The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-09-01

him; and leaving my children with
my excellent friends, l drove with my
disgusting relative to the home of my
sister, some seven miles away.
"How many children have you,
Henry?"
IA dozen or so, 1 reckon. Sally
knows more about it 'an 1 do"
81 heard that some of your sons, my
nephews, were killed during the late
rebellion"
''Yes, yes, so they was. Sally grieved
powerfully over their death, but a
woman will do that, you know. Pears
to me it don't make much difference, no
way. The boys might a growed up in
temperate, you know"
And then, with a disgusting egotism
and pharisaical sanctity which 1 have
so often noticed in drunkards who are
''half seas over' but determined TO ap-
pear sober, he broke forth in a torrent
Of invective against drunkenness, add
ing that, as for him, he of course 'knew
when to stop drinking. A glass man
can take once in n while, you know, bu-
bu-bu-but d-d-drunkards the m-m-
m-meanest work of God"
The liquor that the poor sot had swal-
lowed just before the steamer landed
was doing its effectual work, and long
before we reached my sisters squalid
home the drunken wretch was snoring
in the bottom of the cab, and was
living in the dreamy and distant past.
Many familiar landmarks greeted me,
but a pail of sadness settled over all.
Finally we drove up in front of my
sisters cabin home. a half dozen un-
kempt and frightened children fiocked
around the doorway; and my once
blooming and beautiful, but now faded
and dropping sister came wearily out to
meet us.
With bound 1 reached her side, and
calling her dear, remembered name, l
begged her to recognize her sister, Ju-
dith Reid.
"Can it be possible ?'i incoherently.
''Yes, it is you, Judith dear, but Oh
who ever thought that we would meet
like this Where's your husband ?
Where's your family? How did you
come, and when did you leave the Pa
cific coast?"
zone question at a time, dear Sarah, -
was my only reply.
The driver dismounted and helped
my intoxicated brother-in-law to arouse
himself sufficiently to alight My sis
ter's husband made a few staggering at
tempts to walk, and then rolled help.
lessly over on the grass. Poor Sarat
looked so deeply mortified that has.
/ tened on TO the house, pretending moi
: to further notice the disgusting anC
loathsome object whom l had once
known as a strong and brave and nobl,
fellow, for whom she-pOor, stricker
: child had staked wOman's all, and
2 lost!
, My own hard lot seemed to suddenly
2 grow light. To devise some plan by
5 which to aid my helpless sister was my
e foremost thought, but to my tortured
5 mind no ray Of help or succor came.
Making our way through the grouI
e of ragged, barefoot children, we entere,
I the wretched abode, and threw myself
into the same old armchair, now bat
: tered much by time and usage, in which
had sat to receive my mothers care oI
that long remembered day when haC
2 planned my sad elopement.
Sarah dropped herself upon the fIool
and buried her face in my lap.
"Oh, Judithr'-and the wailing
helpless, hopeless cry yet haunts my
memory-''how long must endure al
this?'
l made strong effort to calm my OWL
intense emotion. Gently stroking tn,
thin, silvery locks of which / had ono,
been so proud, and clasping the sallow
: hard and bony hand that once had beer
so plump and rosy, I spoke cheerfully
assuming a cOmpOsure and happiness
: did not feel.
! 'Pshaw, sister mine Cheer up an,
: let's have good, old-time visit
r came 10 you because / am i'm trouble
e and need your help"
/, "God pity you then, for cannot hell
:, myselfw
s "Well, you can, at least, introduc
, me to your children. What's this one
e name? How Old's that one? That on
looks like our father. That one is tn
2 picture of our motherl Come, dears-
Y come TO Auntie ~ But the ehildrel
: were so shy that our acquaintance pro
gressed but slowly.
4 "Tell me, Judith" said my sister, ''al
5 about our folks in Oregon. Tell me al
about mothers death ; all about father
e declining years what Nettie is doing
r where brother is, and what has becom,
e of John"
e The long interchange of explanation
Y that followed concerning our famil,
1 being well known to the general reader
f / will not repeat
j The day had passed into the gloam
r ing, and still we sat engaged in earnes
h conversation. When it came my sister
e turn to tell her sad story, my own trial
r paled into insignificance For fey
years after her marriage all had gon
5 well. Then Henry began TO gradual,