The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-06-12

I down 10 read.
"But you told me this morning you
would go to-day?"
care you, then, so anxious to get rid
of ma?"
Amie's fdce took on yet deeper hue
''I cannot tell you all about 1t here.
Well take little walk after the work
is done, if you are willing, and then I'll
fully explain"
"Amie, dear"
"What, mother?"
"Come TO me, won't you, darling ?"
Annie was bending over her mother
In an instant.
"You don't intend to leave me, do
you, dRughter?"
"Mother, what a question Why do
you ask it,"
because, last night, dreamed that
when l put my arms out, like this, to
clasp you, you vanished, and / could
see q pair of blue eyes looking down into
your black ones, and / thought they
were serpents eyes, and that my pet
had been charmed away from me-"
'You don't expect to keep me always,
do you, mother ?"
"Oh, no r' walled the mother, despair
ingly, "bQt have nothing else to cling
to but YOU"
"Well, cling on, mother, do; assure
you that you're in no danger Of losing
me. shall never leave you without
your consent"
The visitor listened and bit his lip
sullenly. "What does that silly woman
want to keep that pretty girl here for ?"
he queried, inwardly.
All, Melvin Hastings! for what, in
deed, except to save her from fate
akin to her own in bodily and mental
: suffering? What wonder that mothers
to whom marriage has never been any
thing but q curse should shrink with
unutterable horror at the thought that
their children shall follow in the same
submissive, suffering track? A mother
, whose married life has been well-mixed
with rays of conjugal sunshine never
has this morbid fear lest her daughters
, shall walk in her footsteps.
Fan and Sue, who had gathered an
inkling of love affair which they were
in no way disposed to countenance,
made every pretext possible for detain-
ing Annie in doors, so she might not
have time FOR the coveted and promised
, walk.
, ar father knew it, he'd baste the life
out o. you," said Sue.
"Tm of age, you will please remem-
Der, and il he ever dares to strike me
again, rll try what virtue there is in &
, court of justice" and Amie's black eyes
, flashed keen defiance.
e The boys had betaken themselves tC
the woods to brood ever their fathers
cruelty and form plans for thwarting
him in the future.
q "If father would be steady and do al
8 he could himself, wouldn't mind do
Q ing my best" said Henry. "But h'
puts tasks upon me that no hired maj
n that's ever been on the farm could accom-
f plish in the time he gives me to d.
= them, and then when l fail il-curs,
;. him ="
- "Stop, Hen" interrupted Jim, "yol
e mustn't curse our father. Remembe
e how it would hurt mother. Do yoI
2, know, believe mothers going to die
''Then she'd get out O. John Lee
n clutches, that's one comfort! Ever.
blow he gave me to-day hurt her wors
n than me, and for her sake l wouldn't q
d yelled if the old devil had killed me
Yes, Jim, l wish she was now shininI
Is angell Iknow she's booked for Heaven
is sure, for she's been q saint and a marty
e ali her days. / think Death is splendi
el when he can cheat devil like John lie
It Of a saintlike mother"
er Amie's last household duty bein
er over, she gave her mother q partin
caress and started with Melvin Hssting
,e for the promised walk. Their pat
D, wound down the hillside and across
l. rivulet upon whose shaded banks tn
wild birds cooed and twittered. Seatin
1t herself among the tangled ferns by th
d wayside, Annie said, 'T'm too tired
n walk, and 1 can't leave mother but
Is little while, so let's talk rapidly"
20 81 am all attention" dropping on on
lie knee beside her and looking sadly int
her face.
Of But Annie did not find it so easy
,e talk as she had imagined. Droppin
,e her eyes to the ground, as he knelt theI
lie looking into them earnestly, she rea
Ie lied that the situation was trying on
n, az wish you had never come TO OF
Id house." she said, at last. "I'm sorr
er that l ever saw you"
u THAT is very poor compliment
OF my mind and manners, Miss Lee. Blu
us may ask why you are sorry ?n
Because you belong to the grea
Is outside world which can never be AM
oil thing to me but dream.n
re "But have the power to make thu
dream a reality, il you will but let me.
"How ?"
ar The question came so suddenly |
Tor was nonplussed. He did not intend
make proffer Of marriage direc
tie Though deeply Interested in the gil
her heart was all he wanted; her har
ls, would compromise him socially, ]
a matter how devoted she might be as
ng wife, or how deeply he might love h
: as such.
We The black eyes looked wondering
into his as he hesitated