SCROOGE and MARLEY (Deceased) by Paul Curtis (the first e reader .txt) 📕

/> Easily quarrel, among ourselves” bob said “and forget
Poor Tiny Tim in doing it." "No, never!" they all said
"I am very happy," said Bob, "I am very contented!"
Mrs. Cratchit kissed him; his daughters kissed him,
The two young Cratchit’s kissed him and he kissed them
Peter and himself shook hands and gave a foppish nod
Spirit of Tiny Tim, thy childish essence was from God


VERSE 7 – WRITING ON THE STONE

“Specter! Something tells me but I don’t know how”
Said Scrooge “that our parting moment is at hand now
Tell me what man that was whom we saw lying dead?"
The spirit did not speak yet conveyed him on instead
The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come led him, as before
Through a different time, to another place in the future
"This court," said Scrooge, “is a very familiar location
And that’s my counting house and place of occupation
Spirit of the future let me behold what I shall be
In the days to come and see what becomes of me "
The Spirit stopped but the hand pointed elsewhere.
"Its here" He exclaimed. "Why do you point there?"
But the bony spectral finger continued to point away
Scrooge rushed over to his office window anyway
He looked in It was an office still, but not his own
The furniture was not the same and décor unknown
And the figure in the chair was not Scrooge clearly
The Phantom just pointed as before disinterestedly
Scrooge rejoined it once again and they continued
Until through iron gates a churchyard he viewed
Here then in A churchyard the man who lay dead
Under the sheet now lay beneath the earth instead
The Spirit stood among the graves, and pointed to one
Scrooge advanced to it trembling, as it must be done
"Spirit before I draw nearer to that stone’s location,"
Pleaded Scrooge, "answer me just one question.
Are these the shadows of the things that will be,
Or are they shadows of things that May be, only?"
Still the Ghost pointed to the grave it was stood by
Despite no response Scrooge was resigned to try
"Men's courses will foreshadow,” he began to plead
Certain ends, which, if persevered in, they must lead,"
"But the courses be departed from, the ends will be
Changed, Say it is thus with what you show me."
Scrooge crept towards the grave trembling madly
And read on the cold stone, Ebeneezer scrooge. Rip
"Am I that man who lay upon the bed?" he cried,
Slumped to his knees he begged the spirit to confide
The finger went from the grave to him and back again.
"No, Spirit! Please don’t send me to that dark domain"
"Good Spirit!" he cried, clutching at its robe tightly,
The finger still was there pointing. "Spirit hear me”
I’m not the man I was and I wont be the man again
That I must have been but for this spiritual campaign
Why show me this, if I am past all hope good spirit?"
"Oh Good Spirit," he pursued and fell down before it
“Assure me that, by an altered life, you guarantee
I may change these shadows you have shown me."
Then Scrooge with his hands trembling held his head
"I will honor Christmas in my heart”, Scrooge said
And I will try to keep it all the year you can be sure
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future
And within me shall strive The Spirits of all Three
I will not shut out the lessons that they teach me
Oh, please tell me” Scrooge cried in a pleading tone
That I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"
In his agony, he caught the spectral hand of the spirit
It sought to free itself, but he was strong, and held it
The Spirit, stronger, shook him and left him prostrate
He held up his hands in a last prayer to save his fate
He saw a change in hood and dress of his spirit host
It shrunk, collapsed, and dwindled into a bedpost

STAVE
5
THE END OF IT

VERSE 1 - REDEMPTION

Yes! And the bedpost was his own as was the bed
The room was his and the curtains on the bedstead
But the Best and happiest of all and most amazing
The Time before him was his, to make amends in!
"I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future!"
He repeated, as he scrambled out of bed “I assure”
"The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me.
On my knees I say it on my knees, old Jacob Marley!
Heaven, and the Christmas Time be praised for this
He was fluttered and glowing and brimful of bliss
He had sobbed hard in his struggle with the spirit
And his face was wet with tears as evidence of it
He folded a bed-curtain about him as if held in a spell
Then he cried "they are not torn down, rings as well
They are here, I am here and the would be shadow
Will be dispelled all the shadows will be! That I know"
His hands were busy with his garments all this time
He turned things inside out and put on upside down,
Scrooge was both laughing and crying simultaneously
And the said “I don't know what to do! I don’t really"
"I am as light as a feather,” he said skipping with joy
“I’m happy as an angel, I’m merry as a schoolboy
I’m giddy as a drunken man” he staggered and twirled
“Merry Christmas and happy New Year to the world!"
He had danced off into the sitting room in his excess
And was now standing there winded and breathless
"There's the saucepan that the gruel was in!" he cried
Setting off again, and dancing around about the fireside
"There's the door, by which Marley’s Ghost entered at
And the corner where the Ghost of Christmas Present, sat
There's the window where I saw the wandering Spirits.
It’s all true, it all happened. And I haven’t lost my wits!"
He laughed heartily which for a man out of practice
It was a splendid illustrious laugh born of joy and bliss
Even he didn’t believe the brilliant laughter was his
Then he said, "I don't know what day of the month it is,"
"I don't know how long I've been among the Spirits
I don't know anything. And I don't care.” He admits
He was halted suddenly by the church bells ringing out
The lustiest peals he had ever heard without any doubt
He Ran to the window, opened it, and put out his head.
No fog, no mist, but clear, bright, stirring, cold instead
Golden sunlight; heavenly sky; sweet fresh air, glorious
And the merry-bells pealed out oh, glorious Christmas!
Scrooge called down to a boy in Sunday clothes, “Hey!”
Scrooge paused to chuckle “You boy What's to-day?"
"Eh?" returned the boy, with all his might of wonder.
"What's to-day, my fine fellow?" Scrooge called louder
"To-day?" replied the boy. "Why, its Christmas Day."
"I haven't missed it.” Scrooge said “its Christmas day!
The Spirits have managed to do it all in one night
Well they can do anything they like, that’s right
Yes Of course they can. Hallo, my fine young fellow!"
"Hallo!" returned the boy still standing down below
"Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one
On the corner?" he inquired smiling when he had done.
The boy replied a little puzzled "I should hope I did,"
"An intelligent boy!" said Scrooge. "A remarkable kid!
Do you know whether they’ve sold the prize Turkey?
That was hanging up there, the great big one obviously?"
The boy replied smartly "What, the one as big as me?"
"What a delightful boy!" said Ebeneezer laughingly
"It's a pleasure to talk to him. Yes, my young fellow"
"It's hanging their now," replied the boy. “That I know”
"Is it?" said Scrooge. "Go and buy it my young lad"
"What!" exclaimed the boy “you must be raving mad”
"No, no," said Scrooge, "I am in earnest, Go and buy it,
Tell them to bring it here, and I will give an address for it”
At first the boy seemed a little reluctant to do the job
Then “Come back with the man, and I'll give you a “bob”.
Do it under five minutes and I'll make it half-a-crown."
The boy was off like a shot to find the Poulterer’s in town
"I'll send it to Bob Cratchit's!" scrooge whispered low
And laughed heartily as the boy ran off through the snow
"It will be a surprise it's twice the size of Tiny Tim”
Sadly he reflected Bob would not suspect it sent by him


VERSE 2 – A POULTRY SUM AND TWO PORTLY GENTLEMEN

The hand he wrote the address in was not a steady one
But he wrote it and went down-stairs when it was done
As he stood, waiting for arrival of the Poulterer’s man
The knocker caught his eye thought how it all began
He touched it gently and admired its kind expression
The Turkey arrived and he labeled it with its destination
The Poulterer’s man was dispatched to Camden in a cab
And Scrooge duly paid half a crown out to the lad
Throughout his dealings with the turkey and the boy
Scrooge chuckled unable to suppress his obvious joy
After shaving He dressed himself up all in his best
And at last got out into the streets and felt well blessed
People were by this time pouring forth to great extent
As they had when with the Ghost of Christmas Present
Scrooge walked with his hands behind him for a while
And he regarded every one with a most delighted smile
He looked so irresistibly pleasant that more than a few
Said, "Good morning, sir. A merry Christmas to you."
Scrooge had not gone very far along his way when
Coming towards him he beheld the portly gentlemen
Who walked into his counting house on Christmas Eve
And said to him, "Scrooge and Marley's, I believe."
A pang of regret crossed his heart as he recalled it
They may wish to avoid him he was forced to admit
But their displeasure He would just have to face
"My dear sir," said Scrooge, quickening his pace,
And taking the older gentleman by both his hands
"How do you do. I hope you succeeded in your plans”
He then turned his attention to the other man’s partner
“It was very kind of you. A merry Christmas to you, sir!"
"Mr. Scrooge?" the man said his dislike obvious to view
"That’s my name, and I fear not a pleasant one to you
Allow me to ask your pardon. And have the goodness"
Here Scrooge whispered in his ear and eased his distress
"Lord bless me!" he cried as if his breath were taken
"My dear Mr. Scrooge, are you serious? Am I mistaken?"
"If you please," said Scrooge. "And not a farthing less.
Great many back-payments are included in it, I confess
Will you do me that favor?" scrooge asked of them
"My dear sir," said the other, shaking hands with him
"We don't know what to say to such munificence. Sir"
"Please say nothing," He retorted “I would prefer”
"Come and see me. Will you come and see me?"
"We will!" they