The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-15

tion, she fell asleep, her dreams were OF
rugged mountains, up whose steep as
cents she sought TO climb, while her
weary shoulders supported a burden
that weighed her to the earth.
Mrs. Brandon met her in the morning
on the stairway landing, and, leaning
over the balustrade, besought her to
stop and talk with her.
"Are you, too, in league against me ?''
asked Ellen, iercely; "and do you want
me to stultify my honor, forfeit my love
of truth and make of myself a horrible
sacrifice, to please my childish grand
father, and thereby bring some worldly
property into the possession of that
singing, grinning ghoul? never could
endure himw
MY dear Miss darcy, beg you to
listen to me. You are in frenzy. Calm
your nerves, pray you"
ut is very easy for a spectator to sit
idly by and beg a screaming child, en-
veloped in flames, to calm her nerves
and bear the pain with fortitude, but
it's quite different matter when the
flames envelope yourself"
'Don't be excited, darling; DON'T"
"Mrs. Brandon, if believed that you
were really in league with that old
ghoul in trying to ensnare me thus, Pd
pitch you headlong down this stairway.
Pm half afraid you're guiltyw and FL
len clutched her fiereely by the arm.
''NO, child, L am not guilty; but if
you would only listen TO reason, want
to talk to you awhile"
'Let's go down into the parlor, then.
1 don't want to kill you, but the tempta-
ton is great to hurl you down these
stairs! If you should attempt to per-
suade me into such an alliance Blightg'
The two entered the parlor, where ev-
licences of the last nights party were
everywhere abundant. Faded boquets
lay scattered around; stray handker-
chiefs lay upon the chairs and sofas;
white glove hung across the harp; and
the old gipsey's gay waist ribbon, soiled
with grease and dirt, lay on the carpet.
''Mercyr' said Ellen. "Let us not
stay here. That gipsey's presence haunts
this room."
''She gave me a message, too, if you
recollect, my dear. And her admonition
was that 1 should warn my lady. / now
warn you to do nothing rashly. You
are but a child. Humor your grand
fathers whims for the present. Your
old tutor will, trust, be dead before
you are old enough TO become a wife.
Don't precipitate matters by haste and
= anger"
The grandparents and the tutor met
them at the breakfast table. With the
exception of brighter CLEAN in his
eyes, the music teacher betrayed no
sign of his anticipated conquest. His
long, shining fingers as usual dextrous-
ly welded his knife and fork and rapid
ly conveyed his food through the rotten
rows of teeth that kept guard at the en-
trance to his cavernous mouth. His
hump back and remarkable nose as us
ual balanced each other, and his snow
! white side locks edged and fringed his
polished, shining pate.
Ellen always sat opposite him at the
table, and this morning, deeply as she
had been disturbed by the awful fate
} marked out for her, the ludicrous phase
of the subject was presented as she sat
there gazing at him furtively, and while
ready to burst into tears, she could also
with difficulty repress her merriment.
''ElIen Darcy, want to see you in
the library after breakfast" said hel
grandfather.
"Shall you want TO see me alone
sir?n
await and see."
Ellen left the table and, passing out
into the yard, found Auntie Harris busy
with her morning dairy work.
"Auntie, have come to talk to you
about something that would be horrible
if it wasn't so ridiculous and laugha'
BILE"
'What do you mean, child?'' pausing
, in her efforts with the heavy churr
dash and gazing kindly into her eyes.
. 81 mean that grandfather has made
up his mind to marry me to that olC
ghoul that taught me music. What shall
: do?n
why, tell him you don't love him
: child. That's easily enough said.n
"But grandfather knows that already
He's haunted by an insane fear that
will run away some day and MARI,
q somebody that will never let me liv,
II with him any more. That's nonsense
l. am sure, for I've never Thought q
% marrying anybody. My sisters expe
l. rience was a great lesson for me; and
r think the old gentleman's effort to hin
marriage to me at all is perfectly ali
d surd, especially when think about tn
It wonderful object of his choice. Dom
l. you believe that that grinning old CHOU
+ brought those gipsies here?r
d 30, no; guess not. But l never. i
!, all my days, saw anything to mate
Y their impudencel Just think Of all tn
5. work and worry that splendid suppe
It cost met want the men to pursu
1 the wretches, but l can't get them g
70 IT." twirling her churn dash to gathc
IN the accommodating butter in eompa'
ee mass of golden globules. 'Pm sure tbs
W if the men that potter around this hou:
lg had done half the work that i did O