American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

I
| tern of paper on the walls. Tony be-
came Jack ofall-trades to his wife.
Couldn't he make picture-fram brack-
cts, and other ornamental and useful
| articles for the hOuses" OF course he
could, and he took great delight in it.
| He couldn't sit down and tell his wife,
| in words, how much he was surprised at
, her better self, nor how grateful he felt,
nor how mucn he loved her. but he could
work it out, and all his spare time was
devoted to doing things that he imagined
| she wanted done. He was simple and
| awkward in springing his surprises on her,
| or in discovering what she desired, but
the very simplicity of his action made
his acts the more pleasant and touching
| to his wife.
Tony became proud of his house. He
would shoe a horse with the old skill and
carefulness as to details, and would talk
as n UGH while doing it, but now all the
| talk was about his own home; and when
the work was done he would nnineuver
to have his customer go in and look
round, as he expressed it; would take
him in to show him new tiour-barrel he
had made or a new rat-trap, when all the
time he meant to show him the paper on
the walls, the carpet on the floors, and
| the general features ofhis cozy little-home.
He was always inviting people to dinner
now, too. He made childish parade of
his wife and her accomplishments. This
became a habit with him, and, uncOn-
sciously, people encouraged him in it.
Tony was no longer freebooter, and
made no more raids on Sunday. lie
"hooked' no more roasting ears or
watermelons. He carried off no more
rails, and was never accused of shooting
other peoples chickens or hogs.
AS the improvements at the house as
sumed decided shape, improvements were
inaugurated at the shop. The rambling
old building was Strengthened up and
frightened up, the fences were made new,
the garden f1ourished in proper season,
and an air of comfort pervaded Tony s
Corners.
Tory went to church regularly and al
ways took the whole family; and at
church he made much of little things. He
devoted more attention to keeping his
children quiet than to the sermon. The
children always had their pennies to put
in the contribution-boX, and the day the
baby accomplished the feat of dropping
a bright five-cent coin in the box without
grabbing for the other coins already in
was an hour of triumph for Tony. There
was something pathetic about these little
oddities that appealed to all the tender
ness there was in peoples hearts.
In time, Tony would have been indig-
nant had any one asserted that he was not
a member of the church. He wasn't clear
in his mind as to when he Joined" but
new customs had crept into his home, new
thoughts into his mind, and new senti-
ments into his heart. People said there
was a great change of heart, and, as Tony
was proud of the evidences of such a
change, the people were probably right.
The movement with Tony was steadily
progressive. He CROPPED blindly at first,
but IN time the resolution of the man and
his versatility of talent showed in good
works.
He was now spoken of as Mr.. Hard
scrabble, and he neighbOred with all the
people. He didn't get above his work,
but he took his work up to a higher plane.
Mothers never objected now to their sons
lounging about TOny's shop. The boys
liked to be with Tony, and even the men
were rather glad when circumstances
made it necessary to go to the shop.
The great change in Tony's life was at
first attributed to the retormatory intlu-
ence of prison discipline. But, in good
time, people saw with clearer eyes. He
commenced living a better life, not so
much as a matter of conviction as to
please his wife Under this influence his
convictions were reached and the man
was aroused. He liked the better life and
chung to it. The people now understand
that the instrument used to wok the great
change in Tony Hardscrabble was his
wife, and they speak tenderly of her, re-
membering what she was and what she
is~Hedrth and Home.