The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-07-10
CHAPTER VII

routine OF everyday existence settled /
itself upon the family Of the Lees.
Poverty, harder and more grinding
than they had ever known, was forcing |
It's bitter presence upon them and re-
minding them Of its power in every
conceivable way.
If Annie could have had the oppor-
tunity to use her Judgment and intui-
tion in administering upon the estate,
she might have disposed Of sufficient
property to pay the deceased protectors
liquor bills, and been enabled TO keep q
little spot that might have been home.
But the lar in its majesty took pos
session Of the business and administered
upon the estate according to 'prece-
dent" and the property went to the
highest bidder, under the hammer.
Barely enough was realized from the ef-
fects TO pay the funeral expenses and
liquor bills Of the deceased after admins
traitors lawyers clerks and judges fees
had been secured; and when spring
came, Annie and Henry found them
selves minus a home, and encumbered
with large family Of helpless orphans
for whom the beneficent laws Of the
land had made no adequate provision.
The principal proprietor Of one Of the
Shysterville saloons had bought the
farm at very low figure. In fact, he
congratulated himself, and copiously
Teate1 his chums upon the strength of
the good bargain he had made, and,
with q spirit of liberality for which that
class Of men are everywhere remarka-
bic, he generously offered to rent the
place and its appurtenences to the
orphans for a certain stipend, provided
the black stumps and dead trees were to
be removed from the clearing around
the house, within a given time, as a
gratuity.
Henry shrugged his shoulders and
looked ruefully at the last half-extracted
root of great hollow stump, that Annie
had often mentally compared to the de-
cayed and blackened molars in her
deceased fathers mouth.
"Blast me If I'll ever dig stun.ps for a
liuiyr, to say nothing OF upendin' EN- for
fun" said Henry, savagely.
"But I'm sure can't see what is left
for you to do, brother"
''T see," was the emphatic answer
''We'll 60 to the city"
"But you might just as well say vel
fly to the moon. How are we to gel
there? And how would we live If We
should get there?n
t'It couldn't be any worse than it il
here. We might starve among these
stumps if we didn't keep rootin'. The
police force would feed US in the city i
we couldn't do better than to be va.
grants"
AS the new proprietor Of the farm wa,
desirous Of securing a steady tenant, tn,
orphaned family was given the usua
ten days notice to vacate the premises
"What a glorious thing it is to live il
a free country ~ said Annie, stamping
her foot ssvagely. "The equal protec
tion Of the laws is such an advantage t
women and children, Don't l wish
were a man?'
"Why, Sis ." was Henry's interroga
tory. He had taken to asking the why
and wherefOres of many of her thought
of late
because ! feel like an eagle chained
! can think Of hundred things nigh
do, only it isn't proper for woman t
do them. But who is TO earn a liveli
hood for this family II my hands are Z
be tied, wonder ?"
The baby needed her attention, an
she left the room with him in tears.
"Tll go TO Portsmouth, and see
something can't be DONE" said Henry
"Let me 90 too" pleaded James.
"No," replied his brother, "the girl
can't get along without you. I'll g
first, and see if can get you somethin
to do"
''Pay if we can't get along withor
Jinln' said Fanny. "About all he'll d
will be to keep potatoes from bein
wasted"
"a weighty consideration, owing
their price-two bitsa a bushel!" laughe
Henry.
"Well, it's settled" said Annie, T
turning 10 the room with her pun,
fretful charge. "Henry must go to Il
city and hunt us some sort Of place Z
shelter. He can get a situation wit
his friends, and the rest of us must FL
something to do"
''But, Sis, you've no idea how bad
place the city is for handsome girl iii
you"
Don't you suppose 1 can take care
myself?"
"But there are so many bad men
the city"
"Hou proposed the city first, remeu
Der. But aren't men our natural pr
tectors' Why shouldn't they tai
care of us ?'
Because they looR't, that's all.u
"But they shall, Henry. They NAL
the laws and handle the cash, and co
troll it, and intend to see to it that "
their wards, are provided for, I assn
you"
"But they'll insult you, and insinus
horrible things. I've seen 'em. A pc