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Dickens, "Ch ristmas Carol" Recounted at Holiday Time v and observed a taîl, stately figure beside hlmi-. This Spirit neither spoke noir mioved, Scrooge question- cd, knowvingly, -You are about to show m-e shadowvs of the things that have flot yct hiappencd. Is that so, Spirit? You are the g.7host of Christmnas Y et To Cornie." The Spirit iniclined his hcad, pointed forwýard and lcad his c-aptive to the churchyaIrd graves, point- ing to the one miarked EBENEZER SCROOGE. Horrified, theu namecsake ad- dressed thc Phantomi, "Spirit, men's courses fore- shadow certain ends to which, if persevered, they, must lead. But if the course must be departed fromn, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you showý, me!" The Spirit remained un- moved and pointed its hand from man to grave. One wintry Christmas Eve, Scrooge sat in his counting house, amused by his clerk, who was copying letters while attempting to k.eep warm with comforter and candie. Not once did he offer his erniployee a bit of coal f'or a warming.fire. Suddcnly, the voice of Scoge's nephew resound- cd, "Merry Christmas, Un- cie! God save you!"' "Bah, Humbug!" replied the crotcbcty old man. -What's Christmas time to you but a timie for p<aying bis without mioney, one year older and flot an hour richer.- "Uncle," responded the. nephew, entering the door- way, "There are many things from which I might have derived good, by wbich 1 have flot profited. Christ- mnas is one of tbcm. It is a good, kind, forgiving, char- itable time. God blcss it!" "Humbug!" replied Scrooge. "And good after- noon," as be observed his nephew leave. This Christmas Eve found Serooge at dinner in a near- by taverfi, rcturning early to the quarters formerly occu- pied by lis late partncr, Marley. Suddenly, tbrough the door dcscended Mar-' ley's gbost, who spoke to> hlm. "In life I was your partner, Jacob Marley. It is required by every man that the spirit witbin sbould walk abroad among bis fellow men. If that spirit goes flot forth in life, it is condemn- cd to do so after deatb." Scrooge stood transfixed and answcrcd, "Mercy! Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?", Marley's ghiost replied, -l an here to warn you that you have yet a chance of es- caping myv fate. You will be haunted by threc spirits. Wbcn this happens, you will sec mie no more, but look to remiember thîs dcstiny and what bas transpired be- tween us.- It was af ,ter one o'clock when Scrooge was awaken- cd by the sight of a Spirit- Cbild. "Who are you and "Spiot,"theroman Iea. "iri tt"eScroogecried, will flot be the man I must - have been but for this inter- course. Why show me this if what is your businiess?"l he I am pastilA hope! Good dcmnanded to know. Spirit, your nlature inter- 111 m th ghot ofhris cedes for me and pities me. "I mthghotofhrit- Assure me that I may mas Past - bere for your change the shadows you reclamation. Take heed," have shown me in an alter- said the ghost, "Risc and cd life!" walk with me." The kind hand tremrbled. Through time they traveled to events immemo- rial. Schoolboy, brother, ap- prentice, young man - Scroogc relived bis past life, devoid of charity and holi- day spirit. The vision eclip- sed by current faces, the painful reality of Scrooge's cruel behavior confronted hin and he cried, "-aunt mie no longer," until sleep overtook bim. Awaking the next mnorn- ing in the middle of a snore, Scrooge regained con- sciousncss for the express purpose of conferring with a second messenger, dis- patched to him through M arley's intervention. "Spirit," said Scrooge submissively, -Conduct me where you will. I went forth last night on compulsion and learnt a lesson whicb is working now. Tonight, if you bave aught to teach me, let me profit by it." The Spirit answered, "I arn the ghost of Christrnas Present. Touch my robe." Scrooge did as be was toid and bcld it fast. Invisible, they went into tbe town, stopping before the tattcred cottage of Scrooge's clerk, Bob Cratchit. Mrs. Cratchit, two daugbters, and son Peter busied themselves with the preparation of a meager, holiday meal and were soon joined by Bob and bis crip-, pIed youngest, Tiny Tim. Scrooge was mioved by the poor famnily's plight, and questioncd the Spirit, "Tel mie if Tiny Tim il live." The ghost replied, -I sec a vacant seait. And a crutch without an owner. If thcse shaýdowvs remain uinaltered by the Fýuture, the child will II was then Ille dock struck tev.Scroogc look-. cdabu for- the Gihost and saw, it flot. MoIments later, hie feit a mysterious drcad Scrooge continued: "I wil honor Christmas in al my heart and try to keep it ail year. I will live in the past, the present, and the future. Thc Spirits of al tbrec shall strive within me. I will not shut out the les- sons thcy teach" Scroogc saw the phantom bood and drcss sbrink, collapse, and dwindle into a bedpost. The bedpost was bis own. The bcd bis own, the room bis own. Best and bappiest of aIl, the time before him was bis own to rm'ake amnends in! Scrooge spent Christmas visiting bis ncphew and saw to it that various charities provided food for their dependents. Wben Bob Cratchît came to work the day after Christ- ma s, bis employer greeted bim: "A Merry Christmias, Bob! A merrier Christmas than I have given you for many a year! l'Il raise your salary, and endeavor to assist your struggling family, and we will discuss your affaîrs this vcry after- noon.,, Scrooge was better than bis word. He did it ail and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim wbo did NOT die, be was a second father. He be- came as good a fricnd, as good a master, and as good a man as the city knew. -He bad no further intercourse wîtb Spirits, but ever after- wards, it was aiways said lie knew how to kecp Christ- mias wcll, if any man alive posscssed that knowledge. May that truly be said of us, and A of us! And so, as Tiny Tirnoh- served, God bless us cvery- one! * A