| Show THE CHRISTMAS CAROL I 1 by helen waterman HE christmas spirit if such THE a sprite there be must have fled in dismay from old silas wentworth for a crustier coustier cru stier harder less christmas spirited man would woul be hard to imagine yet sally elaine blaine his clerk and bookkeeper had the temerity to bring christmas into the store stringing lines of tinsel old silas coming to work stopped and stared at this unusual addition to the colored globes and patent medicines with which his windows were adorned sally blaine rather frightened now looked up merry christmas mr wentworth silas surveyed the store grimly take it dodril but sally hesitated 1 I said take it down more of your fool notion notional sl this dickens christmas carol sir he thrust the book on a back shelf humph dont let me catch you reading on the job yes sir im sorry about the decorations at nine on christmas eve silas saw out his last customer and began putting up the shutters it was beastly cold and his numb fingers were slow at their task As he was about to lock up he was confronted by two men one on ra carrying a revolver let us in and lock the door said the man silas his teeth chattering from more than cold complied now if youre quiet you wont get hurt said the spokesman M my pal here has had an accident I 1 sa s1 I 1 lz I 1 k it 1 I 1 silas surveyed the store grimly take it down need some medicines be paid all right of course of course silas answered and brought out a stock ol of supplies lies the wounded man spoke up sorry to keep you on christmas eve buddy silas grunted tommyrot the other man had been rummaging about the store here he be commanded 1 I cant watch IN what h a t youre doing so you read aloud until I 1 get through and he handed silas christmas carol he was scarcely half way through when the men paid him and left he threw the book down and started off but at the door lie he turned and sitting by the night light read again so me like me he muttered tutt ered as he finished from the wastebasket he drew out the tinsel and strung it awkwardly a round around the store he looked through his accounts marked overdue and selected several bills which he marked paid in full and put in proper envelopes then lie he got his wraps merry Chris christmas troas silas he exclaimed and went out to the dawning of his first merry one in many years i 0 40 western Nes newspaper paper union |
