The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-06-05

I mother, and wish herself dead"
HSh-s-se p' said Annie; ''don't talk so
loud; the stranger will hear you"
"Amie, dear, you are already in love
with that man."
A silvery laugh was Amie's hearty
response, and she added, presently:
''AIy mother is a wonderful prophecies.
Suppose I should become enamored.
Who knows but he may have dozen
wives? You know men sometimes do
these things. Besides, what would a
well-bred man with city airs and any
amount OF self-complacency want of a
rustic country maiden with no dowry
but q set Of rude, obstreperous brothers
and sisters, a drunken, shiftless old poke
Of a father, the best mother in the
world, and pair Of clumsy hands,
made awkward by the constant drudg-
cry Of the barn-yard and kitchen ? This
stranger will go away tomorrow, and
will never think Of me again, no matter
what may think of him."
Melvin Hastings had heard every
word. A rift in the rude floor of the loft
Immediately above his head had con-
veyed the sound Of their voices to his
ears, and he was by no means an IN
willing eaves-dropper, however unwit-
tingly he may have listened.
'I believe 1 could make an easy con-
quest here" he soliloquised; "and by
Maud Muller and the fates, rll tryp'
Breakfast-getting was noisy hour
among the Lees. Annie arose before ii
was dawn and awakened Fan, urging
her to get up and help her with the
milking and other outdoor labors, for
this was no Yankee family in which the
men-fOlks saw the necessity Of taking
the rougher part Of the chores of of the
shoulders of the women. The father
was SouthroD, born and bred, and be-
lieved that other manly exercise
about the house than smoking, chewing
and giving orders was derogatory to
masculine dignity.
Fan had no intention Of getting up on
this particular morning. "You just
want to show smart because there's
company Go and do the milkin'
yourselfw she said, snarlingly.
Annie did not expostulate. She knew
that by so doing she would only bring
on a scene which would arouse the
back-woods volubility of her big broth
ers and end in her own vanquishmenti
so she tied an old shaker over her un-
combed curls, and taking up her pals,
went forth, as she had regularly done
for ten long years-so many years, and
so far back the vista stretched as she
thought over it that morning that she
felt that she was really growing old.
The misty dampness of the night be-
fore had settled into a chilly autumn
rain. The COW yard was miserably
muddy and disagreeable, and the work
was hard. Wading through the mud to
her ankles was as displeasing to Annie,
or any other naturally refined woman
as the same task would be to a canary
bird. But tens Of thousands of delicate
ideal women do such things daily
while men who revel 10 villainosi
grog and dirty tobacco juice and smoke
often sit with shining boot heels oil
empty dry goods boxes, drumming ou
their worthless strength in aimlesl
idleness.
Now, we know what is coming-som,
noble-minded gentleman, who. woul'
willingly do anything that is rough AM
disagreeable, rather than see a dainty
petted daughter Of fortune, his own wifi
or child perhaps, compelled to soil he
clothing or fingers, or sprain her deli
cate wrists to do it, yet where is tn
man who will voluntarily step asid
from his own enjoyment to relieve th
physical burdens Of poor and lowly o
degraded women, whom fate has throw
upon the tender mercies Of coarse AM
brutal men, whose tenderest mercie
are cruel? We own that we woul
gladly write a story Of real life in whic
all masculine elements would figure q
the grand protecting oaks Of whic
novelists and statesmen tell US, {
whom all women might look for tina
delightful protection which man vainl
imagines that he grants to them, an
which no woman would refuse were
but granted her as a right and duty
But SO long as we see humanity as it is
= the most exacting man must pardon u
If we refuse to step from the pedestal G
: practical facts concerning things tha
, are to deal in flights Of fertile imagina
tion concerning things that are not.
lie But while We have been moralizIns
Annie has milked her last COW, and
ot just ready to carry her fosming pals
10 the house. The stranger, of whom 81
4 had been thinking, accosts her, and o
es fers his assistance.
a "You are early this morning, Mi
ID Cinderella" he said, eheerily.
ID meant to be up betimes and milk q
re cows for you, but oversight I a
1T heartily ashamed Of myself"
DR. "Do you know how to milk" ask,
<. Annie, in uufeigned astonishment. 81
" had "never heard Of such thing"
Dr. "Of course I do; why shouldn't 1
at was the ready answer.
n. because father and the boys co
2: slider it degrading for men to do VIII
r they call woman's work"
II "a nobleman found Maud Muller e
d, gagged In raking hay, and had comps
I'd sion on her. Your work is far me
n. disagreeable than hers. Why don't y