The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-12-11

were rapidly pursuing their
winding way along the road leading to
farm.
"Aliss Armstrong, will you not tell me {
just what has happened ?" queried the
doctor as they began the ascent of long
incline, up which the horses were COM
PEELED to proceed slowly.
"It was all my fault % exclaimed
Matte, setting her teeth hard together,
and COMPRISING her white lips as II to
steady her nerves and prevent the tears
from falling.
"How was that, Miss Armstrong ?"
"You'lI hate me if tell you, and l
despise myself myself now, and that is
enough" and the pale lips closed again.
"Mattie," and Amos Harding clutched |
nervously at her bride rein, bringing |
the two steeds very closely together, "do |
you think it possible that ever 7 could
hate you ?"
81 don't know" giving her head de-
fiant toss. "I think it's very probable.
But this is no time to discuss these mat
ters. If Nettie only gets WELL" and the
poor girl burst into tears.
Cant you tell me the particulars ?'
His voice was low and tender, and Mat
tie was re-assured.
"I was very busy. Everything always
goes wrong at our house. know Pm
not capable house-keeper at best, and
we never have anything to do '0ith, you
know. Well, was busy in the kitchen,
sp to my eyes in rusty bacon grease, when
father came in with q great load of
pheasants, and tumbled them in heap
upon the kitchen table. OF course they
were to be plucked and dressed, and do
detest such work. Invent out and called
Nettie to come and help me, and Susie
jumped off the tetering board and let her
fall. If I'd only tried little harder l
might have done all the work myself (;
but was cross and the girls were reck-
less"
They were near the old stone building
now. The frosts of the past few days
had concluded to coquet for a little
; longer time with the autumn sunshine,
; and an evening fog came on, through
which the tallow dips in the dwelling at
? tempted in vain to send sickly glare
: into the outer atmosphere.
= The dogs began to bark as usual, and
the twain alighted amid perfect Pan
demonium of noises.
: a great fire roared in the open chin
ney, and the family were gathered
, around it in unusually silent groups.
: Upon the trundle bed, just as Matte
4 had left her, lay the unfortunate girl
f gasping for breath and taking note o
!, nothing.
o The doctor examined the case will
great care.
$ "She will live" he said finally, risinI
h to his feet and pacing the room slowly
= "She will live, but fear that she will
never regain her senses. Her injuries ar
g of the brain and spine. God pity you
re Miss Matte, and give you strength I
bear this burden. Indeed you have you
1t hands full"
ID "And the last words she ever heard m
is address to her were unkind ones" sh
cried. al called her a tom-boy. Oh
e. Nettie, will you never know me again
ed Will you never be able to forgive yo'
r. impetuous sister ?"
,e- 'Mattie," said Mrs. Armstrong, e.
re hibiting the first faint interest in an.
thing since her illness, "there's som
he thing burning in the kitchen. Won
,ut you see to it?'
OH "Let Suse 60"
10 But Susan had already gone. A sha
scream caused a general rush to {
m kitchen where the bacon grease, Il
,s n upon the range by Matte in the aft
ers noon, had burned into sitting smo
M after the fire for getting supper W
uld kindled, and the range, getting very h,
uit set fire to the smoking grease, maxi
dangerous looking blaze.
cen "Let it burn" said Matte. 'The {
a house won't burn, and we can't put
md fire out. 1t must burn itself out"
she The doors were closed and the adv
led, followed.
on. 1t was late before the semblance
do quiet was instituted in the uncomfor
3 If bic home.
-m- Mrs. Armstrong, who had inspil
some hope in the bosom of her husba
uch and the doctor by her faint show of
?n terest in the possibly-burning buildi
my relapsed into the old apathy, asking
his nothing, caring for nothing.
ked Nettie, poor girl, lay in gasp
ress stupor, and was carried by the doc
ady and Matte from the trundle bed to
'ays bare chamber in the next story, VIII
she she was tenderly tucked away bene
dn't the bed clothes, her torn dress, rag
- stockings and cow-bide brogans be
{ of useful to her nevermore.
Isaac Armstrong seemed stupe
Of it with his many and fast-coming Gala
saw ties. He gazed for while upon
lfort gasping form of his child, and t
It in turned silently away, leaving the do
seen and Matte alone.
''Have you decided to induce J
gets father to send your mother with \
pity garet to the States 81 queried the pL
lan't clan earnestly.
"Pve decided to try to persuade hi
that 20 himself with her and the young G
Iuiet and leave Peg and the rest with mt
peri think we'll do better without the
,use- folks than with them," and Matte
our low over her crippled sister to hide a
that 1COuld fall.