The Washington herald., 1920-12-25
Fa 4 Christmas Carol 8y Gbees DICKENS


do spirits walk the earth and why do
they come to 'me?'
"It is required of every man." the
Ghost returned. that the spirit Yithin
him should walk abroad among his fell
lowmen and travel far and wide: and IL
that spirit goes not forth in life, II is
condemned to do so after death. 1t is
doomed to wander through the world
oh. woe is me!-and witness what it can
not share but might have shared on earth.
and turned to happiness"
Again the specter raised cry and
shook its chain and wrung its shadowy
hands.
You are fettered." said scrooge, trem-
bling. Tell me why?"
"I wear the chain I forged in life," re-
piled the Ghost. It made II link by link
and yard by yard; I girded it on OF my
own free will and of my own free will i
wore it Is it's pattern strange to your
Scrooge trembled more and more.
''Oh! captive, bound and doubIe-ironed," {"
cried the phantom. mot to know, that
ages of incessant labor, by immortal
creatures. for this earth must pass into
eternity before the good of which it is
susceptible is all developed. Not to know
that any Christian spirit working kindly
will ind its mortal life too short for its
vast means of usefulness Not to know
that no space OF regret can make amends
for one life's opportunity misused! Yet
such was 1! oh! such was IT,
But you were always a good man of
business, Jacob" faltered Scrooge, who
now began to apply this to himself.
Business cried the Ghost, wringing
its hands again. Mankind was my busi-
ness; the common welfare was my busi-
ness; charity. mercy, forbearance and
benevolence were, all, my business. The
dealings of my trade were but a drop of
water in the comprehensive ocean of my
business!"
1t held up its chain at arms length. as
I IL that were the cause of all its unavail-
4 ing grief and flung it heavily upon the
ground again.
AT this time of the rolling year" the
specter said, Il suffer most. Why did /
walk through crowds of fellow beings
with my eyes turned down, and never
raise them to that blessed star which
led the Wise Men to a poor abode! Were
there no poor homes to which its light
would have conducted me?"
| Scrooge was very much dismayed to
hear the specter going on at this rate,
|
Hear me,' cried the Ghost. My time
is nearly gone"
| Il WILL" said Scrooge. But don't be
hard upon me! Don't be fIowery. Jacob!
Prayv
How is it that 1 appear before you
in "a shape that you can see. i may noi
teh / have sat invisible beside you many
and many a day.
| AZ Wa. not an agreeable idea. Scroogc
shivcred, and wiped the perspiration from
his brow.
THAT is no light part OF my pensnce.'
pursued the Ghost. Il am here tonight to
| warn you that you have yet chance
and hope of escaping my fate. A chanc,
and hope of my procuring. Ebenezer."
You were always a good friend to me,
said Scrooge. "Thankce."
You will be haunted" resumed tbs
Ghost, "by Three Spirits"
Scrooges countenance fell almost as
low as the Ghosts had done.
rs that the chance and hope you men,
toned, jacob he demanded. in q falter-
ing voice"
| 1T is
| II think I'd rather not" said ScrooGe
without their visits" said the Ghost
! you cannot hope to shun the path
treau. Expect the 1lrSt tomorrow NneL
the bells toll one
Couldn't / take 'em all at once ano
have it over, JacOb?" hinted Scrooge.
Expect the second on the next night
at the same hour. The third upon the
next night when the last stroke of twelve
has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me nc
more; and look that, for your own sake
you remember what has passed between
us"
When it had said these words, the spec
ter took its wrapper from the table, anC
bound it round its head, as before
Scrooge knew this. by the smart SOUND
its teeth made, when the jaws wers
brought together by the bsndsge- He ven
tured TO raise his eyes again and founc
his supernatural visitor confronting hin
in an erect attitude with it's chain wounC
over and about its arm.
Scrooge elosed the window and exam
ined the door, by which the Ghost hat
entered. 1t was double-locked, as ht
had locked it with his own hands and tn,
bolts were undisturbed., He tried to sa,
"Humbugr' but stopped at the first syl
: liable. And being, from the emotion h
had undergone. or the fatigues of tn
day, or his glimpse of the Invisibl
World, or the dull conversation of tn
: Ghost, or the lateness of the hour, mucl
, in need of repose; went straight to bed
without undressing and fell asleep upol
the instant.
x * k