The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-06-07
TONY HARDSCRABBLE's WIFE.

vi iulufG tulLOI JOY.
-Hdrper's Uecltlg
49, 49,
TONY HARDSCRABBLE'S WIFE.
How She Earned the Right to Have Her
Own Way.
Tony Hardscrabble was carpenter
blacksmith, member Of tubs and barrels
and Jack of-all-trades for the rural
neighborhood in which he lived. His
little shop in which he made horse
shoes, shOd the farmers horses. sharp
cned plowshares, made tables, doors.
desks. cupbOards, bureaus, and occa-
sionally collins; in which he pounded
away at wonderful pork and vinegar
barrels, and frightened up dilapidated
old tubs and casks; this little shop was
situated at point in the woods where
an old road crossed a new one, and was
IN itself a queer, patched-up new and
old building. Tony owned no corner
lots, but no one inhuded upon him.
His little house, the gray hewn IoUs.
divided by seanissof white plasterinp.
seemed COW and eomfOrtable; and
while the shop opened on the road, the
house stood back among the trees.
North, south, east and west were neigh
bors within quarter or half-mile
range, and the neighbOrhood was thick
ly settled. But.nO one saw the advan-
tage OF corner lots near Tony's shop,
not even the Spectators and wise men
Of the village. three miles distant, and
Tony was sole resident at the corners.
where he had n gar1en-patch that did
not flourish and family that increased
rapidly. Tony had a fair skin where il
showed above his elbows and below the
collar-band of his shirt COLLAR he dis
dained to weary, but his face had a
dark, grimy look. He was strono with
out being stout, and was fond of dis
playing his strength and prowess. His
face was that of daring, resOlute man.
and his neighbors never took much
comfort in looking at it. Tony was a
handy man, and as the country people
said, was not afraid of work. He never
received much ready money. but he got
his pay i'm tie Shape of corn or flour
or pork, or money in good time. The
people who patrOnizcd him did nos
neighbor with him, however. They
knew little about the family. but they
inferred that Mrs. Hardscrabble had a
hard time of it. She was a good-na-
turcd, rOund-faced woman, who was
always busy indoors, and who seemed
to take great comfort with her chill
drcn, all of which was a mercy, the
good old women of the heichborhood
thought, as she had little comfort in her
husband.
Tony's wife, in those days, did not
make much of an impression in the
neighborhoOd. People caught ONLY
glimpses of her. but they knew she was
"a comely woman While other women
of her age in the neighborhood were
sallow and broken down, Mrs Hard
scrabble was fresh, plump and strong.
The face was attractive, but had little
character; and Tony's wife was classed
among the supplemented drudges, and
was frequently referred to rs a woman
who thought the world and all of her
children. but who had not an atom of
spirit. And Tony was good to her.
That was all people could say about
Tony wife.
Tony had never been seen at church.
He had certain loose WAYS and inle1.
pendent notions that the people did not
like. He considered that there was no
harm in taking mess of roasting ears
from any mans cornfcld whenever he
wanted them. He thought the carving
off of some fine watermelons from some
old farmers carefully guarded truck
patch was good sport. lie would take
a fine walnut rail from a fence whenever
nc needed seasoned walnut for frame
work in his shop. He Shot game i'm
season and out of season, on SUNDAY as
well as work days. He had been ac- |
cuSed of shooting fat young hoes and
the necks of other peoples |
chickens, but only accused. He would I
take his boys and 60 ON nuttin@ cxpe-
,litions on Sunday, and always had an I
abundant supply of wild grapes. berries, /
nuts. plumS, etc. He was the freebooter 4
MS we'll as the Observation-Disclosures of the 4
leighborhood, and was considered a
suspicious character.
SO when il was announced that Squire.
Prim's house had been broken into and I
over $1,000 in money taken, and that
he smoke-house had been broken omen
he same night and that the hams and
shoulders taken had been found buried
m the woods near TOnv's house. no one
vas surprised. Tony was arrested. had
preliminary examination, was bound
over to court could not procure bail. I
md was sent 10 the County Jail. His
rial came off i'm due time. lie was con-
ricted and sent 10 the penitentiarv for
i've years People were agreed that he
rot what he deserved but they were
.orrv for his wife. She was left with
six children, and it was too bad. Many
If the good women of the neighborhood
could not find ID in their hearts TO help
her. as she persisted i'm asserting her
husbands Innocence She .clung to the
man with what these practical women
Considered a nonsenSical, romantic al
cotton. and they had no.patienceF with
.er Others honored her for her faith