The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-09-26

cut llAAt ~ butS JuuCtuIc TIC oAAShOSf
even among women, was so deep as to
be painful.
The work Of the afternoon went brisk
ly on. The President, whose many du-
ties as supervisor of the thousand mys-
terious looking odds and ends of all
manner Of material, with the deft man.
agement of which ladies alone are sup
posed to be acquainted, delved deeply
into the intricaeies of every tangled lab
yrinth of curious handiwork. No one
knew how she had acquired her supe-
rior skill, and if interrogated upon it,
she could only answer, 81 do not know"
Some of the ladies took their work
from her hand most gingerly, as if con-
tamination lay in her touch, and Others
patronizingly assumed acOndescending
superiority, if compelled to address her
with an inquiry, that caused her pure
cheeks to burn with mingled indigna-
tion and shame.
"She looks guilty." whispered gossip
number one, who had been the direct
means of intruding the scandal into the
society.
$50 would you if you were in her
place and innocent as she is" retorted
the same young lady who had dared to
resent the first insinuation against her.
But Ellen Dowd had caught the whis-
per of the accuser. With her cleaning
eyes bent low over her work, and a yet
deeper tinge suffusing her face, she an
swered not word.
1t was great relief when the gentle
men came in to dinner. Most of them
wore anxious business looks upon their
weary faces, and more than one had Sc
cretly said to his wife that "the society
was nothing but an expensive nuis-
ance," while the wife had just rs wisely
decided that "business was a bore"
The fact was that neither husband or
wife knew anything about the affairs Of
the other, and consequently each under
rated the others efforts, as was natural.
The long dining hall was filled with
guests, when Edgar Worth, with his
wife upon his arm, moved forward to
the post of honor, which the President
of the society had always occupied at
these social feasts. The ceremoniOus
dinner proved a most constrained and
awkward affair. The bright-eyed hos
tess brought her most ingenious devices
to bear to cheer her guests in vain. The
close Of the repast brought visible relief
to every countenance, as rising from the
tables they prepared TO wander through
( the grounds, or amuse themselves as
might best suit them.
"Will the friends Oblige me by their
attention for one moment ?'i asked FL
len with a quivering voice and laboring
breath, and all eyes were turned upon
her "Can meet you all in the parlors
at half-past eight? have my life-his-
tory to relate"
/ Consent was given, and curiosity and
comment were on the qUi Uive.
"Ellen, my wife, what new crotehet
have you gotten in your head ?" queried
her husband anxiously aside from the
throng. "Was it not agreed between
us that the dead past should bury It's
dead ?"
''Yes, dear, but there is a grinniDl
skeleton Of suspicion lurking in th'
, heart of every one ofthese women, awak
ened by some silly or wicked tattler
e which says to them that there is bligh
: upon my fame and name. Nothing bu
: my history will exercise that ghost, ant
they must have the story"
/. "Whatu exclaimed her husband il
l anger. "You do not mean that an!
u mortal has dared to impeach your pur
ity and worth ?n
5 ''Yes, Edgar, do mean just that.p
e "Who are they and where are the.
> who would wrongfully accuse you, m.
r long sufferingandsurely wounded bird?'
It ''Don't get angry with anyone, dear
r est; and don't sympathize with me to
d much or I'll get so sorry for myself
cannot talk" she whispered, falteringly
n as brushing away an unbidden tear, sh
a stole away to be alone.
d The company assembled in knots an
d groups and whispered mysterious thing
Edgar Worth, disdaining to notice an
y one, and because not knowing whom
o accuse, suspected everybody, wake
d back and forth with arms folded, u
and down the lawn.
'e Punctual to the moment, every SCI
e in the gay parlors was filled by anxiOu
:, waiting occupants.
Presently Ellen appeared before then
n and choosing a position where she coul
command the array of curious fac,
10 that ever turned upon her inquiringl.
: stood hesitatingly in their midst.
A. slight tremor shook her frame and h
n whole organism seemed as if aglo
nj with magnetic light.
he Friends" says she, ''the way is Ion
Many leagues of plain and mounta
and stream and valley stretch away
ar the dim distance, and L witness, in
n lowly hut, the death agonies Of N
n mother, whose life went out when mil
came in. l see long years of childhoo
ar passed in penury and toll. 1 see a 81
ter, who, at the age Of ten, became n
-. mother, and for my sake grew old b
fore her time. Years passed; see tn
sister, lured from the lowly roof tn
on covered us, and made the legal slave
n hard master whom the law call