Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-12-02
What He Believed in.

That's great note of Jem's, | do
think, marrying church woman. They
say she teaches a class in Sunday
school, too, and has a face as flat and
solemn as half-baked pancake y
'What-Jem Knight-has he mar
ried regular built -pious -go-to- church
and be- good women, and him one of
the joliest, take-it-easy-and do-as-you
please cusses between here and Chica.
go p
That's the talk
Great Jee-ruSalem ! sweet time
he'll have. Jest fancy her making him
slick up to the music of slow church
bells Sunday mornings and marching
him off, 'stead of having a good time
at the gardens, to straight backed
pew to listen TO Gospel mush i
Thus sp Ike a couple of Jem Knight IS
familiar chums, amid knot OF the
same ilk. who were seated in the enj ~
ment of their customary beer and ci-
gars in BOttler's popular saloon. Tom
Winter, a third one of the party, SEEM
ed to be particularly impressed by the
conversat tion. He was as sharp-ey ed
young chap of twenty three or there
abouts, who,was noted for the almost
reckless manner in which he went in
for having god time Not that
there was anything really vicious about
him. tie was straightfOr ward, manly
and honest, but full of desire to enjoy
life in is freest-gOing aspects, and es-
pecially liberal in his views touching
the observance Of Sunday as religious
ordinance. No one had ever heard of
his going to church, or that he cared a
button either one way or the other
about church going or any of its
straight.laced arrangements. Hence it
was with more than common surp iSe
that his chums heard him say
'Well, | don't undertake to know,
gents. If Jem's wife is the right wo-
man otherwise, should say he'd made
good strike, getting one who goes TO
church. l don't go much on churches
myself. I used to go with the old folks
when | was little shaver about knee
high to duck. But that was when |
had to. It's good many years now
since I was inside of one. AS said, |
don't 60 much on it myself. It's too
slow for my taste. At the same time,
1 believe in woman going to church.
I've noticed the women that 60 to
church are generally the best sort. A
man can depend on '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 the blamed dance ball and beer
garden foolishness that winds up so Of
ten in disgrace to a mans home. Oh,
you boys may sneer. allow it may be
all humbug, and too slow for men like
US. But it's dead sure the women
who go to church are the steadiest sort
a man can tie to. [ don't care how
much you laugh and poke fun. I've
seen to many wrecked homes and ruin
ed lives grow out of picking wives from
free dances and Sunday picnic. There's
too much nonsense in it for me. If |
ever marry woman l shall do as Jem
has done-pick wife shat goes to
church.
And he did. To the increased sur
prise and astonishment OF his chums,
the jovlal, rollicking, devil-may-caIe g
Tom, who had all his life gone in for
ever species of enjoyment made fun
of parsons and what he called long fac
ed, church going milk sops, more reck-
lessly than any of them, actually mar
ried a member of the Rev. Mr.. Grace
ly's church, a woman who was noted
for the solidly serious aspect of her