Excerpt: Phase the First; The Maiden -- I -- On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor. The pair of legs that carried him were rickety, and there was a bias in his gait which inclined him somewhat to the left of a straight line. He occasionally gave a smart nod, as if in confirmation of some opinion, though he was not thinking of anything in particular. An empty egg-basket was slung upon his arm, the nap of his hat was ruffled, a patch being quite worn away at its brim where his thumb came in taking it off. Presently he was met by an elderly parson astride on a gray mare, who, as he rode, hummed a wandering tune. ?Good night t?ee,? said the man with the basket. ?Good night, Sir John,? said the parson....

Table of Contents: Phase the First ? The Maiden, 1 -- I, 1 -- II, 5 -- III, 10 -- IV, 16 -- V, 24 -- VI, 32 -- VII, 36 -- VIII, 39 -- IX, 43 -- X, 48 -- XI, 55 -- Phase the Second? Maiden No More, 61 -- XII, 61 -- XIII, 68 -- XIV, 70 -- XV, 80 -- Phase the Third? The Rally, 83 -- XVI, 83 -- XVII, 87 -- XVIII, 93 -- XIX, 99 -- XX, 105 -- XXI, 108 -- XXII, 113 -- XXIII, 116 -- XXIV, 122 -- Phase the Fourth? The Consequence, 126...

Excerpt: 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 houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it. Their faithful Friend and Servant, C. D. December, ....

Table of Contents: ILLUSTRATION: HE HAD BEEN TIM?S BLOOD HORSE, ii -- PREFACE, 1 -- MARLEY?S GHOST, 2 -- THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS, 17 -- THE SECOND OF THE THREE SPIRITS, 31 -- THE LAST OF THE THREE SPIRITS, 49 -- THE END OF IT, 61 -- ILLUSTRATION: BOB CRATCHIT AND TINY TIM., 67...