The Van Buren press., 1874-06-23

bath, there was departure lony ana
his wife and children went to church.
This was their trst appearance. aud To
ny was compimented. He declared they
! needn't make any fuss over him. He
: didn't care for church, but his wife did
She had remained It home good many
years to please him. and now he vas at
tending to please her. He was hard
case himself, but he wanted his children
to he like their mother, and he guessed
they would be anyhow But he was go
ing to help her now. Aud then Tony
would drop his voice:
just think of il She made nineteen
trips to get me cut of that scrape, and
spent ninety five dollars, all OF which
money she scraped together herself BY
jinks. get to thinking about it some
times when | am at work. and pound
horseshoe all to flinders before know
what l am doing. She's wonderful
woman. sir, aaa--and shes my wife. She
can rui the boat to suit herselfnow, sir. !"
Tony meant what lsc said. His wife's
individuality was the controlling one at
the corners In time there was carpet on
the 1oors, and then wonder Of wonders
to Tony common but pretty pattern
Of paper on the walls Tony became
Jack ofall trades to his wife. Couldu
he make picture frames. brackets, and
other ornamental and useful articles for
the house? ?" OK course lie could, and he
took great delight in it. He couldn't sit
dosn aud tell his wife, In words, how
much he was surprised at hel better self,
nor how gratilled he felt. nor how much
he loved her, but he could work it out,
| and all his spare time was devoted to do
ing things that she imagined she wanted
done. He was simple and awkward in
spr!ng!ng his surprises on her, or IN dis
covering 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 horse with the old skill
and caretuness as 10 details, and would
talk as much while doing it, but now all
the talk was about his own home and
when the work was done he would ma
npuver to have bis customer go in and
look round, as he expressed it; would
take nm in to show him new -four. bar
rel he had made, or new rat trap, when
all the time he meant 10 show him the
paper on the walls, the carpet on the
floors, and the general features Of his co.
sy home. He was always inviting peo-
pie to dinner now, too He made child.
sh parade Of his wife and her accom-.
plissments This became habit with
him, and, unconsciousiy, people enconr.
aged him in it.
Tony was no longer freebooter, and
made no mole raids on Sunday. He
" hooked " no more roasting ears or wa
tcrmelons, He carried Oft no more rails,
and WAS never accuseu vr snvo,,"5 v,nV,
peoples chickens or hogs
AS the improvements at the house as
sumcd decided shape, improvements were
nauguratcd at the shop The rambling
old building was Strengthened up aud
frightened up, the fences were made new,
the garden fourished in proper season,
and an air Of comfort pervaded Tony 5
corners,
Tony went to church regularly and al
way took the whole family and at
church be made mucn Of little things.
lie devoted more attention TO keeping
his children quiet than to the sermon.
The children always had their pennies to
put in the contributions box and the Il y
the baby accomplished the feat Of drop
ping a bright five-cent coin in the box
without grabbing for the coins already
in, was an hour Of triumph for Tony
There was something pathetic about
these little oddities that appealed to oil
the tenderness there was in peoplc's
hearts.
In time, Tony would have been indig-
nant had one asserted that he was not a
member Of the church. lie wass't clear
in his mind as to when he "joined, but
new customs had crept into his home,
new thoughts into his heart People
said there was great change OF heart,
and as Tony was proud Of the evidences
of such change, the people were prob
ably 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 talents
showed in good works.
He was now spoken Of as Mr.. Hard
scrabble, and he neighbored with all the
people. He didn get above his work,
but ne took his work up to higher
plane. Mothers never objected now to
their sons lounging about Tonys shop.
The boys liked to be with Tony, and
even the men were rather glad when cir
cumstances made 1t necessary to 60 to
the shop.
The great change in Tony's life was at
first attributed to the refvrnatory inau
ence OF prison discipline. But, In good
time, people saw with clearer eyes. He
commenced living better life, not 50
much as 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
aud clung to it, The people now under.
stand that the instrument used to work
the great change in Tony Hardscrabble
was his wife, and they speak tenderly Of
her, remembering what she was and what
she is --HeorM and Home
EE A Chinnman entered a store II
Helena, Montana, the other day, and,