SCROOGE (_rushes to him and shakes his hands heartily_). And the same to you, my lad, and many of 'em. I'm going to eat Christmas dinner with you this day. I'm going to honor Christmas in my heart, and keep it every day in the year. I will live in the past, the present and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. (_Stands C._, FRED _on his R._, CRATCHIT _on his L. He takes their hands._) Merry Christmas, boys, and God bless us! FRED _and_ CRATCHIT. The same to you, sir. God bless us. (_Rear curtains are drawn back, showing the Cratchit family at the table._ TINY TIM _stands on table._) TIM. God bless us everyone! (_All unite in singing Christmas Carol to--_) SLOW CURTAIN. THE SCENERY. [Illustration] TABLEAUX ON REAR STAGE. No. 1. A room. Barrel up L. for fiddler. Desk at R. Sign on wall "Fezziwig and Company." Garlands of green. No. 2. Ebenezer and Bella. Same scene as No. 1. No. 3. Cratchit's kitchen. Table at C. and home-made fireplace at rear C. are the only essentials, with a few stools or chairs. Fireplace made of a few boards covered with red paper marked like bricks with white chalk or paint. No. 4. White sheets hang at back and sides. Two small evergreen trees nailed in position, white cotton hanging from them. Grave at C. covered with snow. Wooden headstone painted white and small footstone. The headstone may be in the form of a cross or a slab. COSTUMES. SCROOGE--Should be played by a thin man of middle age, if possible. Gray hair. Shabby dark suit. Face lined. No jewelry or colors. If desired to costume the play in the middle Victorian period, Scrooge should wear very tight dark trousers, brown low cut vest, shabby black full-dress coat, soft white shirt, black stock tie, high collar made by taking an ordinary turn-over collar and turning it up. BOB CRATCHIT--Very shabby dark suit. Long white woolen muffler. Old cap. Suit should be the same style as that worn by Scrooge, but much shabbier. Clothing neatly patched. He wears a sprig of mistletoe or holly in Staves 1 and 2. FRED--Bright, cheerful young man of 22. Overcoat and top hat. Ruffled shirt, stock tie and collar as for Scrooge. MISSION LASSIES--Dark skirts, capes, blue poke bonnets with red ribbon across front. THE GHOST OF JACOB MARLEY--Long black robe. Black hood. Chains around waist, with toy money banks on chains. Take a skeleton false face and with gray and black and white grease paint make up your own face like a false face. Or if desired, wear the false face. Speak in low monotone. FIRST SPIRIT--A little girl of 10. Long light hair. White Grecian draperies trimmed with tinsel. Crown of tinsel. SECOND SPIRIT--Man dressed in a red robe, trimmed with sprigs of green pine. White cotton border to represent snow. Cap of white cotton. THIRD SPIRIT--Use same costume and make-up as Marley's Ghost. WAITS--White smocks, ragged trousers. Felt hats twined with red and green ribbon. Carry branches of holly.