The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1871-10-27

10 III ~ SELL DelNeen three anu SIX, anu IL
didn't take half minute.
Hiram" said 1, 'I can't teach"
'No," said Hiram; / don't think you |
could"
Even if Sarah Pratt hadn't the district, |
for a year to come; and her mother
blind; and her father with that leg"
"Yes,n said Hiram.
and plain sewing wouldn't earn our
salt"
az don't see how it could,n said Hi
ram. ''Ihere are so many of US. IL
never did seem to me before, Paulette,
as if there were so many"
at never did to me,n said i. "And
now" said /, ''Ill tell YOU how Ive got
/ it. Pm going to take the business"
''The what? >" said he.
''The business" said /.
"WhOse ?n said he.
"YOurs - said /.
'Well, never % said he.
''Of course you never" said i; ''yOu
never had the chance tor
"But W. L. said Hiram. ''If il had
been dry goods without w. l. ~
"As if i couldn't manage all the W. /. |
groceries there are in the store ," said /. |
"Why, yes" said Hiram, ''as if you
could not Well, never ~ said he.
"But Dincks wouldn't have another
clerk,n said Hiram; ''you couldn't make |
him put up with the putter of more /
than one clerk round, if it We're to save |
his soul. Dincks is set"
"Dincks is sensible" said |, 'and so 1
am /. Do you think, | should like to |
know, that Pm going to support the |
family from being any of Dincks' |
clerks 81
~ don't know, I'm sure" said Hiram,
fswhaf VOlli re going TO do
'I'm going into parternership, to be
sure,n said l.
"NOu're not though" said Hiram. |
Then he raised himself upon his elbow
and began to look so bright
''pm going into partnership said i,
/ sin dry goods and groceries with Frank
Dincks. Pm going to buy you out II
can borrow you out, at least and pay
you any interest you'll name"
Ut was the first time Hiram had
laughed since the attack came on
"But" said he, 81 believe a business
contract between husband and wife
won't hold, 1t seems to me wife can't
legally make contract anyhow; some
thing like it; what of that, now?"
"You canmake wife a present, sup
. pose ," said I.
"Of all I'm worth? Why, yes. That
will do. What else, Paulette? I guess
we could get over that. What else ~
"Then," said /, 'I'm going to add
. that five hundred of mine that father
: gave me-"
f ''No, you're not" said Hiram; 81
won't touch that
"Nobody wants you to touch it,n said
. |. "Im going to add that five hundred
] if Dincks needs to be bought over. In
fact, ] don't know but / shall, any way.
The shop needs an entrance on South
street, and the candy ought TO be South
mayd's, every stick of il, and the bal
/ morals Frank Dincks gets are enough To
scare trade clear the other side of the
; river. Now, Hiramw
"Oh, dear me, Paulette ~ said Hi
ram.
'Of course its dear you" said /, cor /
J shouldn't be doing it. Now, Hiram, /
understand dry goods and groceries,
don't I?n
"You've always understood every
thing / understood" said Hiram.
Hiram is an honest man.
"And / can make money on it,
can't I?n
'Of course you can" said he.
"Then I'm going to do it," said /.
'sBut you'll get molasses on your
, dressi Oh, dear mew said Hiram.
, GAS if / never got molasses on my
dress at hOmeu said /. 'Iim going to
see Dincks this minute;" and / got up
and put on my bonnet.
/ lie never said word, and he looked
7 pleased.
[ I'd got my bonnet on and got to the
, door. Then ] stopped. There was one
? thing he hadn't thought of, and
[ couldn't 20 without its coming up, and
| couldn't seem TO bring il up. He was
r living with his eyes shut-as pale as
chalk-and smiling to himself
"Well, Paulette?n for he saw waited
| round
~ suppose you seen-
sgThat I've rot to be hOusekeeper? O
/ YES, / saw that at the first. When ] get
/ up from this, can manage very well.
} It's not like lifting hogsheads. I'll see
> to that Don't you mind that
. But did mind il. / couldn't help il.
To see him lie so patiently and take il
r in-for knew he took il in. TO wash
, the dishes, and run after the children,
: and set the table, and chop the hash,
r and do all the efussy, fretty, worry
ing woman's jobs After being brought
z up to be a mani If he hadn't been
, brought up, it wouldn't have seemed so,
for its bringing up that makes the diff
2 ference to my mind, and l declare ]
/ minded it a minute-couldn't help it
D till Hiram called me baak and kissed
= me.
"NIy dear" said he, ''you've done il
- all your life for me. If I've lost the
power to 90 to the store, and you've got
I it, hope Pm man enough, Paulette, "a
be a good hOusekeeper. Now run and
f see Dincks rs quick as you can! You're
such hand to see to things, Paulette"
Now, how many men do you know
would have done that? | never saw an
other one. | don't think there Is an
other man in the world like Hiram.
, sEWe'Il get you well between us"' said
|. half laughing and half crying too,
; s.and if | do pretty well, We'll hire Mary
Smith, and YOU shall go off somewhere
and board fortnight in fOur-dollar-a-
day hotel for a change! Or perhaps the
the mountains, Hiram, in ourOld buggy,
with Mr. Perkins Jimw
And with that, L was off 70 the store,
and Hiram's face went with me, with
such a settled look, il makes me wicked
. to think back and remember now.
l Now I'd known Frank Dincks ever
since was baby. / saved him from
drowning on the mill-pond, and beat
MN at the skating match in '56.
Dlne6s was the last man 10 make me
!, .;,,IVs IVs an idea" said he. He was sit
- - 1hS on four-barreI with his feet on
II tne counter, when / went i'm to tell him
not a bad idea;D he fool, down
his feet 'Some neonlo ,..o,,iJ ,1,;,,I- :. -
r wasn't a wonan's .,i-o 'Iiu ~ 'l,iiiN ~ 4. ~