South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-23
CHRISTMAS CAME
EARLY FOR O'HARA
AFTER TROUBLES
BY wINIFRED NLAlLON.

NEW YORK, Dec. E3.-InS pro
Christmas spirit descended this week
upon the war department, unexpected
~. but with enthusiasm, and brought
happiness out OF humiliation for
Watchman OrHara, late private, l..
:. A.
No one around the department
knows how Old O'Hara is. He eve
cells his age. reclaring ne is too young
TO discuss such details, but the best
guess of the oldest clerk is that he is
not a day over eighty. O'Hara is a
little man. thin, and a shade stopped
az the shoulders. His hair has been
snow white as far back as the oldest
messenger on his floor is willing to
remember.
O'Hara's hours on duty are from
eight until five. His pay is $40 a
month. He brings his lunch, and a
friendly messenger has for years past
carried down to the furnace room The
little tin pail full of coffee which is
the old soldiers stay and support.
Coffee Made Trouble.
1t was the pail OF coSec ehat made
all the trouble. There came a day
when the friendly messenger was not
on hand at noon. O'Hara waited, and
finally, after wigwagging the watch
man further down the hall to keep n
- y va AAA9 1NLNACAf - $3.50 1880 -
sended the long winding stairway to
the sub-basement and made his way
TO the furnace room 1t was not a
long distance, but one makes ones
way cautiously, eve when me is no
more than eighty years old, when a
pail Of coffee, which as everyone
knows must be carried steadily, is in
question.
The stairs having been safely nego-
tiated, O'Hara fastened his footsteps.
The steaming pail firmly grasped in
his withered but fairly steady hand.
he hurried down the corridor. turne
a corner-and met face to face the
the building, clothed in all the dignity
Of his office, and his 33 years.
Silently the two representatives OF
the service regarded each other
O'Hara, Civil war veteran with forty
battles in his army record, and young
Capt. Emerson, late of West Point.
Then-"O'Hara," snapped the zap
tain, you are off your post. Your
fine is 81 and two days leave"
Punishment Was Severe
After the captain had retired down
the corridor. discipline having been
enforced, O'Hara, somewhat dazed,
put the coffee on his table n tried
to remember whether he had saluted.
Then he thought of the "a and that
he was to lose two days leave, and
forgot to worry about whatever lack
of military precision might have char
acterized his reception OF his sentence.
One of the department clerks came
bv-a few moments later II stopped
to speak TO him. O'Hara told of the
disgrace that had befallen him. His
voice shook, and the thin hands that
pushed away the fatal coffee trembled
violently.
The young person from the state
department manifested a shocking dis
regard for military discipline. She
went to the superintendents office and
tried to beg O'Hara off. She failed.
Enraged but not discouraged, the
young person from the state depart
ment went to her chief clerk. she
admitted defeat in regard to the mat
ter of the leave. As to the fine, would
there be any objection, she wished to
know. TO a little private collection be-
ing taken up among the clerks who
might want to give a Christmas pres
ent to O'Hara. Not only would there
be no objection, she was assured, but
the chief clerk desired TO be
first friend.
was Wonderful Present.
That was how Christmas came early
to O'Hara. Bright and early next
morning he was presented with a crisp
new five dollar bill, and a thermos
bottle, the magic of which is still a
marvel to him. He received his gifts,
incredulously at first. and then with
tears. to the huge embarrassment of
the man who, under protest, enacted
Santa Claus. the young person from
the state department having positively
refused the office.
And O'Hara cannot at all under
stand his good fortune, any more than
the MYSTERY by which freshly made
coffee poured into his Christmas gift
at s a. m, is still piping hot at noon.
But with a wisdom which IS better
than understanding, and which, at
one learns TO share with little
children. O'Hara is entirely convinced
that a Christmas miracle has been
performed for his especial benefit.