The Washington herald., 1920-12-25
STAVE FIVE.
THE END OF 1T

<NEs: and the bedpost was his
Sown. The bed was his own, the
- room was his. Best and happi-
est of all. the Time before him was
his own, to make amends in!
'T will live in the Past, the Pres
ent and the Future!" Scrooge re-
peated. as he scrambled out of bed
The Spirits of all Three shall
strive within me. Oh Jacob Mar
ley! Heaven, and the Christmas
Time be praised for that, / say it
on my knees, old Jacob, on my
knees"
He was checked by the churches
ringing out the lustiest peals he
had ever heard. Clash. clang. ham
mer. ding, dong, bell. Bell, dong.
ding. hammer. clang, clash, Oh
glorious. glorious!"
Running to the window. he op-
ened it. and put out his head. No
fog. no mist; clear. bright. jovial,
stirring, cold: cold, piping for the
blood TO dance to: golden sunlight; I;
heavenly sky; sweet fresh air: mer-
ry bells. Oh, glorious. Glorious.
What's today" cried Scrooge,
calling downward TO a boy In Sun
day clothes. who perhaps had loi-
tered in TO look about him.
"EH?" returned the boy, with all
his might of wonder.
What's today. my fine fellow -
said Scrooge.
Today replied the boy. why.
CHRISTMAS DAY"
It's Christmas Day" said
Scrooge to himself. 'T haven't miss
ed it The Spirits have done lit all
in one night. They can do anything
they like. OF course they can. OF
course they can. Halo. my fine
fellow"
"Hallow returned the boy.
DO you know the PoUIterer's. in
the next street but one. at the cor
ner? Scroogc inquired.
Il should hope / did" replied the
lad.
An intelligent boy" said
Scrooge. "A remarkable boy. Do
you know whether they've sold the
prize Turkey that was hanging up
there? Not the little prize Turkey;
the big one?"
What, the one as big as mev
returned the boy.
What a, delightful boy!" said
Scrooge. It's a pleasure to talk
to him. Yes, my buck"
It's hanging there now" re-
piled the boy.
rs it?" said Scrooge. GO and
buy it."
WALKER" exclaimed the boy.
mo, no." said Scrooge, Il am in
earnest. Go and buy IL and tell 'em
to bring II here that may give
them the direction where to take IL.
rnn1a haRk xuffh ~
give you a shilling. Come back with
him in less than five minutes and
I'll give you half-a-crownt"
The boy was off like a shot He
must have had a stesdy hand at a
trigger who could have got a shot
off half as fast.
ri. send it to Bob Cratchit's
whispered Scrooge, rubbing his
hands and splitting with a iaupb
He shan't know who sends IL. It's
twice the size of Tiny Tim. Joe
Miller never made such a Ioke as
sending 1t to ,Bob's will ber'
The hand in which he wrote The
address was not a steady one, but
write IL he did, somehow. aud went
downstairs to open the street door,
ready for the coming OF the poul-
terer's man. As he stood there,
waiting his arrival, the knocker
caught his eye.
I shall love it, as long as live"'
cried Scrooge, patting IL with his
hand. Il scarcely ever looked at IL
before. What an honest expression
II has on its face! It's a wonderful
knocker!-Here's the Turkey. Hal
10! Whoop! How are you, Merry
Christmasr'
1t WAS Turkey! He could new
er have stood upon his less, that
bird. He would have snapped 'em
short off in minute. like sticks
of sesling-wax.
why. it's impossible to carry
that to Camden Town" said
Scrooge. you must have a cab"