The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-04-26


many 4 day-an oldish woman, who
''broke him in" much after the style in
which he had counselled Peter Dowd to
'break' Ellen. His older children have
long been married and gone from the
home-nest, the younger ones have been
driven away by the step-mother, and a
second family of half dozen has kept
him struggling against the winds and
tides Of adversity as he little deemed
that he should ever be compelled to
struggle.
'Tan my hide for sole leathery' he
exclaimed, while gleam of pleasure
flashed across his face, only TO be dis
PEELED by q settled look of melancholy.
''I didn't expect to see you out, Aunt
Betsey. How are you, Katy? How
dye do, Jakey?" to his children; "And
Doc. and Uncle Jake, how do you -four
ish?" Then, without waiting for re-
plies, he continued, ~ thought I'd come
over to-day and look round little bout
Ellen's health. / believe she'll 90 off
into decline just as-as-her sister did,
if she don't have rest and change. Peter
don't seem to see how she's failin'. It's
strange that men never do see these
things till it's too late"
''This was the very subject under con-
sideration when you entered" said the
Doctor. "Ellen will not live two years
longer at the rate she is going now. She
has work enough on hand this morning
for half n dozen women, and while you
and Aunt Betsey are talking the matter
over Pll go and see if l can't aid her in
the kitchen"
The apartment styled the kitchen was
a low shed, in which a clumsy, old-fash-
ioned stove, now red-hot, was mounted
on brick bats, above a smooth dirt floor.
Ellen was busy lifting the steaming
clothes from the boiling suds, and did not
perceive the doctor through the fog un-
til he had the clothes stick in his hand,
and she did not fully realize the situa-
ton until he began with his strong arms
to lift the clothes himself
"You must never do another washing,
Ellen Dowd," he said. 'fYou must tell
your lord and master that the family
physician forbids it,"
doctor, you are very kind,n was the
weary reply, as she stopped to wipe the
perspiration from her face with her
sudsy apron, "but fear that your COM
mands will remain unheeded. Such a
family as mine need q great deal of
washing. And there's nobody else but
me to do it,"
"AIake Peter washp' was the blunt
reply. "He's strong as an OK. Wash
) ing isn't a woman's work, anyhow"
"You'd have fun getting Peter to
wash," said Ellen, smilingly, as she
dropped her weary form into chair.
ais dinner most ready, Ellen?" The
speaker was shabby, seedy-looking
fellow, in buckskin trowsers and hicl6-
ory shirt, with an offensive clay pipe in
his mouth, and a dried-up stream oi
amber coursing down each side Of his
chin, whom the reader will hardly rec.
ognizs as the Peter Dowd whom Ellen
first met in an Eastern intelligence office
Yet he had not changed for the worse
= one-half as rapidly as had the young
E and desperate creature of whose neces
sities he had taken dire advantage
: when he compelled her to marry hin
because she believed she was choosing
the least of two evils.
J "Dinner" was the short reply. 'I
I can't be near dinner time"
"Pd like TO know what you have beer
doing all the forenoon? My men mus
: have their regular meals, or they cam
be expected to do their regular work
You know my rule is TO feed them well
and you must be up to time, or they'll
:. grumble"
: "And Pd like to get chance to do m,
d regular work without being compelled t
:, getmy regular meals. rdrather go to be,
t this minute than sit up and eat my din
: ner, even though it was all ready an,
a waiting"
}, 'Come! come! no whiningl 1 neve
:. could see what good it did n woman {
: be in a constant fret. Why, halloa! doc
tor! You here?" and the elouded fac
:. changed its expression to one OF SUI
: prise and pleasure. "Have you turne
e washerwoman?"
IS II think it's high time somebOd
e turned washermdR in this house, sir,
/ said the doctor. ''Your wife is workin
y herself to DEATH"
III 'Pve known men to get rich by a
y tending to their own business, old COT
y If Ellen and 1 can't manage our ow
y affairs, you can't help us"
~ But I, as her family physician, hay
~ right to speak, and only tell YOU th
I'd for your good and hers.D
IL "And /, as head of my own hous
81 hold, have right to discharge nv fan
lily physician if he NEEDLES where I
ut has no business. Your services are I
longer needed, sir"
ng "Oh, Peterp' pleaded Ellen. 'D
rs Golf took care Of my mother when W
ee a baby. He has always been kind
n me, and 1 need his advice. DoctC
to don't mind him. He don't mean ii. ("
sh ''Hold your tongue, woman! Yo
he pet doctOt may not be quite so easi
srs poisoned as your pet dogs, but"
cd ''There, Peter Dowdi Not anoth
-er word! You poisoned my dogsl I knc
you now! You are the very villain w
NJ hrouohf fbof old r,l,orl 20 NV Urn =,