confidants that gained an intimate understanding of the wealthy mine
owner's character. She knew that he was the secret financial backer of
an organization of settlement workers which kept close watch on the
needs of the miners and their families, many of whom were so woefully
ignorant that about the only way to handle them was by appealing to
their appetites, their sympathies and their prejudices. She knew, too,
that he had strong connections constantly at work fostering and
promoting the best of activities for advancement of the civic welfare,
that Christmas was one of his secret hobbies and that it was
practically impossible for this city of 40,000 inhabitants to neglect
this opportunity for a revival of good fellowship and good cheer so
long as her father had his hand on the electric key of public
generosity.

Christmas was a blaze of glory every year in Hollyhill. Public halls,
churches, and theaters were the scenes of the liveliest activities for
several days and nights before and after this biggest event of the
winter season. Nor was the celebration confined to the more prosperous
sections of the town, but extended into the heart of the mining
settlement, where Christmas tinsel and lights were lavished without
consideration of cost and nobody was allowed to pass the season
without being impressively reminded as to just what turkey roast and
cranberry sauce tasted like.

So skilfully were these programs put into effect that seldom was a
hint dropped from any source that Richard Perry Stanlock was entitled
to the slightest credit for these magnificent doings. He spent
Christmas at home in a quiet unassuming way amid the family
decorations of holly and mistletoe, and a vast litter of presents,
oranges, apples, nuts, and candy.