The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-12-05

Kate, whose loss he felt now as keenly
as he did the day of her death, which
was the day Of the birth OF little Katie.
Well as he loved the child born in sor-
row, Miles was Of the temperament
which could not brook interruption, and
Judith had been careful to keep her little
sister out Of the way while the talk
about the land sale had been going on.
But now that Katie saw the way clear,
she made rapid maneuver, and escap-
ing the vigilance of her guardian rushed
impetuously into the arms Of the young
German, whose great favorite she knew
herself to be. Carl received her with
enthusiasm.
"Ah, little Katie, thou art charm
ing this morning. Now that have
kissed thee three times thou must take
me to see thy pretty mamma-sister;
wilt thou not? Has she been good to
thee? is she well and happy T'
Carl Shultz was no more the cool man
OF business as he caressed and talked
to the child of his morose neighbor
Holding Katie by the hand he once
more entered the rude porch, and stood
upon the threshold of the tamily-room
with head uncovered, and smiling
brightly. AS he entered the room
Judith's face was averted while she
combed the long dark tresses Of her
shining hair; but she had caught the
sound of his footsteps, aud turning half
reluctantly, bade her visitor good-morn-
ing before completing her toilet with a
hair-pin and bow OF CHEEKY ribbon, the
effect Of which was far prettier than she
knew, or the bit of broken mirror which
reflected her beauty had fully informed
her.
The slight tembarrasment Of her man.
ner detracted nothing from that out
ward perfection which Carl Shultz,
with an eye Of an amateur in art, knew
he might travel half the world over and
not find again. Perhaps it was the un-
conscious avOwal his eyes made of
this conscious thought that brought
so bright a color to the cheek Of
the Texan cattle-dealer's daughter.
Certain it was that q shyness hardly
compatible with the intimacy of
their acquaintance interposed this
morning delicate eandintangible obsta-
Gle to that freedom of intercourse the
young German might have thought de-
sirable, at the same time that it added
the subtle charm mere physical per-
fectiOn often lacks.
With slow and graceful reluctance
Judith placed for her visitor the chair
which house-wifely hospitality would
not permit her to withhold, and with soft
persistence urged his acceptance, all the
while aided by Katie's more vehement
invitations, which Carl would have
sworn she would have been glad to
silence.
In no wise abashed by the pretty stiff
ness Of Judith's manner, Mr.. Shultz
seated himself comfortably, at the same
time giving Katie q perch upon his
knee.
"Well, how goes it, Miss Judith {?
Have you read the books, and are they
such as you like?"
az have read the most of them," an
swered the young girl with more COM
posure, now that books, and not herself,
were the object of contemplation; "and
like them-why should not?-but
doubt il understand them all"
"what! cannot you understand :?
You with your so quick understand
ing?"
'T do not think" said Judith, mod
estly, "that can get all the meaning
out Of Faust
"Ah, that may well enough be; it has
puzzled older heads than yours, Miss
Judith. You must read it again when
you are twenty-five, or perhaps forty;
then it will come easier to you"
At which Judith laughed a merry
little laugh, aud answered with the fore
cast of sixteen:
"Tf my understanding is so long in
coming 1 shall have very stupid life
indeed"
"Oh, / do not know that; but / do
know you could never be stupid. only
think that most people devote the first
half of their lives to feeling and imagi-
nation, and do not begin to think very
profoundly till that period is past; es-
/ naoiallv the ladies -
Judith, who did not know anything
about John Stuart Mill, and the rest of
the advocates of woman's equality, an
swered simply:
at would seem so, IL the books one
reads are fair samples Of men and wom-
EN-. With real men and women am
very little acquainted; but the men l
l have known are truly less imaginative
than the women; and have less feeling,
too, believe"
"Ah, am sorry you say that, Miss
Judith. Thy sister must not say that,
must she Katie? Thou knowest have
much love, dost thou not, pretty one?
1t is only il one dare say what ones
feelings arei ana thy Carl is afraid, little
Katie. Tell thy sister Carl is afraid.
but that he has much feeling.n
1t was well that just at this juncture
little Katie, not interested in this talk,
so much above her comprehension, sud-
denly made move to search her friends
pockets, and in doing so, brought forth
some paper-covered volumes together
with one in a neat green binding, and