The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-10
WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

Auat SIeat uOle VI Jeu 81 1 w
think, marrying church woman. They
Say she teaches class in Sunday school,
too, has face as fiat and solemn as
. half baked pancakem
"W What-Jem Knight-has he married
reg lar-built pious-go to church and be
good woman, and HIM one Of the jolliest,
take-it-easy and do as-you-please cusses
between here and Chicago"
"That's the tax"
"Great Jerusalem! sweet time he II
have. jest fancy her making him slick
up to the music of slow church bells
Sunday mornings and marching him off,
stead of having good time at the gar
dens, to straight-backed pew to listen
10 Gosp; mush."
Thus spoke a couple of Jem Knights
familiar chums, amid knot of the same
Fix, who were seated in the enjoyment
of their customary beer and cigars i'll
Bottler's popular saloon. Tom Winter,
. third one of the party, seemed to be
particularly impressed BY the converse
hon. He was sharp eyed young chap
of twenty -thr,e or thereabouts, who was
noted for the almost re kiss manner in
which he went in for "haying a good
time" Not that there was anything
really vicious about him. He was
straightforward, manly and honest, but
inll Of desire to enjoy life in its frecst-
going aspects, and especially liberal in
his views touching the observance of
Sunday as religious ordinance. No one
had ever heard Of his going to church, or
that h. cared button either one way or
the other about church going or any of
It's straight-laced arrangements. Hence
It was with more than common surprise
that his chums hearl him say:
"Well, I don't undertake to know,
gents. If Jcm's wife is the right woman
otherwise, should say he'd made good
ytrike. getting who goes to church.
don't 60 much on churches myself. l
used to go with the old folks when 1 was
little shaver about knee high to duck
Bnt that was when had to. It's a good
many years now since l WAS inside Of
one. As I said, I don't 60 much on it
myself. It's too slow for my taste. At
the same time, believe ia woman 60
ing to church. I've noticed the women
that 60 10 church are generally the be t
sort. A man can depend oa 'em. They
keep things straight at home and bring
the children up right. A man can feel
safe when he's away having his own fun.
That they won't be running into any OF
She blamed dance-hall and beer-g rrd n
joolishness that winds up so often in dis
grace to ma IS home Oh, you boys
may sneer. allow it may be all hum5ug,
and too slow for nea like US. But it S
dead sure; the women who 20 to church
Ne the steadiest sort a man can tie to-.
don't care how much you laugh and
poke fun. I've seen too many wrecked
homes and ruined lives grow out of pick
ing wives from free dances and Sunday
picnics. There's too much nonsense in
Il for me. If every marry STA do as
Jem has done-pick wife that goes to
church."
And he did. To the increased surprise
and astonishment Of his chums. the jovial.
rollicking, devii-may-c To n, who had
all his life gone in for every species of
fTee-and easy enjoyment; made fun of
parsons and what he called long faced,
church going milk-sops more recklcssly
than anv of them, actually married a
member of the cg.Mr. Gracely's church,
swoman who was noted for the solidly
serious aspect of her face and strict OBJ
servance of the Sabbath.
A nlae-looking woman, to be sure. and
steady. with not bit of nonsense about
her. A rare good houscke epcr, too, who
kept heiself and all things about her in
The very best Of ''app'c-pie order" That
mu: h was conceded; only, as one Of the
boys putt, too laundering ORDERLY! A
nice time poor Tom'll have now. We
Khall see him creeping about with face
rs long as fiddle"
This proved Il mistake. Sofar as outer
appearance was concerned, Tom lost
none of his old-time oliity of speech and
deueanor, and he seemed to retain all
his o!d pleasure loving dispotition. When
srer he m@t the boys he was us keen as
ever to have a good time; neither did he
fsll into going to church. On the latter
point he remarked once in strict conf
deuce that it was all right, and mighty
good thing for woman to go to church,
bot too slow and hum. drum for maa 8
Enjoyment.
Still, it came to be noted after awhile
fliat he was not exactly the old Tom. AS
the ars rolled by and three handsome
children began to accompany their
Lsothcr to Sunday-school. and who were
% neatly clothed and we'll behaved as to
call forth the admiring comments Of oil