The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-05-08
Lies. Lies. All Lies.

Isettled myself comfortably, reluctant
10 sally out, as had intended, to some
place of amusement, it was so cold a
night. Pulling towards me one of sew
eral books at my elbow, opened it hap
hazard, and read the title of one of the
sketches & Nobody's Dog.n
/ read, and became so interested that
when l came to his death, found that
If L meant to go the theater had better
make good speed TO be in time for the
first act.
So, well wrapped up, and facing the
sharp sleet that was falling in whirl-
winds, / bent my course towards the
Union Square Theatre. At the boX-of-
flee / learned the first act of the piece \
was over, and that a seat was not to be
had. finally gave up the idea of going
to any place OF amusement, and crossed
over TO Union Square, with the in
tention of stepping into the Everett
House, and seeing young friend lying |
there sick.
AS l turned Seventeenth street, no.
ticed woman leaning against a tree, /
just outside the square. went on, and |
thought no more of her. But as l re-
turned half an hour later there was the
woman, to all appearances as is she had
never even changed her position. My
curiosity was aroused. entered the
square ahd walked slowly past where
she stood; she neither moved nor looked
up. retraced my steps.
"Why do you stand there on such a
night as this ?'' No answer. "You'll
be wet through. For Gods sake, go
home % The figure moved. The face
was now turned toward me, and I saw
it was that of girl scarcely sixteen
years old. She frowned at me as she
answered, sullenly:
''Ive got no home"
"No home ~
mo"
saw that She had a very pretty face,
in spite of the frowns upon it. urged
her TO tell me who she was, and why
she was without 4 home, and out on
such a night, and alone. Her answers
were evasive and unsatisfactory. More
from her appearance and her tone of
voice than from what she told me, dis
covered that she was an English girl
That she was modest, well-dispOsed
girl never for moment doubted, for /
had never looked into a pair of SEEM
ingly more honest eyes. All that
could CLEAN was that she had been in
this country but three weeks, had no
money, and had been treated rudely at
the place where, until that night, she
had lived, and had left it forever.
Have you no friends ?"
mo"
"What do you intend TO do?'
81 don't know"
After pointing out 10 Der the alterna-
tives of her position-either being sub
jected to insult or having to pass the
night in the station-house-at last she
agreed that / should find her lodging
place. At the same time / suggested
that on the morrow l would see her
again, and then, if she would confide
her history to me, ] would advise and
assist her. / led the way to the humble
abode of my laundress, the best place /
could think of under the circumstances.
At my boarding house "Nobody's Dogn
might have been tolerated for the night,
and "nO questions asked" But l fam
cied the eye of my landlady were to
ask a nights shelter for this poor waif
Reaching our destination I confided the
girl to the care of a poor soul whose
heaviest sin was the thorough demoli-
ton Of my linen in the shortest possi-
bla time. This kind creature, full of
sympathy when my prOtege's brief re-
cital was over, led the shivering girl to
the hre, and promised to share her hum
BILE 2ome with her.
The next morning, after breakfast, /
sought the house where l had left
the girl. My laundress welcomed me
warmly telling me that "the poor cray
thur was III a swate sleep yet, and she'd
no heart to disturb herr Leaving a
message for the girl to the effect that
/ would pass that way in the afternoon,
left. l returned about O'Clock. She
met me with smiling face.
That day she told me her history.
Her mother, poor widow, had year
ago, in England, married second hus-
band. This man had proved a cruel
step-father-when drunk a brutal one.
They lived at Chester. From this place
the step-daughter had escaped TO Liver
pool, had got place as nursery maid to
some children on board of a vessel bound
for America, and had come away almost
pennlless and with scarcely n change of
clothing. Arriving in New York, her
services We're no longer required by the
family she had come out with. vet they
saye her little money. That ex-
uausled, she was homeless. I believed
10y 10y word she uttered-her voice was
b,, beantifa,, her dialect winning, and her
tbral1ad S, uays' time found myself en-
tones by oy the magic Of her looks her
loved her daa.iy tears. In word. I
ont of her 10y, ana could scarcely live
- - Saan IieI presence. In one wasL,: 81.
Sne became my wife, and ,hs "eehs time
OdI pIiuai tour to tlistent ur ieI On
clty-my birth -place-and IT, western
tiers. "no'her and sis
Soon after arriving in nv pat;vo
l noticed growing depressS;ee.e Town
Annals (my wite's) manner. IL IN
her alone for an hour 1 found 10 ielt
tears, which she soon dried at sieIat IN IN
me. Another popularity that I rail- TalIied =,
her upon, although vainiy, was that sSa
would never sit alone in her apartment
but with locked doors, and not tin She
heard my voice, and was convinced that
1t was !, would she be induced TO onen
the door, Again, in the streets of our