Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-12-23

siFu. wholesale IneT
~ ~ chant of New York, as hi
sat in the library of hi:
bHnaz, ai1d his hair was tossed into dis
ssS=Ae< BIZ the combing of his nervous fin
R<xA Hss dull eyes gazed into the RED
Depths of 4 great fire, but read no Grim
Rwr ESe4ures there.
TEAla was the man the world had called
''ssnnspEacent John Howard"
Esght years before. when he married
Resgle expected n change in his habits
bSs& tisey we're disappointed. He had
raezslx added another part to his ma
sASnesy- ste had carefully chosen the
klsza Sf woman wis would helplessly be-
es1z1e part of a machine
When children came they, too, were
eo2zBe3tsd 40 becor1e parts of the order
lRs ssle51t ne@ilino controlled by John
Khsw4r2- aieek little mites they were.
Ma =zss suspected that they were chill
a1-1
TesTe were three Of them: Mary, girl
Of GeveE. Anna. a girl of FIVE, and John,
q hsy % four. BY direction of John
HAOUa-d. good, plain names were given to
thers. uslnes that would wear. Meek
Mrs. Howard would have chosen differ
entity. buf she was not consulted.
Whe1 the children came, John How
ard laid down the rules for their con-
Gscs z1sd keeping; and never afterw3rd
ssssissrrd himself about them. If he saw
sissna once day it was by accident One
sk isis rules, conditions, was that he was
aexez 90 hear them. save when he wish
ed As result John Howard was a
father without ehildren-and the chill
&rsn had living father, but were faith
eziaSx-
IA sb5s would have continued but for
sz-s, Inevitable little incident in life called
des1s1n for death, after all, is part
O6 IE1e, and dying very often the main
P&rt Of living. The entrance of Mrs.
Reward into the life Of her husband had
ua@r Nd perceptible change in it. Her
death had thrown every part of it out of
gear There were three waits in his
ko@z- who came at his bidding and look
ed Al him in a frightened sort of way.
How was he to win the love of his
GkN4scaT'
HSw john Howard longed to enter that
pk1y roozni But he never dared He
Vszs sfrxid his entrance would drive them
fsFth. and he realized that this room was
EAair own little world. Sometimes. in
sssoay. he listened at the door. and learn
ebatrcr-
Baw he iOnged for them to ask him
far sssnefhingi What joy he would take
@ granting them any wish! But they
k@8 been brought uG 10 ask for nothing.
es expect nothing, save on one day in the
rear That day was Christmas.
On thsf day they could expect wonder
Rnl new presents, they knew, from mys-
kEce Mrs Howard had cultivated this enc
Sear deiusion in them, and so perfectly
ehsaa they zever dreamed that either she
& theJr father had anything to do with
the annual midnight visit of the good
MITE fat man. Of him they talked
waS0tha before he came and months after
he left And with the presents he left
Glr&y played from one Christmas unit.
Shs next. patiently waiting for the new
GnRs and carefully guarding the old.
Discouraged at his failure to win even
tse conss3ence of his children. John How
ard hired that hopeless substitute for a
nasShsr, a nurse. TO take care of them.
Wah business acumen and lack of or
d3Axry eommon sense he secured grim
New England school teacher for this deli
esAs position; and in less than a week
shs succeeded, by perseverance and in
&nsEry. Ia casting more Of shadow over
che Eves Of ths three waits than ever
1oba Howard hsd. But the waits had
hsea rsgxht not % complain, and John
Reward knew nothing about it.
O1s lingering hope remained in his
Asrzst Could he make the coming
Cnrisemss 50 happy for his children that
- could win their lover He resolved
SAaf he would take charge of the holiday
AR@seif. and the preparations he made
Fer e were extravagant. The presents
pGrcAaced Cor al the preceding Christ
mzas celebrations at his house were as
nsfkinx compared to the array that stood
@sssre him on the dor. ON tables and ON
eksiFa. this Christmas eve when be sat so
hrukra IN heart before his crate FIRE
sssaRssing had happened. mistake
kR1 hs<R mSde. The New England school
eeaSher. in the interests of white-winged
eE1sh. hSd told his children taere was no
Gzasx Claus This be had learned while
Rzr<niaS At the door II their playroom
tAas afternoon. And he. who had so care
4nlsy rshea-sed the part of Santa Claus
3sE the performance that night. felt that
3 uox5 be a hollow mockery. now that
Gh<y knew. as we all do some day. too
Murh.
With prcrnptness and decision that
md characteriEei him always in bust
n<ss. &slln Howard peremptorily dismiss
~ the New England school teacher. Civ
iax her 4 months salary and no expla
nasj0R for his strange conduct. The chill
arra shauM have the hollow mockery Of
CarissEss st any rate. Rut the essence
~ Is - gOne. he had heard his chill
Srrn drcS=-e. between sohs. that they
WUssl3 nevsr hang ap their stockings
again. and sitter 81 Il Is the stocking end
~ the trse SAsa Is the essence Of Christ
nsse-sss1 the nasstery OF mysteries there
81 \ sfs~ ~onderfnl fact that Santa Claus
eaR spead - r1aeh time and take 50
mach pains II iiiling the stockings.
Bat Iohn Hswsrd was human He
himself had locked forward 10 this Christ
nazs with xrester expectations than had
Gny OF his cassaren-
Tie rose from bed and put on his iress-
ana gown and slippers Then. with
nsfle Hirist lamp in his hand unraed very
NV. ne went stealthily into the beirsom
where his children slept. Their clothes
wsrs laid neatly on three chairs. ard