Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-07-25

MS chuDDy race against the WINDOW
pane of the one window In the small
room of a fifth story tenement house
the only home he had ever known
and where his mother worked long
hours with her needle to provide
even this poor home for herself and
only child.
Harold's mother came and sat down
beside him and looked out upon the
bright evening star upon which she
had often gazed and wondered il God
knew all the misery OF human hearts
and permitted it. Our teacher told US
ell about it today" pursued Harold
she said 1t was the star of hope and
faith and the wise men followed 1t
and it led them to where the blessed
Jesus lay in the manger And she
said everyone who followed this star
would be led to something good and
true"
1t was happy fancy Of the little
boy thinking this of the star of Beth
lehem, and his mother did not unde-
ceive him. Poor boy! She thought he
has few enough fancies and this
cannot harm him. She onlvy said:
Il am glad you remember SO well
whrat your teacher told you. | hope
you will grow up to be like the wise
men, and sue pressed kiss upon
the bright upturned face.
is papa wise man and will he
see the star and follow 1t and come
back to u.s." added little Harold.
i hope SO, replied the mother:
and Harold wondered why she held
him so close anu why there were
tears in her eyes.
You must ask God to make him a
wise man and help him to see the
star"
So that night and for many nights
after the little boy added to his usual
evening prayer, Dear God, please
make papa a wise man, and help him
to see the star and come back to u.s."
and his mother always responded
with heartfelt. Amen!
That night she sat long by the fire
after Harold was asleep. Memory
was busy with the first happy years
OF her married life when her home
mad been In pleasant cottage in her
childhood village. But gradually her
husband had been lured by evil com.
panions untfl his evenings were no
longer spent with his wife and baby
boy but In the rumshop amid boon
companions--until ore Christmas
night two years ago-how long the
time seemed!-he had committed
some act which might involve serious
consequences. and he had disappeared
without so much as word of fare.
well. But she loved him yet and hoped
against hope that some day God
would bring him back to her. HIS
greatest weakness had been the lack
OF moral courage to say No. when
tempted to do wrong; and. breathing
a prayer for her wandering husband.
she lay down to rest.
On this self same Christmas night
IN another far-off city was man peer
ing through the bars OF his prison cell
gazing upon the self-same star. It's
clear radiance and purity touched his
better nature. At his mothers knee
he too had heard the story OF Bethle-
hem and the wise men who followed
the star anu laid their gifts at his feet
What gifts had he ever thought to lay
at the feet Of the white Christ? His
past life rose up In condemnation be.
fore him, and wave of bitter re.
morse mingled with heartfelt repent
ence swept over him. II he had lister.
ed TO his mothers teachings and his
wife's entreaties he might be in q
happy home tonight surrounded By
his beloved ones. Where are they te
night: the maiden whom he hat
promised to love and protect, the
mother Of his child. Perhaps she hat
died of grief at his unkindness, or, /;
living, she might be In want ans
misery. The thought was torture
Tomorrow he would be free man
and he would fly to her and beg he
forgiveness. But no. he could not <,
TO her with promise of reform. III,
must first reform.
Laying upon his hard pallet b,
spent the night In prayer and re
morseful forebodings What IL the
We're dead? What IL he would neye
look upon their faces again? His i'm
prisonment had been short. and
was long enough to give him tim
Tor reflection: and when he went on
into the world kind hearts. seeing nj
earnestness, reached out helpin
hands,-and faithfully did he carr
out his Christmas resolutions TO ear,
the respect and love OF his wronge
wife and child.
He toiled early anu late and save
religiously all his earnings. His yea
OF penance was drawing to clos,
How long II had seemed filled as
was with anxiety and grief. II
wished to reioin his wife and child o
Christmas eve. and he must allo,
time TO look them up. for he coul
not hope to find them in the oil
home.
So three weeks before Christmas h