All He Knew

thetic assurances, some promises, and no work at all. Everybody explained to everybody else

e kept his family expenses as low as possible, buying only the plainest of food-material and hesitating long to break a bill, though it w

ntion as to the future of the family, and she not only accepted his assurances as bearing upon the material requirements of several mouths from day to day, but she also built some air-castles which he was under the unpleasant necessity of knocking

to buy a half-bushel of corn-meal in the village. As he held a few pieces of silver in

to the ball game with? I'm in trainin', kind o' like, an' I ain't afeard

could: I'd like you to go into anything that makes muscle. But I can't afford it. You know I'm not workin'

s mind about what'll happen to his family afterwards. I've heard a good deal from the mother about you bein' converted, and changin' into a differen

pocket,-"food before fun. Ball isn't business to this family just now, an' money means business ev'ry time. When I was away an' couldn't help it,

er, took his hat, and abruptly departed. There was no dinner at the Kimper table that day, except for such members of the family as could endure slices of cold boiled pork with very lit

idn't you come back to-day with

street, an' they told me about the game, an' it seemed to me that I wouldn't 'pear half a man to 'em if I didn't go 'long, so I made up m

e got along; there'll be somethin' to eat here ev'ry day just as long as I have any money or can get any work. But, Tom, you're pretty well gro

d he engulfed several spoonfuls of

ghty slim chance o' countin'; but I tumbled into base-ball, an' I was pretty strong in my arms

an't ever make any mistake about it afterwards. When I put any money into your hands to be used for anythin', it don't matte

per collection of children stopped for an instant

to give the

. This family is goin' to be decent from this time on; there ain't to be no more thieves in it, an' any member of it that tries to make it dif

s fists and turned slightly in the chair. Before he could do more, his parent had him by both shoulders

, an' you've got to do it until you're of age, an' if you don't promise to do it now, right straight along, from this time forth, I'll give you the thrashin' now. That ain't all,

tion of spirit that he made all the des

in need of reformation. Mary, little Mary, not far beyond twe

xin's. This ain't very cold weather. You've good enough clothe

ssing an imitation doll into the ash-heap, "why, I want better clothes, so't t

the father straightened u

und town pay attentio

tel before there's a lot o' fellers hangin' round the door an' wantin' to see her, an' takin' her out to get ice-cream or sody-water, or to go to the circus

ng to his helpmate, "wh

a month," s

home? Does the family ge

whine. "She says she has to wear decent clothes a

s family next morning were those of a staid and respectable citize

sical and mental condition which made it impossible for him either to argue to himself or to express a sense of hope to any extent, he passed the shop of Larry Highgetty. Larry was a shoemaker. Sam had worked at shoemaking while he was in State prison. He felt, although Larry might have been offended at the imputation, that there ought to be a fellow-feeling between them;

" said Sam, with an apologetic air, as he closed the door

all the time faster than I can tend to 'em; ev'rybody wants his work done first an' is willin' to pay extra price to

now, Larry," said Sam, taking the shoe f

inished, if I keep on feelin' as I do now. It's pretty tough, too, bekase that shoe belongs to Mrs. Judge Prenc

Larry. Brace up, my boy, why do

' in him to brace him down. She kin wait for her shoe

omise the shoe t

ays, Sam. Maybe she won't come in till to-morrow; she's a busy woman; nobody knows where she's goin' or what she's doin' throughout the day, an',

t as well if there was somebody

tell ye if ye want to argy on the subject of the truth, or any other of the moral sintiments, with any man whatsoever, ye don't want to come to a shoemaker's shop an' find a fellow

finish that shoe in your hand, an' if she comes here it'll be ready for her, an' if

a tremendous effort, and looked sharply from

you know abou

n could learn me, Larry; though I do

t's the Bible rule, I belave. Now I'll go home to my wife an' family, an' if you choose to finish that shoe an' stay here unt

ine nature which all of his jail-work had placed in his hands, he knew enough of the requirements of an ordinary shoe to do

Kimper! Are yo

at was promised for this

e's L

I promised to finish his work for him. I believe this is your j

ill sit down for a moment, if you

he sat with an entirely satisfied and cheerful air, with her shoulders against the back of the chair, as if it were a real pleasure to rest against something, while her cheeks flushed, probably from the exertion of a rapid walk from some other portion of the town. Like any other woman of

at the experience-meeting the other night. You know I was

n the dyin' thief on the cross than said what I said in that church that night, but I was asked to do it,

ou that my husband, the judge, thinks as I do. I told him what you said,-I remembered it all, word for word,-and he sai

oser, and said, in a faint voice,

there's any other man in this county that's had more opport

ed his labors upon the shoe, and the lady bent her

nd I have as hearty an interest in you and sympathy for you as the best friend you have. But I want to ask y

Deacon Quick

id he say anything that

he kind o' filled my mind with doubts

ou somewhat, and I'm sorry to say that if he does I shall be to b

s of very good stock, ma'am. His folks have been in th

hen he hears of any one who believes-believes in religion as you do

about that night at the church meetin', why, I'll say anythin' I know an' everythin' I believe, an' if

, entirely done? Good. Very much obliged. It's quite as good as Mr. Highget

ch and removed his hat, which had been on his head during the interview.

and perhaps talk a great deal, about what you seem to believe very sincerely and what he doesn't believe at all. I hope

endeavoring to stimulate his mental faculties, "whatever I believe on that subject I'm goin' to stick to, an' nobody, not even if he is the be

r remarks the other night. I only wanted to say to you that Mr. Bartram is a ve

somebody who's a great deal smarter than I am, who do

r Kimper," s

'am," said th

uds over the evening sunset, and at the houses on the opposite side of the street, apparently that he might divert his

the other side of the street, of a very pretty young woman,

means? That's Bartram himself, as sure as I'm born, an' with