San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-22

that the respect which had fallen to HIM
self in connection with his excellently-
ordered home was entirely due to his
church-going wife.
An especially sensible woman, too.
Albeit it had grieyed her more than
words can express that her husband
could find enjoyment in pleasures which
at best were empty and frivolous, if not
positively wrong, by not the slightest
petulant complaint had she ever up
braided him or striven by aught save
the genilest suggestions to lead him to
her own better way of life.
There came sad day, alas! for him,
and still more, alas! for the three beauti-
full children. The good wife and
another was called away from them, and
they were left desolate indeed. The
blow was hard one. What now was
the bereaved husband to do? So far as
worldly goods were conc 70 was
amply provided. He h: .,nce;
but not all the wealth in .iyerse
could have made up the had
sustained. Even his sterng
companions confessed TO her that
it was lawful rough, yoI > that
in his case there could b ubt that
Tom had ''struck it ric' he got
the wife who W. prch.
What would A year later he
told bosom fri t he must secure
a second mother s children.
"You will m one that goes to
church,"
"More resolved on that than ever"
.'But YOU don't 90 yourselfp'
mo. The fact is, it's too slow for
me. l like to enjoy myself with things
more lively; and when I've got one at
home who pulls steady in the traces, as
these church-going women do, | can feel
safe and comfortable"
He found the woman he thought
would suit A lady who had been some
what intimate with his wife, member
of the same church, and altogether after
the same right-going pattern. In fact,
a steady, clear-headed woman, who
knew when things were right, and was
prompt and decisive to have them So
True" as Tom whispered to him.
self, II expect she'll try to pull me short
up into straight strings, a good deal
tighter, than Emily did. She is not as
soft and yielding as I'd like. But she'll
be all right for the children. l can
trust her. When it comes to question
of what's best to be done, there amt a
bit of nonsense about her. So I'll take
her."
To his great surprise, however, he
found that the second church-going wo-
man was not prepared to accept his
offer with the pleased alacrity he had
expected. Knowing that she was in
rather straItened circumstances, entire
ly dependent on her own exertions for
a livelihood, he had felt sure that his own
well-appointed home would prove
temptation the lady would not dream to
refuse. But, instead of the gratefully
expressed Eyes" he had looked for, she
replied:
MAY l ask why you have given me
the preference, Mr.. WinterP'
because l want mother for those
children who go to church. married
Emily on that account, and she managed
SO well determined to choose one of
the same sort"
81 commend the wisdom of your de-
cision. But you do not attend church
YOURSELF"
20, it don't matter about me, you
know. So long as the mother is all
right to keep things straight at home
it don't make a bit of difference whether
a man goes to church or not"
'.In his own estimation, perhaps. But
have you thought, Mr.. Winter, that
your church-going wife may be just as
anxious to have a husband whose in
tegrity of principle may be under the
saving influence of church attendance
as you are in regard to the lady of your
choiceP If you desire to feel at rest
touching your wifes conduct at home
is it not equally desirable that your
wife's mind should be at rest touching
your honesty of conduct when out of
her sightP"
Here was new aspect, and at first he
thought it was a very foolish aspect,
not to say ridiculous. He could not I'M
.derstand the idea of a man being amen
able to the same rules of moral conduct
that are required in woman. And he
said so. But to all his arguments and
pleadings the lady turned deaf ear.
She would not marry a man who did
not 90 to church; that much of safe
guard to the clean life of the man she
would accept must be given in return
for her own wholesome purity and I'M
blemished Christian principles.
At first Tom vowed to himself that he
would not tie himself down to any such
unmanly giving way to woman's
foolish whim. As he more and more
observed, however, that the lady was
possessed of precisely the excellent quail
tiles he especially desired in mother
for his children, he finally gave the re-
quisite pledge that be would accompany
his wife to church at least once each
Sabbath-day.
Poor devil!' said his old chums,
"now he is shorn of his liberty, tied
up to the apron-strings of a hard-faced
church-going fanatic. He'll be in a
lunatic asylum in less than six months. {"
They were mistaken. Certainly, a
great change came over him. That was
apparent to the least observant He
was no longer the registering, free-and-
easy Tom. The old card-playing, dice
throwing, time-wasting haunts lost his