The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-06-18
TONY HARDSCRABBLEs WIFE.

Tony Hardscrabblc was carpenter,
blacksmith, mender of tubs and barrels,
and Jack-of-all. trades for the rural
nelphborhood in which he lived. His
little shop in which he made horse
shoes, shod the farmers horses, sharp
ened plowshares, made tables, doors,
desks, cupboards, bureaus, and occa-
sionally collins in which he pounded
away at wonderful pork and vinegar
barrels and tightened up dilapidated
old tubs aud casks this little shop was
situated at point in the woods where
m old road crossed new one, and was
in itself queer, patched-up, new and
old building. Tony owned no corner
lots, but no one intruded upon him.
His little house, the gay, hewn 10 s
divided by seams of white plastering,
seemed cosy and comfortable; aud
while the shop opened on the road the
house stood back among the trees.
North south, east and west were neigh
hors withina quarter or half mile range,
aud the ueighhorhoOd waa thicklY set
tied. But no one saw the advantages
of corner lots near Tony's shop, not
even the spectators aud wise men of
the village three miles distant, and
Tony was sole resident at the Corners,
where he had a garden patch that did not
flourish and family that increased rap
IDLY. Tony had fair skin where it
sbO ed above his elbows and below the
collar band Of his shirt (cUllar he dis
dained to wear, but his face had dark,
erimy look. He was strong without
being stout, and was fond of displaying
his sire 9Th and prowess. His face was
that of daring, resolute man, and his
neighbors never took much comfort IN
looking at it. Tony was handy man
aud, as the country people said, was
not afraid of work. He never received
much ready money, but he & his pay
in shape of corn or -four or pork, or
money in good time. The people who
ratronized him did not neighbor with
him, however. They knew little about
the family, but they inferred that Mrs.
Hardscrabble had hard time of it.
Sho was q good-natured, round-faced
woman, who was always busy indoors,
and who seemed to take great comfort
with her children, all of which was {
mercy, the good old women of the
ncighborhood thought, as she had little
comfort in her husband.
Tony's wife in those days did no
make much of an impression. People
caught only glimpses of her, but they
knew she was comely woman. Whll'
other women Of her age in the neigh
borhood were sallow and broken down
Mrs. Hardscrabble was fresh, pluml
and strong. The face was attractive
hu5 had little character; and Tony's vii
was cassed among the simple-minde'
drudges, and was frequently referre'
to as a woman who thought the worl'
and all of her children, but who ha
not an atom of spirit. And Tony wa
good to her That was all people coul
say about Tony's wife.
Tony had never been seen at chnrct
He had certain loose ways and indeper
Gent notions that the people did nc
like. He considered that there was
harm in taking mess OF roasting eal
from any mans corn-feld whenever b
wanted them. He thought the carryln
off of fine watermelons from some ol
farmers carefully guarded trnck-patc
was GOOD snort. He would take fir
walnut rail from fence whenever
needed seasoned walnut for frame-wol
in his shop. He shot game IN seast
and ont of season, on Sundays as we
as work-days. He had been accused
shooting fat young hogs and wrinlgll
the necks of other peoples CHECKER
but only accused. He would take L
boys and go on nutting expeditions
Sundays, and always had an abunda
supply of wild grapes, berries, nu
pums, etc. He was the freebooter
well as the Jack. of.all trades OF t
neighborhood, and was considered
suspicious character.
So,When it was announced that SOU
Firms house had been broken into a
over thousand dollars in money tax
and that the smoke-hous" had b'
broken open the same night, and &
the hams and shoulders taken had b,
found buried in the woods near Tor
mouse, no one was surprised. Tony
arrested, had a preliminary exami
ton. was bound over to court, could
procure bail, aud was sent to the cou
jail. His trial came off in due time
was convicted, and sent to the peni
nary for five years. People were agr
that he got what he deserved, but t
were sorry for his wife. She was
with six children. and it was too
Many Of the good women of the ne
Dorhocd could not find it in their he
70 help her, as she persisted in asser
her husbands innocence. She clur
tla pp,Sh 81,