The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-12-27

shop, below a penthouse roof,
where iron, old rags, bottles, bones
and greasy offal, were bought. Sit
ting in among the wares he dealt in,
py a charcoal stove, made of old
bricks, was a gray-haired rascal,
nearly seventy years Of age.
Scrooge and the Phantom came
into the presence of this man, Just
as a woman with heavy bundle
skunk into the shop. But she had
scarcely entered, when another
woman, similarly laden, came in
too; and she was closely followed
by man in faded black.
open that bundle, old Joe," she
continued, land let me know the
value Of it. Speak out plain. I'm
not afraid to be the first, nor afraid
for them to see it. We knew pretty
well that we were helping ourselves,
before we met here, I believe. It's
no sin. Open the bundle, Joe."
But the gallantry of her friends
would not allow of this; and the
man in faded black, mounting the
breach first, produced his plumber.
1t was not extensive. A seal or
two, a pencil-case, a pair of sleeve
buttons, and brooch of no great
value, were all. They were sew
orally examined and appraised by
old Joe.
The laundress was next. Sheets
and towels, little wearing apparel.
two old-fashioned silver teaspoons.
a pair of sugar-tongs, and few
boots.
"And now undo my bundle, joe"
said the first woman.
Joe went down on his knees for
the greater convenience of opening
it, and having unfastened a great
many knots, dragged out large and
heavy roll Of some dark stuff.
What do you call this?" said
Joe. "Bed-curtains!"
"Ah!" returned the woman, laugh
ing and leaning forward on her
crossed arms. "Bed-curtains!"
"You don't mean to say you took
'em down, rings and all, with him
lying there?" said Joe.
eyes I do" replied the woman.
Don't drop that oil upon the blan-
kets, now"
His blankets?" asked Joe.
Whose else's do you Think" re-
piled the woman. "He isn't likely
to take cold without 'em, dare say.
II hope he didn't die of anything
catching? Eh?" said old Joe. stop
ping in his work, and looking up.
Don't you be afraid of that" re-
turned the woman. IL ant so fond
of his company that I'd loiter about
him for such things. if he did"
Spirit" said Scrooge, shuddering
from head to foot. 81 see, see. The
case of this unhappy man might be
my own. My life tends that way.
Merciful Heaven, what is thisl"
He recoiled in terror, for the scene
had changed, and now he almost
touched bed: bare, uncurtained
bed: on which, beneath q ragged
sheet, lay a something covered up.
"If there is any person in the
town, who feels emotion caused by
this mans DEATH" said Scrooge
quite agonized, "show that person
to me, Spirit, | beseech you'll"
The Phantom spread its dark robe
before him for a moment, like a
wing; and withdrawing it, revealed
a room by daylight, where a mother
and her children we're.
She was expecting someone.
At length the long-expected knock
was heard. She hurried TO the door.
and met her husband; a man whose
face was careworn and depressed,
though he was young.
There is hope yet" he said.
eff he relents," she said, amazed.
there isl Nothing is past hope if
such a miracle has happened"
He is past relenting," said her
husband. ''He is dead"
ITO whom will our debt be trans
ferred?"
II don't know. But before that
time we shall be ready with the
money; and even though we we're
not, 1t would be a bad fortune in
deed to find so merciless a creditor
IN his successor. We may sleep
tonight with light hearts, Carolinel"