The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-02-16

hind the legalizing cloak of marriage.
Don't tell me that Ziek Hamilton has
done anything else but debauch that
poor, misguided child, whom he daily
defiles under the Ito HIM protecting
cloak of wedlockl Pm out Of all pa
thence with such cant and nonsense"
Grandmother darcy looked up ap-
palled. That was a quarter of century
ago, good reader, and public and private
minds were alike unprepared to hear
and consider the momentous subjects
which are to-day so fearlessly discussed
in every lecture room and household.
aDon't tell me!' continued the Doc
tor, pacing excitedly back and forth be-
fore his listeners, "that Ellen Dowd
could have done worse than marry this
pig-headed, easy-going, good-natured,
gOod-for-nothing lOutw
"Well," said Mrs. darcy, "she would
go with him at all events, and l was
glad to have the sanction of the law to
cover her transgression."
sanction of the fiddlestick! If she
and the poor shuck who ruined her had
known that neither law nor gospel
would sanction a match at her tender
years, they would not have dared to at
tempt it."
"Well, Doctor, you must admit that
Ellen might have been led into disgrace
if she hadn't been allowed to marry.
When my Sally run away it well nigh
broke my heart. She was the last one,
her brothers an sisters all beini dead,
an felt so lonesome and dreary like,
while great heavy pain tugged away
at my heart strings; but after all it was
comfort that she was Kier SlOcum's
legal wife, an in no danger of bein'
ruined by his wiles."
''Poor child! pronounced her ruined,
soul, body and spirit, the first time my
eyes beheld herw said the Doctor, sottO
rOee;- but he did not have the heart to
further wound the feelings of the sor-
rowing and childless mothers; so he
bade them good day and disappeared in
the foot-path that wound away through
the hazel thicket, while the astOnished
women gszed after him in wonder and
amazement.
"iPears to me it would be a very
strange world if we didn't have the law
of marriage to protect the young people
from the disgraceful consequences of
their own foOlishnessw exclaimed Aunt
Betsey, Indignantly.
'Pm sure 1 can't see wherein or by
what means the marriage law protected
my poor Ellen ~ was Mrs. D'Arcy's
comment.
"Why, Miss Darcy, don't you believe
in marriage?"
\ bitter smile played around the thin
and tightly set lips of the bereaved
mother, but she answered meaningly:
al have adhered to the strictest lettel
of the marriage law for more than tive
score years. Let my life be my answer
madam. But this law too often inter
feres with and undermines the laws anI
regulations of the home. For instance
the fond mother of a beautiful yOunl
girl may enjoin and enforce strict obedi
ence from her as a minor until SOM
hot-brained animal chooses TO maxi
her his legal mistress, and then a shor
, ceremony of few awful words of tin
: law takes the child from the protecting
influences of the home-nest, which, Will
il makes of her an accursed nOnentity
; renders the further attempts of parent
} to protect their darling futile, null an
: void"'
"Well, Miss Darcy, you talk like
) preacher, an you tell the truth, too
! still must say that it was a great relic
: to me when my Sally's hOt-headed i'm
2 prudence was shielded from the worl
! by the laws of the land.n
( "The law failed to save my Ellel
D from herself! 1t failed to save her fror
the lust and poverty and wretchednes
4 entailed upon her by worthless nc
e body. 1 often wonder why the laws al
not made to protect the weak rathe
than to favor the strong"
= "Well, our talkini here won't men
r 'em. Let's get back to the house an fl
, up some supper"
, A plain, substantial meal was soon
: readiness, and, as there was no accom-
e modation for the grandparents in tn
r orphans home, it was decided that the
, should remain with their host until th
T morning.
The orphan children aud the faithfl
4 dog returned to their humble abode b
n the very foot-path which poor Pet
7 Dowd had followed on the fatal nigl
A when Ellen for the first time opened h
eyes upon the earth. The children wei
h subdued and heavy hearted. Eyidentl
- the unexpected visit Of their strans
v grandparents had brought them litt
a joy. The fatal foOt-log from which the
i father had fallen into the water WI
% now somewhat decayed and moss-growl
n but the substantial railing with whiC
= Uncle Jacob had banistered its enti
:. length was as sound and firm as ever
n had been.
"A The older sisters passed over the Mac
~ inaw TO attend to home duties, but Eli
70 fingered long upon the log, leaning ov
Of and gazing into the clear, dark dept
er of the lazy current, which mirrored b
~ elfish face beneath its waters and pi
ut tured her to her own imagination as
ct wild genie of her native forest. Boune
N, ,,lun,,ad his haatad hodv in the strea