The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-08-02
WOmen's Steps.
RY KATE True.

r. KATE TEUE.
"There IL is again, the old song, I'm
so tired l wonder if all ladies sing
it?
'If ask you To play or sing il is al
ways, Pm so tired And as to n social
game Of cribbage or whist, you will play
4 short rubber, and run of 10 your ever
lasting sewing, leaving me to amuse
myself. I do not wish TO find fault, my
dear, but ii does seem 10 me wife might
exert herself q little and make the even
ings pleasant for her husband, after he
has been bothered with business all day.
The simple truth is lcOnlel take u grent
many unnecessary steI1s"
These were the very words uttered by
Hon. James Huntley to his beloved wife
Elizabeth, one winter evening.
James Huntley, the successful busi-
ness man, the courteous, dignified, ele-
CANT gentleman, and a universal favorite
with the ladies; Elizabeth, his wife, once
blooming and still lovely, had just put
the three Huntley saplings in bed, with
infinite labor, and much assistance from
nurse, and now, when Fred had taken
his last drink of water, baby had cried
herself into the arms of Morpheus and
out of his mothers aching ones, she had
walked slowly down stairs, thinking
how glad she would be to retire herself,
but conscious Of the duties still to be
done and anxious to JOIN her husband
for little quiet chat, the one bright
thing after her bustling, weary day
She entered the library with her mend
ing basket in her arms, hoping her hus-
band would offer 10 read aloud while
she attacked the haunting household
demon; but no, his words Of greeting
were:
"Well, Lizzie, l thought you were
never coming down. Why don't you
let nurse get baby to sleep?'i
''For the good reason, Jamie, that
am its mother, and poor nurse has heI
hands full with the Others. DO you
want anything?"
Eyes, pve been waiting here two good
hours to hear you read Wilson's speech,
YOU read so much better than do, and
besides it does me good to lay Off and
smoke"
'Sorry to disappoint you, Jamie, ]
must work. All the contents of this
basket must be attended, to before sleep,
and really, dear, / am very tired.n
Then the Hon. James expressed his
views concerning tired women rs stated
above, and threw himself on the lounge
with his cigar in his mouth, rattling his
pap AtAAAANA AAAbAN AAAeAAA AAAh AtA
manded.
Lizzie drew her basket near her and
put out her hand TO begin operations
when an imperiOus voice said:
II wish you would have the goodness
10 move that table with the drop light
little nearer; 4 man can't read in the
dark"
Oh, Hon. James, Just think Of il! you,
the elegant society man, ithe devoted
husband and "polite gentleman" ad-
dressing your wife in such a manner
Did we not see you, one week since,
walking throught the elegant conserva-
tory of our friend, Mrs. Jones, and did
we not hear YOU tell her "your wife was
a model woman, and highly accom-
plishedE ~ Did she not urge YOU ia
bring her there and you promised il, for
'your darling Lizzie was very fond OF
flowers And here you are thinking
only Of self, and ordering her 10 move q
heavy table for your accommodation.
while your words and manners are such
as you would not dare use 10 one OF youI
servants.
] am drawing your picture from life
and YOU must not find fault with the
drawing because the wart on your nose
is so prominent. If the wart did not
exist my eyes would not see it, and yor
and all the Huntleys are at liberty tC
touch up the picture and improve it il
you wish.
Lizzie Huntley moved the table and
sat down again. 4 blur passed before
her eyes, and little stab Of pain shot
through her, but not word passed heI
lips.
She was learning her life lesson in the
wrong way. With her great unselfish
love she had fancied all troubles sent are
troubles to be borne with patience She
had vet TO learn that trials sent us bv
the All-wise are the only ones under
which we should ''suffer and be strong, =
but trials and troubles of mems devising
are to be fought against in just indigna-
ton.
On top of the work basket lay a letter,
a plump, crumpled letter, which Lizzie
had tried all day to find time for read
ing; she had brought it down intending
to ask James to share ii with her, but
the little cloud "nO bigger than a mans
hand' had arisen i'm the domestic sky.
She looked at her husband, and decided
he was not in a favorable mood Just
now; she would read it to him again.
Underneath the letter was the usual
medley which accumulates, YOU know
NOT now, but never fails to accumulate
IN Nh9thers basket when mother is the
be. -i0'Sellolu' as she should
Ont o,,, PAIRS OF shirts for James. to he
ut 6,t Uu. o'a.. more in the neck-he remarked
i;,s'a s'es.eeruay "he did not see VII s,|I,
snoSde lille t9ing IN could not be done be Sbo bod
spoken ol 1t forty times, n-fort,,, ire I.. ll,lu
ing IN a man 5 VocublarX, t,,,ia1tS mean
had taken them in hand d"tce, M Lizzie
would have completed them h,'. O.ice, and
expected guests. She suggeste5 ge{ ioT oi,o un-
ing the sewing girl to attend ~ ah9w- !. 3
was curtly told TO "do II Loylit' - ~ but
then it would be done right.1 e'9eii and
Two shirts, eight pairs of stocl,i,,,.
sheet with the corners snapped ont -, 81 4
the wind, James Juniors pants viii
ventiiator at the knee, "shirt's Wiz
with the band rent asunder, a strinc-
less pudding bag, pair of driving gloves
for the Hon. James, and her own more
dainty ones.
Was it not cheering prospect? Even
the seamstress had her evenings and
had gone out for a walk. Cook took
her two or three evenings out with un-
failing regularity, and nurse likewise;