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BE HAPPY.
(Continged from Page 10.).
and often kissing him, addressed him as her Bear, dear brother."
"I have come to bring you bome, dear brother!" said the child, clap- ping her tiny hands, and beading down to laugh: To bring you home, home, home!"."
THE CHINA MAIL.
#
Chirup, who knew his business better than you
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1990..
It isn't that," said Scrooge, licat- then? I am not, changed towards" "She died a woman,? said the here! Hill-bo, Dick!
or I could have told it him!) strucked by the remark, and speaking un-yosi,' ghost, "and had, as I think, children," | Ebenezer 1""
She shook her bead. "One child." Scrooge returned. Clear away! There was nothing up Sir Roger de Coverley." Then consciously like his father, tot his
It isn't the, spirit. * Am 192 "True," said the ghost. Your they wouldn't have cleared away, or oil Fezziwig stood out to dance with later, self.
“Qur contract is an old one. It couldn't have cleared away, with old Mrs. Fezziwig. --Top couple, too; He has the power to render us happy
oor service was ride when we were both poor rephew!
Scrooge seemed uneasy in his Fezzivig looking so. It was done in with a good sul piece of work out out or unhappy: so make ahat's his name, who was put down in
mind; and answered briefly, "Yes. mine. Every movable was pack for them; three or four-and-twenty light or burdensome; a pleasure or and content to be so, until, in good Say that his power lies in season, we could improve our woodly his drawers, asleep, at the gate of
Home, little Fan?" returned the Although they had but that momented on, as if it were dismissed from pair of partners; people who were nota, toil. Damascus; don't you see him? And
left the school behind them.. they were public life for evermore; the floor to be tried with; people who would words and looks: in things so slight fortune by our patient industry. Your and insignificant that it is impossible are changed. When it was made, you the Sultan's Groom torced upside-boy.
was swept and watered, the lamps dance, and had no notion of walking. "Yes" said the child, brimful of now in the busy thoroughfares of 2
But if they had been twice as many [∞ add and count 'em up--what then? were another man."" down by the Genii: there he is upon
**I was a boy," he said impari- "Home, for good and all. city, where shadowy passengers pass-were triomed, fuel was heaped upon his head: Serve him right? I'm glee.
ently. glad of it: What business had he to Home, for ever and ever. Father ised and repassed; where shadowy exits the fire; and the warehouse was ash, four times old Fezziwig would The happiness he gives is quite as
so much kinder than he used to be, and coaches battled 'lor the way, and saug, and warm, and dry, and bright have been a match for them, and so great as if it cost, a fortune.”
He let the spirit's ghñce, and "Your own feeling tells you that be married to the Princess?
she was worthy to be his partner"in stopped.
you were not what you tre,” she re- see upon a winter's night. To hear Stooge expending all the that home's like heaven? He spoke all the strife and tumult of a real city ballroom, as you would desire to would Mrs. Fezziwig. As to her,
What is the matter?" asked the turned, "I am. That which pro- In came a fiddler with a music-every sense of the germ. If that's earnestness of his nature on such sub-gently to me one dear night when were. It was made plain enough, by
mised happiness when we were one in jeans in a most extraordinary voice was going to bed, that I was not the dressing of the shops, that here
"Nothing particular," said Scrooge beart, is fraught with misery now between laughing and crying, and so afraid to ask him once more if you too it was Christmas time again; but book, and went up to the lofty desk, not high praise, tell me higher, and ghost.
Something. I think?", the ghost that we are two. How often and how Praned like itty stomach-aches. In to issue from Fezziwig's calves! see his heightened sont excited lace, might come home; and he said Yes, it was evening, and the streets were and made an orchestra of it, and I'll use it. A positive light appeared
coach lighted up.
keenly I have thought of this, 1 will would have been a surprise to his you should; and sent me in
And you're to be a The ghost stopped at a certain ware- came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast sub-They shone in every part of the dance insisted.
**No. "No," said Scrooge.
tot "say. It is enough that I have business friends in the city, indeed to bring you.
cried man?" said the child, opening her house door, and asked Scrooge it hestantial smile! In came the three like moons. You couldn't have pre- |
Misses. Fezziwig. beaning and lov.dicted, at any given time, what would, should like to be able to say a word thought of it, and can release you." **There's the parrot,
That's ** Have I ever sought release?” Scrooge.
"Green body and yellow eyes, and are rever to come back knew it
Iable. In came the six young follow become of them next. And when old or two to my clerk just now.
"In words? No. Never." In Fezzivig and Mrs. Fezziwig had gonean." ers whose hearts they broke.
His lorer sell turned down the , with a thing like a lettive growhere, but first, we're to be together
In what then?" ing out of the top of his head, there all the Christmas tong, and have the
came all the young men and women all through the dance-advance and employed in the business. In camt retire, both hands to your partner, amps as he gave utterance to them a changed nanze; in an altered heis Poor Robin Crusoe, he called merriest time in all the world.”
the housemaid, with her bocsin, the bow and cortsy, corkstres, tread-wish; and Scrooge and the ghost gain haker. In came de cook, with berthe-needle, and back again to your stood side by side in the open air. brother's particular friend. the milk-place-Fezziwig', cut"-cut so dek-
im when he came home again after sailing round the island.
• Poor Robin Crusoe, where have you been
|
"Know it!" said Scrooge.
was spprenticed here?"
Bless
י,
spirit; in another atmosphere of life; another hope as its great end. In *My time grows short," observed everything that made my love of any warth or vibe in your sight. If this way, who was suspected of not having legs, and came upon his feer again.
In came the boy from over the ly, that he appeared to wink with his the spirit. Quick!"
This was not addressed to Scrooge, had never been between us," said board enough from his master; trying|without a swagger.
to any one whom he could see, the girl, looking mildly. bar with
mean.
They went in. At the sight of an You are quite a woman. little old gentleman in a Welsh wig. Siting Fan? exclaimed the boy.
behind such a high desk, that if he She clapped her hands and laughed, had been two inches taller he must and tried to touch his head; but being have knocked his head against the Robin Crusoe? The man thought heo lile, laughed again, and stood on ceiling. Scrooge cried in great excite was dreaming, but he wasn't It was the parrot, you know. There goes pie to embrace him. Then she be- ment
Why, it's old. Fezziwig! Friday, running for his life to the gan to drag him, in her childish
eagerness towards the "door; and he. his heart; it's Fezziwig alive again Bale creek: Hoila! Hoop! Hollo
Old Fezziwig laid down his pen. thing loth to go, accompanied her. A terrible voise in the hall cried, and looked up at the clock, which have had her ears pulled by her Mrs. Fezziwig took their stations, one was older now; a man in the prime now? Ah, no
mistress. In they all came, one after on either side the door, and shaking of life. He face had not the harshi He seemed to yield to the justice another; some shyly, some boldly hands with every person individually and rigid lines of later years: but it of this supposition, in spite of him Bring down Maste: Scrooge's box, pointed to the hour of seven. there? and in the hall appeared the rubbed his. hands: adjusted mis
some gracefully, some awkwardly, as he or she went out, wished him or had begun to wear the signs of care self. But he said, with a struggle, schoolmaster himself, who glared on capacious waistcoat; laughed all over some pushing, some pulling; in they her
* Merry Christmas. When and avarice. There was an eager," You think not.” "I wish." Scrooge muttered, Master Scrooge with a ferocious con- himself, from his shoes to his organall came, anyhow and everyhow. everybody had retired but the greedy, restless motion in the eye, "I would gladly think otherwise ting his hand in his pocket, and look-descension, and threw him into a of benevolence; and called out in a ing about him, alter drying his eye dreadful state of mind by shaking comfortable, ally, rich, far, jovat Away they all went, twenty couples prentices, they did the same to them; which showed the passion that had it I could,” she answered, “Heaven - with his caff- bat it's too late now."
to hide himself behind the girl hom When the clock struck eleven, this but it produced an immediate effect steadiness upon him; “tell me, would **
Mr. and For agains Scrooge saw himself. He you seek me out and try to win me next door but one, who was proved domestic ball broke up
Then, with a rapidly of transition very foreign to his usual character, he said, in pity be his former self, "Poor boy!" and cried again.
he
1.
ho. there! Ebenezer:
at once: hands half round and back and thus the cheerful voices died again the other way; down the middle away, and the lads were left to their and up again: round and in various beds: which were onder a counter in stages of affectionate grouping, old the back shop.
stop tive
aken root, and where the shadow of knows! the growing tree would fall.
•
When I have learned s hands with him. He then conveyed voice
truth like this, I know how strong -- What is the matter?" asked the him and his sister into the verfest old Yo
He was not alone, but sat by the and irresistible it must be. But if spirit.
well of a shivering best-pariour that Dick "
side of a fair young girt in mourning you were free to-day, to-morrow, "Nothing." said Scrooge. "Never was seen, where the maps upon
Scrooge's former sell, now grown top couple always turning up in the During the whole of this time, dress: in whose eyes there were tears, yosterday, can, even I believe that thing. There was a boy singing the wall, and the celestial and terres-
2 young man, came briskly in, ac wrong place: new top couples of Scrooge had acted like a man out of which sparkled in the light that stone you' would choose a dowerless girl- Christmas carol at my door last sight trial globes in the windus were companied by his fellow-'prentice. agzin.
you who, in your very confidence they got his wits. His heart and soul were in our of the Ghost of Christmas Past. IS soon 2$ I should like to have given him some-wasy with cold. Here he produced a
Dick Wilkins, to be sure!" said there: ali
couples at last the scene, and with his former sell. 100
It matters inle," she said softly with her, weigh everything by gain; thing, that's all.
decanter of qusly kght wine, and The ghost smiled thoughtfully, and a block of curiously heary cake. and Scrooge to the ghost. Bless me, and for at bottom one to help them: He corroborated everything. remen-To you very little. Another idolor, choosing her, if for a momen He was veryWhen this result was brought about,; bered everything, enjoyed everything.has displaced me; and if it can cheer you were faise enough to your one yes. There he is. baved its hand, saying as it did so. administered instalments of those dain!
mach attached το me. was Dick.eld Fezziwig, clapping his hands to and underwent the strangest agita- and comfort you in time to come, as guiding principle to do so, do I not - Let us see another Christmas!"* ties to the young people; at the same
Poor Dick Dear, dear!"
dance, cried out, "Well tion. It was not until now, when I would have tried to do, I have no know that your repentance and regret Scrooge's former self grew larger) time, sending out a meagre servant
would surely follow. I do; and I **Yo ho, my boys :" said Feiziwig-cone!" and the fadler plunged his the bright faces of his former self and just crose to grieve." at the weeds, and the room became 2 to offer a glass of "s-mething" to the
"No more work to-night. Christmas hot face into a pot of porter, es ci- Dick were turned from them, that he "What idol has displaced you?" release you. With a full heart. for inle darker and more dirty. The postboy, who answered that he thank Eve. Dik. Christmas. Ebenezerally provided for that purpose. "But remembered the ghost, and became he rejoined.
the love of him you once were.” panels shrank, the windows cracked: ed the gentleman, but if it was the Let's have the shutters up." cried old Storting rest upon his reappearance, conscious that it was looking full "A golden one."
He was about to speak; but with fragments of plastes fell out of the same tap as he had tasted before. he Fezziwig. with a sharp clap of his he instantly began again, though there upon him, while the light upon its This is the even-handed dealing her head turned from him, she re- .celling, and the caked laths were had wather not. Master Scrooge's:
of the world?" he said. "There is sumed. shown instead: but how all this was truck being by this time tied on to handshehure a man can say Jack were no dances yet, as if the other head burned very clear.
"You may the memory of what A small matter," said the ghost, nothing on which it is so hard as fiddler had been carried home, ex- brought about. Scrooge krew no more the top of the chaise, the children)
You wouldn't believe how those hausted, on a shotter, and he were a to make these silly folks so full of poverty; and there is nothing it pro is past half makes me hope you will · than you do. He only knew that it bade the schoolmaster good-bye right!
fesses to condema with such severity,have pain in this. A very, very was quite correct: that everything had willingly: and gering into it drove two fellows went at it! They charged brand-new matt resolved to beat him gredrude.”
"Small" echoed Scrooge.
as the pursuit of weakh !”
brief time, and you will dismiss the happened so that there he was, aloce gaily down the garden-sweep the into the street with the shutters, one out of sight, or perish.
recollection of it, gladly, as an un- again, when all the other boys had
profitable dream, from which it hap- gone home for the jolly holidays.
pened well that you awoke. May He was not reading now, bat wak- and down despairingly.
you be happy in the life you have chosen !** Scrooge looked at the ghost, and with
קין
Robinson!"
"
>
quick wheels dashing the near-frose two, three had 'em up in their places-four, five, six-barred 'em and snow from of the dark leaves of and pinned em-seven, eight, mine the evergreens like spray.
Always a delicate creature, whom and came back before you could a breath might have withered." said have gorro nwelve, panting like race Hill-bo" cried old Fezziwig, skipping down from the high desk with wonderful agility."Clear away, my lads, and let's have lots of room
a mournful shaking of his head, the ghost. But she had a large glanced anxiously towards the door. | heart ? "
It opened; and a little girl, much So she had, cried Scrooge. younger than the boy, came dartingYou're right. I will not gainsay it. in, and putting her arm about his neck, spirit. God forbid!
horses.
13
There were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances, and Eere was cake, and there was negus, and there was a great piece of cold roest, and there was a great piece of
The spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices, who were pour ing out their hearts in praise of Fez- ziwig; and when he had done so, said
"You fear the world too much, she answered gently. All your other hopes have merged into the hope of being beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have seen your **Why Is it not? He has spent nobler aspirations fall off one by one, pies, and plenty of beer. But the but a few pounds of your mortal until the master-passion, gain, great effect of the evening came after money; three or four, perhaps. Is grosses you. Have I not? the roast and boiled, when the fiddler that so much that he deserves this (an artful dog, mind! the sort of man praise?
cold boiled. and there were mince-!
"What then?" he retorted."Even if I have grown so much wiser, what
She left him, and they parted. **Spirit!" said Scrooge, "show me no more: Conduct me home. Why do you delight to torture me?"
(Continued on Page 143
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