Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-06-08
TONY HARDSCRABBLEs WIFE.
How She Earned the Right to Have Her
Own Way.

A""a "Nhb'N hADDbE'S WIFE.
How She Earned the Right To Have Her
own Way.
Tony llar,lscrabblc was carpcnter
blacksmith, member Of tubs and barrels
and Jack Of-all-tradcs for the rural
nclghhorhOOd in which hc lived. His
little shop In which he .madc horse
shoes. shod the farmers horses. sharp
cncd pluwsharrs, made tables, doors.
ucsks, cupboar,ls. bureaus, and occa-
Slonally collins; in which he pounded
away ut wonderful pork and vinegar
barrels, AMI frightened up dilapidatcd
OLD tubs AMI casks; this little shop was
situated NJ n point in the woods where
nm old road crossed new one. and was
IN Itself queer, patchcd-up new and
old building. Tony owned no corner
lots, but uo one intuidcd upon him.
lis little house. the gray hcwn lorS.
divided hy seams II white plastcrinr.
scemcd cuzy and comfortable. anil
while the shop opened ON the rnad. the
house stOud back among the tr,.c.
North. south. east aud west wcr,, neigh
bors within quarter or half-milc
runge, and the neighhorhnOd was thick
N settled But me- ono saw the advan-
tagc ~ corner lots near Tuny's shop.
not even the spectators and wise men
~ The village three mile, distant. and
Tony was sole resident at the corners.
whcrr he hail gardcn-patch that did
not flourish nnd u family that increased
rapidly. Tony had fair skin where il
showed above his elbows and below the
collar.hand of his shirt (cullar hc dis.
claimed tu wcar). but his face had a
clark, grimy look lie was strong with
out being stout. and was fond II dis
playing his strength anil pruwrss. Ills
tacr was that II o daring. rcsolutc man.
aud his ncirhhurs never took much
comfort IN looking at H. Tony was n
handy MIN. AMI a, the country people
said. was not afraid II work. H. never
rrcrivcd much ready money. hut he cot
his pay In the shape of corn or hour
or pork. or money IN good time. The
people who patrunilrd him did not
ncighhur with him. however. They
Knew little about the family. hut they
inferred that Mrs. lIard,cribblr had n
hard time 1T H. She was pno,l-na-
turcd, ruund-iacrd woman. who was
always busy in-dpurs. and who seemed
tO take great comfort with her chill
drcn. al Of which was u mercy. the
COOL OLD womrn vt the nrirhb1rhon,l
thought. "a, she had liltlccomfort i'm her
husband
Iony's wife. in th"4c days. did not
make much of an impression I'm the
nrighhOrhuod. People caught only
glimpsc~ IT her. but they Knew She WA,
COMEDY woman. While other women
at her age in the nc.ghburhood were.
salluw and broken down. Mrs. Hard
scrabble was fresh. plump aud strong.
The lace WIS attractive. but had little
character; AMI TOny's wife was classed
among the simple minded lrudrrs. and
was frequently referred tu ~ "A woman
who thought the world and all of her
children. but who had not an atom of
spirit. And Tony was guod to her.
That was all people could say about
TOny's wife.
Tony had never boon seen NJ church.
He had certain loose ways and indie
pendent notions that the people did not
like. lie considered that there was mo-
harm In taking q mess of roasting ears
from any mans Cornlicld whenever he
wanted them. lie thought the carving
Of Ot some fine watcrmclnnS from some
old farmers carefully guarded truck
patch was good sport. lie would take
hnc walnut rail from ~ fence whenever
he needed seasoned walnut for frame
work IN his shop. lie shot game in
season and out 1T season. ON SUNDAY as
well ~ work DAYS. lie had been nc.
cuscd IT shooting fat young hogs and
wringing the ucCks 1T other pcoplc's
lint n A
take his boys and 80 on nutting expe-
ditions ON sunday. aud always hal an
abundant supply uf wild grapes. berries.
nuts. plums, etc. lie was the freebooter
NJ we'll rs the Jack of-all-tmdrs Of the
ncighhurhood. and was considered n
suspicious character.
81 when u was announced that Squire
Firms house had been broken into and
over $1,000 In money taken. and that
the smokc-huusr had been broken opcn
the same night. and that the hams and
shoulders taken had been found buried
In the wuo,ls mar Tony's house. mo- one
was surprised. Tony was arrested. had
preliminary examination. was bound
over To- court. could not procure bail,
and was sent 90 the County Jail. His
trial came oil In due time. he was con-
victcd and sent 10 the pcnitentiary for
five years People wcrc agreed that he
got what he deserved, but they were
sorry for his wife. She was left with
siS chihircn. and Il was too had. Many
IL the gOOd women III the neighbOrhood
could not find Il In their hearts To helm
her, ~ she persisted In asserting her
husbands innocence. She clung 10 the
man with what these practical women
considered nonscnsical. romantic af-
lection. and they had no patience with
her Others hOnorcd her for her faith
In her husband and for her affection. al
though they doubted not for n moment
that Tony Harlscrabble was guilty a.
charged The wife and her boys and
girls kept close 10 their home. grieving
Is for n husband and father dead. After
n few weeks Mrs. Hardscrabble was
seen abroad. then AZ the county seat,
and then. wonder II wonders this
woman. who had never been n mile
from home since her marriage, went 10
the State Capital Few of the men
would undertake such journey.
Touv's wife received the compliment Of
being n plucky woman. In due time a
notice arp-arcd in the, county paper
tLat an application would b made for