The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1915-12-24

In obedience TO a secret i'm
pulse. anxious 20 know what kind Of
room Il was. A pale light, rising in
the outer air, fell straight upon the
bed: and on It, plundered and bereft.
unmatched. unwept, uncared for, was
the body of this man.
scrooge glanced toward the Phan-
tom. Its steady hand was pointed
TO the head. The cover was so care
lessly adjusted that the slightest rails
ting Of It. the motion OF a finger upon
sorooge's part, would have disclosed
the face. He thought OF IT, felt how
easy It would be to do, and longed to
DO IL, but had no more power to with
draw the veil than to dismiss the
spectre at his side.
Oh cold. cold. rigid, dreadful Death.
set up thine altar here, and dress IL
with such terrors as thou hast at thy
command; for this Is thy dominionl
But OF the loved. revcred. and hon
ored head. thou canst not turn one
hair 20 thy dread purposes. or make
one feature odious. 1t is not that tho
hand is heavy, and will fall down
when released; 1t Is not that the heart
and pulse are still: but that the hand
was open. generous. and true: the
heart brave, warm, and tender: and
tho pulse a mans. strike. Shadow,
strikel And SEQ his good deeds
spfinging from the wound, TO SOW
the world with life immortal
No voice pronounced these words In
Scrooge's ears and yet he heard
them when he looked upon the bed.
He thought, IL this man could be
raised up now. what would be his
foremost thoughts? Avarice, hard
dealing. gripping cares? They have
brought him TO a rich end. truly!
lie lay. in u dark, empty house.
with not a man, a woman. or a child
To say he was kind to me In this or
that, and for tho memory OF one kind
word 1 will be kind to him. A cat
was tearing at the door, and there
was sound OF gnawing rats be-
meath the hearthstOne. What they
wanted In the room Of death, and
why they were 80 restless and dis
turbed. Scrooge did not dare to think
Spirit" he said, this is fearful
place. In leaving It ssall not leave
Its lesson, trust me. Let us go!"
Still tho Ghost pointed with an I'M
moved finger TO the head.
Il understand YOU" Scrooge re-
turned. and would do II. II | could
But 1 have not the power, Spirit.
have not the power"
Again II seemed to look upon him.
II there is any person In the town
who feels emotion caused by TINS
snan's death" said Scrooge, quite
ssonized. show that person to me
Spirit. I beseech you!"
The Phantom spread It's dark ropt
before him. Tor moment, like wing;
and withdrawing II, revealed room
by daylight. where mother ana he'
children were.
She was expecting some one, and
with anxious eagerness: for she
walked up and down the room; start
ed at every sound: looked out IRON
the window: glanced at the clock;
tried, but in vain. to work with hei
needle; and could hardly bear tn
voices OF her children In their play.
AT length the long expected knoc'
was heard. She hurried TO the dooI
and met her husband. whose face WA
careworn and depressed, thouGn ~
was young There was n remarkapl'
oApresslon In It now. a kind OF serious
deiipht OF which he felt ashamed, an'
,.t,,ch he struggled to repress.
He sat down TO the dinner that nae
nesn boarding for him by tho fire
and when she asked him family VIVA
news (Which was not until after
long silence), he appeared eihoaf
raised how 70 answer. -
SIS II good" she said. "or badf Il
had" ne answered.
"W are quite ruined!'
"No, There Is hope yet, Caroline
III he reients," she said, amazed
"there isl Nothing II past nope
such a miracle has happencas bA
"He is past relenting.' sara ne
husband. "He Is dead.
she was a mild and patient crea
t,,re. II her face spoke truth; put sh
was thankful in her soul TO near ~
and she said so, with clasped hanus
SIZE nrayed forgiveness the next mo
ment, and was sorry; nut inc lrs
was the emotion of her heart
what the half-drunken Womb
,,,an, told YOU of last night sal
90 me. when | tried to see him an
obtain a weeks delay, and what
,bought was Il mere excuse 10 avon
NC Turns out to have been quite true
He was not only very ILL., but dyin
then" IL, w .o,,+ II. trons
"To whom will our dept NC trans
ferredT ,.,,u ,ho, ain,
We shall be ready with the money
and sven though we were not,
would be bad fortune indeed to fin
90 me-cIless a creditor in his success
sor, We may sleep tonight wit
light hearts, Caroline"
Yes. Soften II as they would, the
hearts were lighter. The children
faces, hushed and clustered round
hear what they so little undeerstoo,
were brighter; and II was hapbis
house for this mans death TT
only emotion that the Ghost cou'
show him, caused by the event, wa
one of pleasure
.Iet me see some tenderness col
,acted with a DEATH" said Scroog
'or that dark chamber, Spirit, while
we left Just now will be forever pre-
ent TO mo-"
Tine Ghost conducted him throul
ssvssai streets familiar to his fee