ORIGINAL DIALOGUE. A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Arranged as an Entertainment, FROM DICKENS'S CHRISTMAS STORY. BY GEORGE M. BAKER. Author of "Amateur Dramas," "The Mimic Stage," "The Sol Stage," &c. CHARACTERS. EBENEZER SCROOGE, JACOB Scrooge-Rusty suit of black; gray wig. Marley-Blue coat with brass buttons; breeches; top boots, with tassels; chain about his waist, with padlocks and keys fastened upon it; at the end, a cash box; very white face; white wig, with hair standing up. Fred-Handsome modern costume; light overcoat; red scarf tied loosely about his neck; gloves; hat. Bob Cratchet Rusty blue coat; shabby pants; iron-gray wig; large white comforter about his neck. Tiny Tim-Roundabout jacket; comforter about his neck; crutch; cap. Boy-Jacket; large cap; very red nose; large mittens; comforter about neck. Christmas Past - A little girl; short white spangled dress; white stockings; shoes; a wig of long white hair. Christmas Present - Purple robe reaching to the floor, trimmed with fur; long, brown, curly hair; full brown beard; on his head "a holly wreath, set here and there with shining icicles;" a belt around his waist, to which is attached a scabbard. Christmas to come - Long black robe, with hood entirely concealing his features. These costumes can be altered or improved by reference to Fields, Osgood, & Co.'s illus trated Christmas Carol. for the pictures. For home representation, the same arrangement can be easily carried out. The performer is directed as though standing upon the stage, facing audience. R. means right; L., left; C., centre. STAVE I. SCENE. SCROOGE's office. L., a low desk, at which sits SCROOGE, in a large arm-chair. R., a high desk, with a tall stool; candle burning upon the desk. C., a low stool. BOB standing by the desk, with a poker in his hand; one foot advanced, as though creeping off L., looking at SCROOGE with an anxious expression. Scrooge. (Looking round.) Here, you; don't you do it; don't you do it. Haven't I told you that if you venture to waste my coals, 'twill be necessary for us to part? Haven't I? [BOB drops the poker, gets upon stool, and tries to warm his hands at the candle. Fred. (Outside, R.) A Merry Christmas, uncle. Ha, ha, ha! (Enters, R.) A Merry Christmas. God save you. Scrooge. Bah! humbug! Fred. Christmas a humbug, uncle! You don't mean that, I'm sure. Scrooge. I do. Out upon Merry Christmas! What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money—a time for finding yourself a year older, and not an hour richer? Bah! If I had my will, every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding, and burned with a stake of holly through his heart he should. Fred. Uncle! Scrooge. Nephew, keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine. Fred. Keep it! But you don't keep it. Scrooge. Let me leave it alone, then. Much good may it do you. Much good it has ever done you. Fred. There are many good things, from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, I dare say Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time when it has come round, apart from the veneration due to its sacred origin (if anything belonging to it can be apart from that), as a good time - a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year when men and women seem, by one consent, to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellowtravellers to the grave, and not another race of creatures, bound on other journeys. And TOM'S BOAT GOES DOWN. From "LOST IN THE FOG," by PROF. JAMES DE MILLE. Just published by LEE AND SHEPARD. Price, $1.50. therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say, God bless it. [BOB claps his hands heartily. Scrooge. Let me hear another sound from you, and you'll keep your Christmas by losing your situation. - (To FRED.) You're quite a powerful speaker, sir. I wonder you don't go into Parliament. Fred. Don't be angry, uncle. Come, dine with us to-morrow. Scrooge. I'll see you lently.) What's the matter with you? Fred. Come, uncle; say yes. Scrooge. No. Fred. But why? why? Scrooge. Why did you get married? [BOB, with a very rueful face, puts on his hat, looks at SCROOGE, and goes slowly out, R. Scrooge. (Turns his chair round to face C.) There's another fellow, my clerk, with fifteen (BOB sneezes vio- shillings a week, and a wife and family, talking about a "Merry Christmas"! I'll retire to Bedlam. I don't make merry myself at Christmas, and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the prisons and the workhouses. They cost enough, and those who are badly off can go there. Merry Christmas! Pooh! bah! humbug! humbug! (Bell rings R., bell rings L., and then R. and L. together.) Mercy! What's that? (Music piano, slow and solemn. Enter, R., Marley, dragging his chain, moving slow. Stops, C., looking at SCROOGE. A bandage of white cloth passing under his jaws, tied on top of his head.) How now? What do you want with me? Marley. Much. Scrooge. Because you fell in love! (Suddenly turns to his desk.) Good afternoon. Fred. Nay, uncle, you me before that happened. reason for not coming now? Scrooge. Good afternoon. never came to see Fred. I want nothing from you. I ask nothing from you. Why cannot we be friends? Scrooge. Good afternoon. Fred. I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. But I have made the trial, in homage to Christmas; and I'll keep my Christmas humor to the last. So a Merry Christmas, uncle. Scrooge. Good afternoon. Fred. And a Happy New Year. Fred. (Turns to R.) Bob Cratchet, a Merry Bob. (Shakes FRED's hand.) A Merry Christmas, sir. God bless it. [MARLEY sits on stool, C., facing SCROOGE. Marley. You don't believe in me. Scrooge. I don't. Marley. What evidence would you have of Fred. Ay, God bless it, and a Happy New my reality, beyond that of your senses? Year. Bob. And a Happy New Year, sirbless that, too. Fred. Ay, ay, Bob; God bless that, too. Scrooge. Here, you. God [Exit, R. Bob. (Jumping off stool.) Yes, sir. Scrooge. I don't know. Marley. Why do you doubt your senses? Scrooge. Because a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested blot of beef, a bit of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's Scrooge. You'll want all day to-morrow, I more of gravy than grave about you, whatever spirit never walked beyond the countinghouse. Mark me! in life my spirit never moved beyond the narrow limits of our money-changing hole, and weary journeys lie before me. Scrooge. Seven years dead, and travelling all the time! You travel fast? Marley. On the wings of the wind. Spirit. No. Your Past. The things that you will see with me are shadows of the things that have been. They will have no consciousness of us. Scrooge. What business brought you here? [Steps L., Scrooge R. [Music. The back curtains are drawn, Scrooge. You might have got over a great showing a boy sitting at a desk, R., with an quantity of ground in seven years. Marley. O, blind man! blind man! not to know that ages of incessant labor by immortal creatures for this earth must pass into eternity before the good of which it is susceptible is all developed - not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunities misused. Yet I was like this man. I once was like this man. Scrooge. But you were always a good man of business, Jacob. Marley. Business! Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business. Charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence, were all my business. Hear me- my time is nearly gone. open book before him.] Scrooge. It is myself. [A man dressed as ALI BABA, with an axe across his shoulder, passes slowly and noislessly across stage back of desk, R. to L.] Why, it's Ali Baba. It's dear, old, honest Ali Baba. Yes, yes; I know. One day, Christmas time, when yonder solitary child was left here all alone, he did come here the first time just like that poor boy RoвINSON CRUSOE, with a parrot perched upon his finger, crosses from R. to L. (For costumes, the performers can consult the picturebooks.) There's Robinson. There's the parrot. Green body and yellow tail, with a thing like a lettuce growing out of the top of his head there he is. Poor Robin Crusoe, he Scrooge. I will; but don't be hard upon called him, when he came home after sailing me. Don't be flowery, Jacob, pray! round the island. "Poor Robin Crusoe ! Where have you been, Robin Crusoe?" Ah, poor boy! poor boy! (Curtain closes.) I wish (puts his hand in his pocket) — but it's too late now. Spirit. What is the matter? Scrooge. Nothing, nothing. There was a Marley. (Rises.) You will be haunted by boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door three spirits. last night. I should like to have given him something. That's all. Spirit. Let us see another Christmas. [Curtains are drawn, disclosing "FEZZIWIG's Dance." R., sits an old lady in cap and spectacles, her hands raised in admiration. C., is FEZZIWIG, in the act of "cutting." He is a large man; white stockings, knee breeches, shoes with buckles, long white waistcoat, brown coat, large white cravat, and wig. He stands upon his toes, with feet crossed, his countenance radiant with enjoyment. Oppo Scrooge. Is that the chance and hope you mentioned, Jacob? I-I think I'd rather not. Marley. Without their visits you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first to-night when the bell tolls one. Expect the second to-morrow night at the same hour; the third upon the next night, when the last stroke of twelve has ceased to vibrate. Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us. [Music as before. MARLEY walks back-site him, Mrs. F., as though dancing, one ward to R., followed by SCROOGE, with the same slow step. MARLEY goes off, R. As SCROOGE reaches the R., bell tolls one; he turns. At the same moment, the Spirit of Christmas Past appears, C., entering at the opening in back curtain.] hand on her waist, the other above her head; bright petticoat, dress tucked up, cap, and gray wig. R. and L. of this couple, three young women and three young men; costumes same as Mr. and Mrs. FEZZIWIG, with the exception of the wig. They stand leaning for Scrooge. Are you the spirit whose coming ward, with their hands together, as though was foretold to me? Spirit. I am. Scrooge. Who and what are you? applauding. In front of FEZZIWIG, a little boy, imitating FEZZIWIG. Behind all, a musician, standing in a chair, in the act of fiddling. Music (violin), "Sir Roger de Coverley." The characters should be all ready, and |