San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-04-28

painted"
In the week that followed Prue had
a chance of seeing for herself the truth
of Mrs. Rice's assertions in regard to
her sons character.
James Rice was an unusually clever
man, and his respect for anyone who
could "get ahead" of him was un-
bounded. Lucy's weak nature had
bowed naturally before her husbands
dominant will. He had ruled her in
the same way that be had ruled his
mother, merely because she had meek
ly submitted, without protest, to his
tyranny. But Prue was different. She
seemed to have brought away with her
some of the spice and strength of her
own pine woods, and Jim was often
surprised to find at the end of an argu-
ment that he had unconsciously yiebded
to her wishes.
In an unframed way, Prue was nat
ural musician, and the harsh, tuneless
notes of the thirty-year-old melodeon
grated on her sensitive ear. Jim was very
fond of listening to her fresh young
voice, and after supper, while he
smoked his evening pipe by the open
window, he always asked for his favor
lite old-time songs.
But Prue objected to the discordant
accompaniment which the melodeon
furnished.
Jim, you'd ought to git me a new
pianner," she said, persuasively, one
evening. Its real sin to sing Blue
Eyed Mary to an accompaniment with
five keys off the notes in the bass and
two notes in the treble that don't
sound at all"
Jim knocked the bowl of his pipe
against the window-sill and watched
the ashes fall on the grass outside be-
fore he answered:
1.-THE melodeon's well enough, if
you'll just remember about not strikin'
them notes. "Tain't the instrument ]
want to hear, anyway; it's your voice.
Lucy understood how to make it go.
She used to play the music soft and
sing loud"
I'm afraid I shan't be able to re-
member that" said Prue, innocently,
and she began to sing THE Minstrel
Boy"
Never before had the Minstrel Boy
departed to the war under such provo
cation. Prue's sweet voice could
scarcely be heard above the rasping
chords, and Jim moved uneasily until
the song was finished. Then she tried
esquire Jones Darter," but with no
better success. The five bad notes in
the bass made themselves unpleasant
ly prominent, and the two silent treble
keys left an irritating blank on the
listeners ear. And as it was that
evening, so it was every night for the
next week, until at last Jim realized
the pleasure he was losing, and sur
prised Prue one day with the gift of a
new square piano. That night for the
first time in seven days he smoked his
evening pipe in dreamy pleasure with
a contented smile on his face, while
Prue sang the quaint old songs with
the accompaniment of melodious
chords.
Old Mrs. Rice came over the next
day to inspect the new instrument.
II declare to goodness" she ex-
claimed, rubbing her forefnger across
the polished surface. You could have
knocked me down with feather when
I heard that James Rice had actually
been and paid out money for new pi-
amer. can't git over it. How do
wish Lucy could see it!'
'Want to hear it?" Prue suggested,
with proud little smile.
SID like to, first-rate, but 1 can't
stop now. just run in for a minute
on my way to Mis- Deacon Gibbs, and
I see by the kitchen clock I'm late al
ready. I'd no idea it was so late"
"'Tain't," said Prue, glancing up at
the tall timepiece- Its only half-past
ten"
'Oh, but you ain't'allowin' for that
clocks losin' time, Prue. Don't you
know it's allus as much as half an hour
slow? It's been that way for years,
ever since it was moved here out of
Grandma Shedd's house"
TITS been fixed" said Jim's wife dry
~.
'Of all things! How'd he ever come
to do it2 Lucy"
HE did it." Prue interrupted, "be-
cause he didn't like his meals half an
hour behindhand every day
"Why, but Lucy alluz fggered for
that" the elder matron gasped.
did! Well, l couldn't seem to quite
remember" said Prue, with such an
ingenious look in her brown eyes that
her mother-in-law shook her head
obviously and went away to report to
Mrs. Deacon Gibbs these startling de-
velopments.
81 can't make her out one mite" she
ended. Whether she's as inherent
as kitten or as deep as Jacobs well,
can't for the life of me tell. But the
way she gifts round Jim is somethin'
wonderful Jim-well, you know how
tight he is with his money, and now
he's just a-payin' it out right and left
for things that Lucy alluz hankered
arter and had to go without"
''But she amt got her house painted
yet" Mrs Gibbs suggested, smilingly.
mo, but L amt so sure but what
that'n come next" rejoined Mrs. Rice,
'for she's got him to put on screen
doors front and back"