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

companion took on nunBrNi appealing
look, "tell me all you know about my
daughter. Did she-starve?"
"Why, bless you, nol Peter Dowd
never let her get out O. dodgers an deer
meet. You had the same kind O. vic
fuels for dinner to-day, I reckon. But
how did your daughter ever happen TO
marry such a shiftless, good for nothin'
there! I said 1 wouldn't slander the
dead, an / won't, though it pears to me
that Peter might have been a better
provider. But it's always so with runa-
way matches. ] never knowed one to
turn out happy-no, never. An I've
had my share o. such trials, the Lord
knows"
"Peter DOwd was the son Of an old
man with some money and great expec-
tations. The Dowds were Of a decayed
Southern stock, and Peters father was
always looking for a legacy from some
of his distant relatives; so he brought
up his son as a gentleman, and he was
very likely, well appearing lad. L had
no suspicion that our only daughter
would ever think of marrying him.
They had been brought up in each 9TH
er's society, but when Ellen came home
from boarding school our home seemed
very lonely for her, and he would often
visit at our house. / encouraged his
visits because we had so little company;
but it all came upon me like n thunder
bolt when l learned that Ellen was go
ing to marry him. Her father was i'm
periOus and angry, was firm and bit
ter, and the result was that they ran
away, and 1 never saw my darling af-
terwaris. She left every vestige of her
wardrobe except the clothes she wore.
Poor child she must have often felt the
need of clothing for herself and chill
dren."
"But it pears very strange that he
should take materially to n backwoods-
mans life after the bringin' up he had"
The two had wandered to n PROSTATE,
bark-shorn elm, upon which they sat
down, beneath the shade Of protecting
maple. They were not aware that they
had listener, and were quite surprised
when DIR. Goff, now a well established
country physician, emerged from a
leafy covert, where he had been enjoy
ing a nap, which their coming had dis
turbed
''Dr. GOff, this is Miss Darcy, poor
Ellen Dowd's own mother" said Aunt
Betsey, nervously. can he's the same
doctor that tended on her when she
died"
Reverently DIR. Golf advanced to greet
the stranger. He was nervous, wiry
little man, with keen, searching eyes
and thoughtful countenance.
"Doctor," said the lady, anxiously,
81 trust that you, as a physician, ear
give me much information relative tc
my daughters life and death"
"IndOed, my dear madam, there is lit
tie information to impart. Peter DowC
degenerated into listless, lazy, unas
piring lOut. you see l have none o
Aunt Betsey's compunctions Of con
science about speaking evil of the deaC
when they deserve it, He got into th'
habit of lounging around the tavern, o.
: spending his time with his dog and gun
! and the habit became chronic and con
sumed his manhood. He never wa
, cross to yonr daughter. He preferred /,
sit by and pet her occasionally, Will
/ she and the children were destitute.
do not agree with Aunt Betsey that it /
at all strange that he should take
fancy to such an idle, dreamless, thrift
: less mode of life. He had neither trad
/ nor profession. He had no money an
no credit, and the life he led in the bacl
woods Just suited him. Ellen seemed I
( cherish the deepest affection for him
' and, but for her dying words, woul
never have revealed the fact that sh
, was at all unhappy"
. "Can you repeat her dying words ?"
D ''I can. She was fondling the tin
, waif of a baby, that lay nesting in he
bosom, and addressing herself TO me
a believing me to be her husband, whe
n she exclaimed, 'It would be n Lord
Y blessing if our baby would never Sc
8 daylight! Wouldn't you rather see he
= die than live TO toll and suffer as do?'
n Mrs. Darcy buried her face in lac
+ hands and groaned aloud.
'Tts strange that the daughter ,
p such people as you and your ma
is should take up with such a-but
: won't speak i'll of the dead" remarke
2, Aunt Betsey.
r "Oh, she became infatuated wit
him." said Mrs. Darcy. "She W,
v nothing but a mere child when the
:. married. If the laws of the land won
IS protect a child from legal marriage III
/ iii she should become of sufficient az
- to exercise cool, unbiased iudgmel
n about the most important act of h.
ir life. we should have few such matche
a But the law steps between the parel
a and the child. At least, a strong will,
Girl. urged on by an older and strong
L will than her own, does not need to
m very far to evade the government
70 parents. Ellen was married just ov
a the border, within two miles Of home
" "But pears to me-" said good Au
ID Betsey, ''that it's always better to
ef 'em marry. They might do worse, "
er know"
ly "Do worsel" calculated DR.. Go
at Chow can they do worse? They mere
lenaliza and nnfnrca the mosi hOrrit