The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

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Title: A Christmas Carol

Author: Charles Dickens

Illustrator: Arthur Rackham

Release Date: December 24, 2007 [EBook #24022]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL

[Illustration: _"How now?" said Scrooge, caustic and cold as ever.
"What do you want with me?"_]

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

[Illustration]

BY

CHARLES DICKENS

[Illustration]

ILLUSTRATED BY ARTHUR RACKHAM

[Illustration]

J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY PHILADELPHIA AND NEW YORK

FIRST PUBLISHED 1915

REPRINTED 1923, 1927, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1958,
1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973

ISBN: 0-397-00033-2

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

PREFACE

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book to raise the Ghost of an
Idea which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with
each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their house
pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Their faithful Friend and Servant,

C. D.

_December, 1843._

CHARACTERS

Bob Cratchit, clerk to Ebenezer Scrooge.
Peter Cratchit, a son of the preceding.
Tim Cratchit ("Tiny Tim"), a cripple, youngest son of Bob Cratchit.
Mr. Fezziwig, a kind-hearted, jovial old merchant.
Fred, Scrooge's nephew.
Ghost of Christmas Past, a phantom showing things past.
Ghost of Christmas Present, a spirit of a kind, generous,
and hearty nature.
Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, an apparition showing the shadows
of things which yet may happen.
Ghost of Jacob Marley, a spectre of Scrooge's former partner in business.
Joe, a marine-store dealer and receiver of stolen goods.
Ebenezer Scrooge, a grasping, covetous old man, the surviving partner
of the firm of Scrooge and Marley.
Mr. Topper, a bachelor.
Dick Wilkins, a fellow apprentice of Scrooge's.

Belle, a comely matron, an old sw