The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-08-28
CHAPTER XIV.


CHAPTER XIV.
Great was the CONSERVATION In the
Hastings family when Alice not only
failed to make her appearance at break
fast, but was nowhere to be found about
the house. Her room had been care
fully arranged, the bed, If used at all,
had been neatly made up, aud every
thing evidently put in loving order by
the missing one, who had shed many
tears over the thought of parting from
her beautiful surroundings, as well as
from her mothers and sisters whom she
so dearly loved.
The family was vigorously questioned,
but to little purpose.
What If she has disguised herself as
sailor and shipped on the sailing-ves-
sci Outward Bound ," queried May.
The father caught the idea and dis
patched a messenger TO the docks TO
lind that The vessel in question had been
loosed from her moorings in the night,
and was now well out toward the sea in
cud~Se OI tug ana pilot
a little steamer that lay idle at the
wharf was chartered, manned, and sent
in hot pursuit, but the unwieldy sailor
soon found its way into heavy waters,
where the lighter dare not follow, and
the disappointed father returned at
nightfall to his weeping family, feeling
that his gilded home had been indeed
left to him desolate
"Did Alice say anything that led you
to believe she would ship before the
mast ?" he asked, sternly, of Nay, as
they gathered for the evening meal.
"She said she'd rather be sailor and
climb masts, and pick oakum, and han
die mops and slush buckets, than marry
Bert O'Toodles that's alln' said May, so
badly frightened that she did not dare TO
speak the truth
How often parents drive their chill
dren to falsehood
"TeU the truth, nOlC ni commands the
father or mother, who, from being
physically stronger, holds the child at
great disadvantage, and yet the tone of
command carries a threat with it which
the child, if but few years OF age, un-
derstands enough to mean, "And il the
truth isn't what want it to be, you'll
get whipped within an inch OF your
life ~ Many a less timid girl than May
Hastings has been compelled to prevar-
icate in this way to avoid the punish
ment that would inevitably follow the
truth; and many a boy has ended his
career on the gallows, whose first i'm
moral act might be traced to some such
unwise exhibition of parental authority
as this.
But, forgive us, reader. We know
you are impatient to get on with the
story, and, to be candid with you, We
are glad you are.
Business cares pressed heavily upon
the brain and heart of Annie Lee. Her
brother James, who had sworn in his
boyish zeal a few months previous that
be would dick any fellow out OF his
boots that should dare impose upon
her." became an intOlerable imposition
himself. The boy had Inherited his
fathers taste for bad company. And as
all well-regulated cities boast plenty of
enticing dead-falls, with which TO lure
such boys to ruin, he found continual
means to feed and foster his vitiated in
ellnations. He gradually became the
heaviest burden of expense which Annie
was compelled to sustain, and once,
only, in sheer necessity, did she permit
him 10 remain for ten days in prison,
because she could not afford to pay the
fine imposed upon her by the majesty Of
the law. For divers OF the protecting
sex, under the power of other legal in
stitutions than prisons, would continu-
ally sell liquor to make her unfortunate
brother drunk, and the demands upon
her liberality were very frequent.
Things were in this unsettled condi-
tion one morning, with another months
rent falling due, when Annie arose with
the dawn and availed herself Of an
hour when the other members of the
household were asleep, to grspple des-
perately with ledger and inventory and
trial balance.
The first rays OF the morning sun had
darted themselves through the Not
tingham curtains where hung an attrac-
tive display Of tasteful millinery, when
a Sister Of Charity entered the store and
asked permission to see some choice Sc
Iections Of white flowers. Annie dropped
her figuring 10 attend to the demands ol
her customer, who, after causing her &c
handle every box on the shelves, de-
cided not 10 "make any purchase just
now"
\ shade OF anxiety and disappoint-
ment crossed Amie's face, which the
Sister noticed, and kindly inquired its
cause
80, nothing" was the impatient an
swer. II am very busy and very much
perplexed. My business does not 90 to
suit me-"
The Sister leaned forward and whis-
pered, "Are we alone ."
Yes; but why do you want TO know
whether we're alone or not ?p
because I want a friend. DO vou
recognize me ?"
81 believe not" said Annie, speaking
slowly, as If striving to collect her
thoughts, II think I must have met