The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-01-03
The King
Of Christmas
By F. A. Mitchell

S~~
On a woman ten years younger than
himself. The honeymoon was pleas
ant. but as oon as 1t was over the
groom. who had become set In his
ways. found the task of getting used
to a woman. who was fast becoming
II she had not already become-also
set in her ways. difficult. There was
friction. Friction makes fire. and fire
burns. Bickerstar rued the day when
he had married. At last he could
stand it no longer and went of by
himself.
But he had tasted of the sweets of
matrimony as we'll as the bitter.
When be had ceased to quarrel his
mind settled back on the sweets. He
remembered bis counting days: went
over the little nothings he had said to
bis love: dwelt on those feminine idi-
osyncrasies that had so charmed him.
And nov what q contrast was his
present life to that brief. happy season
with n he 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
riage again with another woman. No:
II be couldn't live with the woman he
already loved he certainly could not
live with another.
He spent a long while trying to get
used to the separation. He hoped
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 bis 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
90 to avoid the day which would be
full Of misery to him a. 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 bis
heart. for he wrote q letter to bis 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: he had not considered that her
viws. habits. requirements were as i'm
portant as his own. II 1t appeared by
the end of the holidays that they were
as d%iscordant as before they could part
again. .' s..
A thAip Son0 - k(ns~ hfo Mia knA >~~A
to her former home on a farm % se-
cluded that he heard nothing Of her
through others. and she never wrote
him. He waited anxiously for her re-
ply. and when 1t came was much
pleased that she accorded with his
proposition. She longed for their union
az much as he did. "Try to think of
some, gift you can bring me- she
wrote. (which will 80 please me that
It will make me more patient with
you Notwithstanding not of Pc
cuniary value. Read the poem of
Paradise and the Peri and you will
understand. have something for you
that hope will produce a like result"
Bickerstaf read the poem. in which
. sinner takes a gift to heaven that
willtbe acceptable and insure an en-
trance there. He tried many gifts and
finally succeeded by Offering a tear Of
repentance. .......- -..
Mrs. Bickersta6 wrote her husband
that Christmas morning would be the
most convenient time to receive him.
If they had a lot of children to hang
up stockings Christmas eve would be
preferable. Az 1t was. let Il be Christ
mas morning. The moment It was all
arranged Bickersta6 began to fret over
the period that remained before the
visit. he had not, seen or heard any
thing Of 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
ed-thinking Of her-a tear had dropped
on the paper. He tore ont the page.
resolving to take It to her for his gift.
Christmas morning opened bright
and beautiful. Bickerstar had taken
the journey the evening before, 30 he
had only to drive from q hotel to the
farm. He was received by his wife's
parents. who seemed to be very happy.
He wondered il their Joy was caused
by the prospect of their daughters re-
union. They led him upstairs to her
room and threw open the door. There
she lay in bed. pale. but happy. while
q babe was pulling for his breakfast.
my Christmas gift" she cried.
B~ickerstaff 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. Bickerstan's father. perhaps
you will not take the law into your
own hands and fight 1t out on that
line. He will rule you with a rod Of
iron. And yet be shall serve a a
bond between you stronger than steel
Your lives are changed in this little IT,
rant. and. although be comes to his IA
tber On Christmas morning. 4 day Of
peace to oil the world. yet shall he
drag you from your slumbers at mid
night and compel you to walk the floor