The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-03-09
EsUnWOrthineSS
of John

BY ]. j. BELL

the bright curls or his little daughter
Daisy.
Where you goin'?" she inquired
holding on TO button OF his jacket.
Al that moment IL was on John Lang
lands tongue TO say: ITO the devil. D
but the clear eyes of his child checked
he bitter reply. and he simply an
swered: Going out. dearie"
santa Claus comm tonight, Daddy"
she Informed him, irreleyantly. her eyes
eglnuing TO dance and sparkle.
Is he really. Daisy?" said her father
'or want OF better remark
Course he Is Not know that, poor
naddy?"
Well, ! hope he'll bring you all you
want. pet" said John. unloosenlng the
small plump hand from his coat and
sing her cheek.
Good night. Daisy"
Kiss Muvver, too" cried the cherub.
Johns face went stern and white. He
repped round the table TO where his
wife sat
Goodnight, Katie" he said. softly
end almost humbly. Then he stopped as
81 70 kiss her. But her face was hard and
her eyes repellent. and without another
word. John Strengthened himself and left
fhe room. A moment later Daisy slipped
~ her chair and sought her mothers
sree.
Want to be cuddIed-feel bad" she
ad
oh but you shouldn't feel bad. dear.
santa Claus is coming tonight, you
cow"
Not care-feel bad" And so there
vas some weeping and much petting and
omforting. till presently Daisy, who
ould not put her trouble in words. sat
w on her mothers knee and expressed
herself as being Kite better now"
And then followed a glorious hunt
through the house. with the object OF
finding a stocking large enough 10 ac-
IMMEDIATE all that Daisy expected from
TIE saint With ecstatlc shrieks she at
last discovered in a cupboard a pair OF
her fathers waterproof "waders."
which he used on his fishing excursions
One Of these being promptly annexed. II
vas trailed 10 her room and suspended
~ triumph az the foot Of her crib.
Kate put her cherub to bed. and. after
wafch!ng beside her for half an hour.
beto0k herself downstairs to the parlor.
The room. with its glowing fire. crimson
shaded lamp and coy hangings. looked
an IDEAL chamber OF comfort. and Kate
AT down in one OF the big chairs which
stood on either side OF the bright fire.
40 op-ned her working
She was an injured wOman-injured
BEYOND her forgiveness by the man
whose name she bore And yet. John
Lanslards had never proved aught but
faithful and loving and tender TO his
y lte HIS sin had been committed long
ere be met Kate for the first time. but il
ha. been concealed from her all through
-a five years OF her welded life In
1eet having suffered for and repented
70 bis misleei at the time. Johns con
erce and memory had troubled him
tlt little afterwards. Six months ago.
however. some oIe-a friend dad
i49lght IL TO open the cupboard Of his
last and disclose the ugly skeleton to
lls WIFE,
10 Kate. whom everyday people
allied a dreadfully good woman" the
y appeared magnifed by its con-
calment. and she was quite blind TO the
e1fcuuating circumstances. Of which
there were not few. She was pos
sed Of the feeling that she had a right
~ her husband past. and she argued
rather unfairly-that now there could
te 10 further trust on her side.
John endured indescribable shame
ard sorrow in confessing the truth TO
Z wife. but he never doubted her won
anly gentleness and forgiveness. when
t1ese We're withheld. and when she re-
fused him her hands and lips in token
OF confidence and pardon. the man felt.
not unreasonably that his wlfes love
lad been poor affection from the very
beginning.
You are unjust. Kate" he said "God
Himself does not refuse man a second
chance. never pretended to be saint.
but I've tried to keep a straight course
since the day ! saw you first have
Kept a straight course"
lie waited in vain for her TO speak.
aud then he went on: why can't you
forgiven tell you love you more than
ever even though | have been shamed
10 your sight Good Godl could bear
20 stand before you If love did not hold
ne? Think Can't my love be my sal
vation? Kate,"
But she was as stone to his pleading.
and so II came 10 pass that John. too,
grew cold and proud, secretly rebellious.
never showing the passion in his heart
which sometimes. in his lonely hours.
threatened to overcome him altogether.
mere was no change made in the ar
rangement OF the household. save that
we husband went out every evening to
escape the torment % looking at his |
VIE across the impossible gulf which |
her pride set between them.
So on this Christmas eve Kate sat
lonely by the parlor fire, brooding over
re past. Her husband, she fancied. |
Was al fhn cluh onfnvgrv hfrx,coff ofter