The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-10-06


oWhy don't you ask three questions
i'm the same breath? And why don't |
YOU give me a chance to answer one
before you ask another?r was the quick
reply.
Then, rattling on in her chirp, easy
way, she began to tell me about "baby's
antics, which had so amused the Doctor
that they'd all been laughing"
'But, didn't the Doctor Gomez"
Eyes Do you want to see him?"
"Of course / do. five got Doctors
bill to settle on account of this spell of
prostration, want to see who it is that's
going to get the money"
Some extra touches were bestowed
upon my hair and fold smoothed here
and there in my wrapper. Then the doc
tor was called.
There was magnetism in the pres
ence OF the man that inspired me with
feeling of perfect peace. Life suddenly
opened up TO me in new and shady bow
ers, and / felt intuitively that somehow
or other this physician was to turn the
current of my future life. There was a
quiet, gentle earnestness in his manner,
accompanied by "A dignified Difference,
that was perfectly irresistible. The eX-
preston of his eyes reminded me so for
cibly of my long-lost other self that |
could almost dream that / had found
him, and the voice was much the same /;
but in no other particular except in stat
ure did he at all resemble the man whose
image had in the passing years been en-
craven upon my heart. His beard was
long, heavy, coarse, and black as ebony
His complexion was a deep nut brown,
and his raven hair, though curly, WAS
coarse and bushy.
Reader mine, you needn't talk to me
any more about the fickleness of women.
l have experienced it, and plead guilty.
I, who had for thirty years been faith
ful to one over-mastering idea, had met
the enemy, and was his.
was desperately in love. Angry as
l was at myself over the ridiculous fact,
it was no use struggling. 1 felt that
had found my fate.
Score me as you will, dear reader. l
deserve it all.
Under the magic influence of DIR. Cor
don's skill l became quickly GONZALES
cent. | could not resist his quiet, gentle
commands, and i'm a day or two rode in
his carriage to the city, where l found
my poor children in an agony of fear
lest mothers illness should prove more
serious than had been supposed.
DIR. Gordon sent the carriage home
and entered our lodgings with me. \
magazine lay upon the table containing
my latest literary production, heralded
: by flourish of editorial trumpets. The
Doctor read the essay silently, but |
could see that he gave me frequent, fur
tive and searching glanees, rs though
deeply studying my thoughts.
At length he finished reading, and,
laying down the periodical, looked hard
at me and said:
"AIl this must be very gratifying to
you, madam"
at would, perhaps, once have been so,
sir, but have become so accustomed to
disappointment that l believe / am
hardly able to appreciate success"
"Ah, indeed? Have you then suffered,
as well as myself?'
suffered! Oh, Doctorr'
The strong man began trembling like
an aspen. Conquering his emotions at
length, he bade me a stiff good afternoon
and walked hastily away. l watched
him from behind the lattice till he dis
appeared, wondering much at my own
r strange sensations. L was absolutely
, angry with myself for feeling such deep,
i absorbing interest in the man.
judith Reid! you're consummate
iool!' was my out-spoken and heartfelt
, comment upon my own feelings; but I
) could not conquer them. | was so dis
, turbed that this new revelation made
, me nervous and unhappy.
| Was ] indeed standing upon "A fearful
precipice, ready to east myself headlong
into an awful crater Of uncertainty /?
Woman, thy ways are dark.
Praise Of my literary success began TO
"grOw monotonous." had had so much
of it, and had unwittingly learned 50
much about how little is its intrinsic.
value, that l grew deeply Disguised. II
it had not been that by my pen | was
compelled to earn my children's bread I
should have given up my work. / lost
all taste for anything but day-dreams,
and was in reality in state of as hopeless
lovesickness as theveriest spooney on the
continent Something SO like my old
ideal, and yet in many things so vastly
unlike him, took hold upon my heart
and held me with firm, unyelding
grip.
"A letter for you, mar' said Fred. one
morning as he burst boisterousIy into
the room where I was busy with nv
pen.
The letter, or rather package, was in a
Large express envelope and bore the
post-mark Of Il distant city.
Instantly the memory of that sweet
and solemn promise, "pll explain" en-
deavored to attuue itself to melody, but
the words came feebly up, and in my
soul jarring discord broke the harmony
of long-remembered happiness.
intuitively felt that my letter con-
tained tidings Of my long-lost lover, yet
! for some time tarried, not having cour-