Show THE CHRISTMAS CAROL 41 IROL flaw by helen Water mori HE christmas spirit it if such T THE a sprite there be must havo have led fled ln in dismay from old silas wentworth for a cr cru stier ustler harder less christmas spirited man would bo be hard to imagine yet sally blaine his clerk and bookkeeper had tho the temerity to bring christmas into 1 I store stringing stinging r lines of tinsel old silas coming to work stopped and stared at this unusual addition to the colored globes and patent medicines with which hla his windows were adorned sally blaine rather frightened now looked up merry christmas mr wentworth li silas surveyed tho the store grimly take it down but sally hesitated 1 I sold said take it down more of your tool fool notional this dickens christmas carol sir air ile iio thrust the book on a back bach shell shelf humpal dont let me ma catch you reading on the job yes sir air im sorry about tho the decorations at nine nina on christmas eve silas saw out his last customer and began putting up the shutters it was beastly cold and his numb fingers angers were slow at their task As ho was about to lock up he was confronted by two men ono one carrying a revolver let us in and lock the do door said the man silas his teeth cha chatta it cering ang from flora fear ear more than cold complied compiled I 1 now it if youre quiet you wont get hurt sold gaid the spokesman my pal here has haq had an accident I 1 nee need d some medicines be ba paid all right ot of course of course silas answered and brought out a stock of 01 supplies the wounded man spoke up sorry to keep you on christmas evo eve buddy silas grunted tommyrot the other mat mar had been rummaging about the store here N r silas surveyed the store grimly take it dogul he comm commanded ded 1 I cant watch what youre doing so you read react aloud until I 1 get through and he handed silas christmas carol Us lie was scarcely arcely ac half way through when alien the men paid him a and ad left ile he threw the book down and started off but at thi thu door he turned and sitting by the night light read again so like roe me be muttered as he finished from the wastebasket he drew out the tinsel and strung it awkwardly around the store lie he looked through his accounts marked overdue and selected several bills which he marked paid in full and put in proper envelopes then he sot ot his bis wraps merry christmas silas he ex claimed and went out to the dawning 4 ig of his bl first merry one in many 3 aars 0 union |