The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-03-20
CHAPTER XVI.

NEW SCENES AID SKw rERPLExIrlEs.
SO Judith departed from Fort X ell
logg, tall, handsome girl, Of seventeen
and half years, decently IL not richly
dressed, with frank and simple manners,
not lacking in dignity, but just dashed
with the indeeision of conscious mex
perienee. Her worldly wealth was all
contained in leather purse she carried
about her person; and her personal prop
erty in small wooden chest which had
belonged to her in childhood.
Copious were the tears she shed at
parting from her friends, and many the
kind words and good wishes she carried
away with her. The long road before
heriaeked even the charm Of novelty, this
being the third time inher short life she
had been compelled to measure its
weary length. All these things eonsid-
cred, she maintained a brave deport-
ment, Notwithstanding the tears.
Neither J. nor the reader, care to fol-
low Judith very closely upon this tedi-
Gus journey. We know what staging
through a desert country is-the sparse
settlement, the dre&ry stations" the
heat and dust, and anxiety about every
kind of danger, the fatigue and thirst
we remember these things distinctly.
Even the company one is compelled 10
endure may be among our afIiictions.
But in this respect Judith was fortunate.
A lady and gentleman form Tucson were
already in the stage, and at Prescott
gentleman going to San Francisco to
bring out his family, took the unoccu-
pied place beside Judith. It was i'm
possible, of course, that a girl of Judith's
appearance should remain unnotieed
even for an hour, and it consequently
fell out that in spite of her wish to avoid
observation, her name and history be-
came known, which is equivalent to
saying that she Immediately secured
three ympathizing friends, for the jour |
ne y at least.
The Tucson lady proved Of great use
to Judith, insomuch as she became
chaperonc in place of Mrs. Kellogg, in |
viting her to stop Off at San Bernardino,
and again at Gilroy, to rest and refresh
themselves, and also taking her in a
carriage to the house of Mrs. Brazee in /
San Francisco, where Mrs. Stewart had
directed her TO go, and who was prepared
by the letter of Introduction forwarded
from Gilroy. Thus the thousand and
one difficulties which she had feared to
encounter alone, were happily overcome
by the fortunate presence of a woman
who recognized her duty and performed
it.
Mrs. Brazee, of No. - s. street, was
a large, fair, matronly woman, whose
silvery hair gave evidence Of having
been prematurely deprived Ofits once ra-
ven hue. It's puffs and curls were singu-
larly becoming to the fresh countenance
beneath, relieved as it was by finely
penciled black eyebrows, and dash of
healthy color in her cheek. The prom
inent, though not too acquiline nose,
gave character to the face, whose gen.
eral expression was one Of pride, and
love Of dominion, yet whose under-tone,
if we might so express it, was a foolish
vanity. Well-dressed, gracious in her
manners when it pleased her TO be so,
she was that sort Of person to whom So
ciety defers, and Of whom her immedi-
ate family, while yielding TO her wishes,
say cutting things in private.
When Judith, having been conducted
to her room to dress for dinuer-her din
ner-dress being that detestable old
black silk the wearing of which was
such trial to her-confronted this ma
jestic impersonation of fashion, under
the brilliant light of q full chandelier of
gas, and surrounded by every elegant
appliance of use or ornament whose ex-
istence had hitherto been unknown to
her, it is not surprising that for the first
quarter of an hour she felt, as she her
self would have expressed it, "very
much demoralized." Yet as her eve
grew accustomed to the briliancy and
color of her surroundings, and some
what also to the face of her hostess, heI
selEpossession returned, and she began
to discriminate and admire.
When Mrs. Brace had asked a few
polite questions about the journey AND
her friend Mrs. Stewart, dinner was an
nouced, and in the dining-room judith
was introduced TO Judge Brazee, and {
couple Of nice-looking boys, scions of the
house Of Brazee, with whom she became
intimate almost Immediately, through
answering so many Of their questions
about Arizona, military posts, and In.
dians. This happy curiosity of the bows
relieved the conversation of the stiffnes:
which among people not acquainted
nor assured of each others tastes or feel.
ings, make first evening together Sc
very fatiguing.
"Who came up with you from Pres.
colt ?" asked Judge Brace.
"Judge Talcott," answered Judith
"Oh, did he ? must call upon hin, 70
morrow. How is my old friend, Docto
Stewart ?'' And Judith gave an accom-
of the Stewarts.
And so on through the evening. n,
one, except the boys, asked Judith oues
tions about herself, and they wer