Ebeneezer Scrooge was a businessman in old London. He had earned a reputation for being greedy. He had a clerk named Cratchitt. Cratchitt had worked for Mr. Scrooge for years. Cratchitt was not paid much, and he lived in poverty. Despite his poverty, Cratchitt was always polite whenever he spoke to Mr.Scrooge. Cratchitt had a wife and a son named Tim. His son was born with crippled legs, and everyone called the crippled boy Tiny Tim. Cratchitt and his family lived in poverty, Mr.Scrooge had not given Cratchitt a raise in years.

One night an angel visited Mr. Scrooge in the night while Scrooge was trying to sleep. The angel sat on the bed where Scrooge slept. Scrooge woke up and said, "Who are you? How did you get in here?" The angel flew off the bed and flew around the room, and taunted Scrooge. Scrooge knew it was not a man who had entered his room, it was some kind of supernatural being. Scrooge asked, "What are you? Why are you taunting me?"

The angel said "I am an angel from heaven! You will die soon, oh, Scrooge! What have you done with your life? have you spent your life gathering money? You can't take it with you! If you go to heaven, you can't take your money with you! If you go to hell, you can't take your money there, either!" Scrooge was afraid, he asked, "What's wrong with money? Why do you mention money?" The angel said, "Money's not important, Scrooge, but it gives us an idea of what kind of person you are. Why are you so cruel to Cratchitt? You haven't given him a raise in years! He needs money to buy a pair of crutches for his son!"

Scrooge was silent. He knew Cratchitt deserved a raise. Cratchitt was a very loyal, diligent employee. Cratchitt had never complained about his pay, and had never asked for a raise, either. The angel said, "Be wise, Scrooge! Repent now, and ye shall go to heaven! Or continue on the path of greed, and the path leads to hell!" The angel ruffled his feathers, and flew out the window. Scrooge looked around to make sure the angel was gone. Some of the feathers from the angel's wings had fallen out. There were feathers laying on the floor of Scrooge's room.

The next day Scrooge called Crathcitt. He said, "Cratchitt, come upstairs to my private quarters." Cratchitt said, "Yes, Mr. Scrooge." Cratchitt knew that it was something important. Mr. Scrooge lived in a small apartment on the second floor above his shop. Usually, he never invited anyone up there. When Cratchitt went up to Scrooge's room, Scrooge handed him a broom, and said, "Here, Cratchitt, sweep up these feathers." Cratchitt did as he was told. There were feathers all over the floor. He didn't ask why there were feathers all over the floor, he just swept them up as he was told. Scrooge spoke as Cratchitt swept up the feathers. "I am old, Cratchitt. I think I will die soon. I have prepared a letter, and I have sealed it with sealing wax, bearing my personal seal. I am giving the letter to you, and you must open it and read it after I die." Cratchitt said, "Do you expect to die soon, Mr. Scrooge?" Scrooge said, "I don't know , Cratchitt,I don't know. But keep the letter, and you must open it and read it after I am dead." He handed Cratchitt a letter, and told Cratchitt to go.

A few days later, Scrooge was found dead. He had passed out, from too much drink at the local pub, and the local doctor couldn't save him. When Cratchitt heard the news of Scrooge's death, he opened the letter that Scrooge had given him. It was the last will and testament of Ebeneezer Scrooge. He had left his business accounts and all his money to Cratchitt. Now Cratchitt owned Scrooge's shop, and controlled all of Scrooge's accounts. Now Cratchitt was a wealthy man. Five minutes after Ebennzer Scrooge died, the Industrial Age began. It was the beginning of a new age where machines would be used to make money. One of the first machines created in the industril age was the steam engine, the motive power for the steam locomotive. It was age of power, an age of greed, an age where angels feared to tread.