N 1aughter IA the outset an
zn1n9ng that sBcb ~ tsaese would b
sind anzw&y, he thought q quite q
vel tha. taey sdosld wrinkle Up tkei
Eyes 81 GRIM, 90 have the naalady !
i,fgs attracaFe fer.e HIS own hear
lsrghe1 an tnat Ssas eHofSh FIR MIR
He hae 70 fars5aeg fnten@opyse wiz
spirifs, md N was aiaays SAID {
hin that ~ kneY flow " kes0 cg1rss
mar wei, II sny maD alive 1essesse
the knosgecge. Na9 that be truly Sei
! 81 us. and III N W. Ard ~, IN Tia
Tin obeerged, eGoa Elsss Ds Eyer
One
This ii Tie usgst s.esofe Giaftst1aai