The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-17
The King
OF Christmas
By F. A. MICHEL.

world with turmoil In his head and in
MS heart. He saw troubled present
and a dismal future He had married
rather late in life-forty having tax
en- woman ten years younger thnn
himself. The honeymoon was pleas
ant. but as soon as it was over the
groom. who had become set In his
ways. found the task of getting used
to woman. who was fast becoming
IL she had not already become-aIso
set in her ways. difficult There was
friction. Friction makes fire, and fire
burns. Bickerstaff rued the day when
he had married. At last he could
stand it no longer and went off by
himself.
But he had tasted of the sweets OF
matrimony as well as the bitter.
When he had ceased to quarrel his
mind settled back on the sweets He
remembered his counting days: went
over the little nothings he had said to
his love: dwelt on those feminine idI-
osyncrasies that had so charmed him.
And now what contrast was his
present life to that brief, happy season
with one be had loved and who had
loved him! The charm had gone out
of his bachelor freedom. He was
minded to get a divorce and try mar
rage again with another woman. No
if he couldn't live with the woman he
already loved he certainly could not
live with another.
He spent a long while trying to gel
hA 10
some suggestion that might lead to a
reconciliation would come from his
wife. Then be began to dread lest
she would proceed to obtain a divorce
in order to supply his place.
Christmas was coming and added to
his gloom. Men at business began to
talk about getting this done and that
done in order that they might be free
to enjoy Christmas. This stung him.
What in the world should he do. where
go to avoid the day which would be
full of misery to him as it was OF
pleasure to others? He could not get
rid of it; he must face it.
Then something of the spirit of
Christmas must have stolen into his
heart. for he wrote letter to his wife
suggesting that they try to live to-
gether again or at least spend the
Christmas holidays together Doubt
less be had been very impatient with
her: be had not considered that her
Tvs. habits. requirements were as i'm
rtant as his own. II it appeared by
the end Of the holidays that they were
aS-discordant as before they could part
again.
AT their separation his wife had gone
to her former home on a farm so Sc
cluded that he heard nothing of her
through others, and she never wrote
him. He waited anxously for her re-
ply. and when it came was much
pleased that she accorded with his
proposition She Ionged for their union
as much as he did. Try TO think of
some gift you can bring me-. she
wrote which will so please me that
ii will make me more patient with
you Notwithstanding not of pc
cnnary value. Read the poem of
Paradise and the Peri and YOU will
understand. 1 have something for you
that / hope will produce a like result
BirkerStaf read the poem. in which
sinner takes gift to heaven that
Will he acceptable and insure an en-
trance there. He tried many gifts and
finally succeeded 10y Offering a tear of
repentance
Mrs EickerStaf wrote her husband
that Christmas morning would be the
most convenient time to receive him.
If they had Il lot of children to hang
mp stockings Christmas eve would be
+ preferable. As ii was. let It be Christ
mas morning The moment it was all
arranged Rickerstaf began to fret over
The period that remained before the
visit. He had not seen or heard any
I thing uf his wife for months. yet the
/ few days interval before he was to
! meet her seemed an age While read
/ ing the poem his wife had recommend
I ed thinking of her-a tear had dropped
/ on the paper. He tore out the page,
1 resolving to take it to her for bis gift.
Christmas morning opened bright
| and beautiful. Bickerstaff had taken
! the journey the evening before. so he
/ had only to drive from a hotel to the
/ farm He was received by his wife's
| parents. who seemed to be very happy
He wondered if their joy was cause(
by the prospect Of their daughters RI
union. They led him upstairs to he
room and threw open the door Their
she lay in bed, pale, but happy, Will
babe was pulling for his breakfast.
My Christmas giftr' she cried.
Bickerstaff made one bound for the
bed and encircled his wife and his
child In a single embrace.
Now you have both got a governor -
said Mrs. Bickerstaff's father, perhaps
! you will not take the law into YOUR
I own hands and fight it out on that
line, He will rule you with a rod of
iron. And yet he shall serve as a
bond between you stronger than steel.
Your lives are changed in this little ry-
rant. and, although he comes to his ia
( finer =