The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-20

Matte, won't you go and see what
ails little Fred 2" queried the step
mother, as she sat upon rude bench in
the corner, trying to hush the wailings
of teething infant. The poor child is
badly hurt, / know. DO run-won't
your" -L. oiF
"No!" exclaimed Matte, giving her
shapely head q defiant toss. "Let
everybody take care Of their o1Vn young
ones w --1-
'If Ihad acted upon that principle, /
know a family of q dozen that would
have been left in rather bad condition.
But do go and see about the child :"
''Plague take a step-mother and her
young ones, too ~ said the gracious
young lady. "pm looking for Mr.. Hard
ing every moment Big as this barn of
a house is, there isn't a furnished room
in it The young ones are squalling like
mad !; father and the boys will soon be
in to supper; mothers laid upas usual,
or pretends to be, and there's no COM
fort to be found anywhere. 1 mean to
get married the very first chance get,
and then, goodbye to Stonehenge farm
and all that pertains to it."
Little Fred's screams grew louder, and
Mrs. Armstrong arose and dragged her
self across the great bare room, carry
ing the baby on her arm. She found
the child with his fingers fast between
the hinges of a heavy oaken door.
The frantic mother, in her first effort
to liberate the unfortunate fingers, ac-
cidentally moved the door in a way to
tighten its hold. 'sTake the baby, Mat
tie, do !" she pleaded.
Thus appealed to the young lady
grumblingly obeyed, giving the child a
vicious shake.
The mother with difficulty rescued
Fred's little fingers, upon which
great blood blisters were drawn, and
being too weak to lift him, dragged the
child across the room and took him, all
quivering with pain, upon her lap.
a bevy of hounds outside set up Wig
orous barking.
Somebody's got to take this brat p
exclaimed Miss Matte, savagely. "Mr.
Harding's coming, l know, and /
wouldn't have him see me holding the
young one for itP'
"Give her to me-" said Mrs. Arm
strong, making room upon one knee for
the baby, as she held the sobbing Fred
upon the other. "YOu'll be more for
tunate than your fathers wife ever was,
if you're never compelled to let man
see you in such business"
Matte Armstrong, despite the un-
promising circumstances connected with
her introduction to the reader, did not
mean to be a willful or unobliging girl.
She had been brought up in an atmos-
phere of discomfort, and especially since
Mrs. Armstrong number two had come
into the family, she had heard SO
many repinings over home surround
ings that she had grown up to woman
hood, soured against everything con-
nected with the great eomfortless and
clumsy abode, with which her father
was perfectly satisfied, and who, there
fore, could see no necessity for spending
time or money to make 1t comfortable
for its regular inmates.
''It was good enough for mother as il
was, and it's good enough for you as i
is" he would say in response to sugges
] f;cno au 40 r,,odar,, f,rr;F,ra ~ chad,
trees, flowers or any other evidences o
luxury to which his wife or daughter
would call his attention.
Matte had spent two years at board
ing-school years that had added mucl
to her stock Of company graces, but ha'
in no wise sweetened her disposition a
regarded home-life, as the reader ha
seen. She was, however, girl ofstron
native sense, and was really possessed c
a far greater amount of culture than on
would think possible, judging from he
surroundings, and making all due allow
ance for her ordinary petulance.
The two younger sisters had been sen
away to school Immediately after he
return to the farm, and the burdens tina
fell upon her shoulders i'm such a famil
and under such circumstances, wereany
thing but modifying TO her natural ira:
eibiIity.
Matte Armstrong was considered
rarely beautiful girl among the beaux
{ Stonehenge and vicinity. She wa
rather above the medium size, perfeC
in form, and classic in features, wit
large liquid-blue eyes that could fias
or languish at their owners pleasur
and 8 wealth Of auburn hair, guiltless
wave or curl, worn in classic braiC
wound around her broad forehead like
massive coronet.
Amos Harding, the expected visito
= alighted beside high rail fence, thre
\ the reins over q stake, coaxed the dog
= spoke pleasantly to one Of the boys
: the yard and cautiously advanc'
toward the front door. He was poN
erfully built man, with heavy blat
yhiskers, coal-bIaek hair, square fran
and erect carriage. Matte had met hi
a few weeks before at social party
the little city, and had invited him
a call at her fathers house; an inyitati'
!. which be had accepted with alacrit
e and of which she had repented as so'
i as 1t was made, because she reflect
IS dismally upon the discomforts of h
II home as quick as she had time to thiI
at all. .-
W 1t was In the autumn, and the eve
d ing was chilly. The family livin