Although it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket I believe it has done me good It will do me good I say God bless it The clerk applauded When he sensed Scrooge’s disgust he poked the fire and extinguished the last frail spark forever Scrooge glared at the clerk Let me hear one more word from you and you’ll lose your job forever He turned toward his nephew You are quite a powerful speaker I wonder why you don’t go into Parliament Don’t be angry Uncle Come Dine with us tomorrow the nephew pleaded Scrooge refused But why Uncle Why did you get married asked Scrooge Because I fell in love answered his nephew Because you fell in love growled Scrooge as if that were even more ridiculous than a merry Christmas Good afternoon Uncle you never came to see me before that happened Why give it as a reason for not 10
coming now the nephew asked Good afternoon said Scrooge I want nothing from you said the nephew I ask nothing of you Why can’t we be friends Good afternoon said Scrooge I am sorry with all my heart to find you so stubborn We have never had a fight But I have made this yearly journey in honor of Christmas I’ll keep my Christmas humor to the end So Merry Christmas Uncle Good afternoon said Scrooge And Happy New Year said the nephew His nephew left the room without an angry word He stopped to wish good tidings to the clerk Despite how cold the clerk was he was much warmer than Scrooge and returned the glad tidings There’s another fellow muttered Scrooge who overheard the clerk My clerk with fifteen shillings a week a wife and a family talking about a merry Christmas Ha 11
This clerk in letting Scrooge’s nephew out let two people in They were chubby gents who stood with hats off They carried books and papers and bowed to Scrooge Scrooge and Marley’s I believe said one of the men referring to his list Have I the pleasure of addressing Mr Scrooge or Mr Marley Mr Marley has been dead for seven years replied Scrooge Seven years this very night We have no doubt his kindness is well represented by his surviving partner said the gentleman He presented his credentials Marley and Scrooge had been two kindred spirits At the ominous word kindness Scrooge frowned He shook his head and handed the credentials back At this festive time of year Mr Scrooge said the gentleman holding a pen it’s desirable to help the poor who suffer greatly Many thousands are in need of common comforts sir 12
Are there no prisons asked Scrooge Plenty of prisons said the man laying down the pen And workhouses They are still here said the man I wish I could say they weren’t A few of us are raising funds to buy the poor some meat and drink and means of warmth We choose this time since glad tidings abound How much shall I put you down for asked the second man Nothing Scrooge replied You wish to remain anonymous the man asked I wish to be left alone said Scrooge I don’t make merry myself at Christmas I can’t afford to make others merry I support the workhouses and prisons They cost enough Let them go there Many can’t go there Most won’t go Many would rather die than to go to such places 13
