The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-20

there was no alternative but to ask the
stranger into the sitting-room and in
troduce him to her faded step-mother
and the crying children.
Mr.. Harding tried to appear at ease,
but made very unsuccessful attempt
to do so. Indeed, the fact that Mattie's
visitors were never welcome, seemed
to have engrafted itself upon the very
atmosphere.
/" called great boy from the
kitchen, as he opened the door just wide
enough to admit his nose and mouth,
''father's coming and will want his sup
per Come right out here now, and go
/ to work 90
''Excuse me-" said Matte, looking
troubled. Mother, am compelled to
trespass little upon your hospitality
this evening. Will you be kind enough
to entertain Mr.. Harding till / return
from the kitchen ?"
"Youire such gracious girl and 50
kind to little Fred, that feel under
great obligation to entertain your COM
] BtAh9f was bAAN OhAb
ats of no consequence, assure you,
Miss Armstrong" said Mr.. Harding, bow
ing and turning very red in the face, while
Matte retreated to the kitchen with
flashing eyes and indignant heart-throbs,
muttering vengeance upon her step
mother, and rustling around among
dishes and Kettles in a manner highly
suggestive of prospective accidents TO
crockery and food.
"Get out from under my feet, a dozen
or twenty of you ~ she exclaimed, as
the younger boys Of the first family Of
Armstrong; stood over the range, en-
gagged in popping corn.
"Mat's on her high horse tonight,
because she's got beau 2" exclaimed
John, a lad Of sixteen, as he applied the
crash towel that hung on q roller behind
the door to his bronzed face and hands,
leaving the marks of his substantial rub
bings upon the rough surface Of the
towel in broad, dirty, half-wet patch,
which was left to dry slowly for the
agreeable use of the next applicant.
Matte took no notice of the young
ster's taunt Indeed, she knew him
well enough TO be aware that the only
way to exhaust his ill-natured and yet
playful resources in that line was by re-
fusing to supply him with fuel upon
which to feed them.
Supper was prepared in a reckless
hurry.
To Mattie's dismay, the step-mother,
who had until lately accepted her lot in
all meekness, but had suddenly turned,
at last, like prosecuted worm, to
wreak whatever of annoyance she might
upon those who had long oppressed her,
invited Mr.. Harding out to supper with
out giving any sort of previous warning
to Matte.
} The table-cloth was askew and dirty,
the victuals half cooked and served in a
disorderly manner the children were
ravenous and clamorous; Isaac Arm
! strong, the head of the family, was
morose and sullen Matte was humili-
ated, and the supper was failure.
''Not a very inviting prospect" )" solilO-
: quized the visitor. "I see but little
promise of happiness in seeking out
{ materials to build home from such 6
{ mass of crooked timber as find here
But Miss Armstrong is superbly beauti
e ful. She'd make a perfect queen o
( home, If she were only properly re
s strained and cultivated. But the query
is, who'll dare to undertake the job
: To bring order out of such a chaos o
b confusion as this family affords, would
d be missionary work for a regiment o
s men with more of the heavenly grace
s than possess"
e It was well for Matte Armstrong
If temper that she did not understand he
e visitors soliloquy. She would hav,
II been very ungracious with him if sh
: had.
The children-boys and girls alike
Il were excessively rude and noisy.
n Isaac Armstrong, who had been ab
# sent, as was his wont, for days together
y negotiating bargains in blooded stock
> had come home very unexpectedly, ant
! the youngest boy of family number on
was compelled to yield his seat at tabl
which he did after much grumbling
taking his plate to the kitchen flool
= where he reveled in gravy and molasses
= until the floor, his face and person wer
alike besmeared with oily sweetness.
= = The head of the family grunted obe
: sance to Mr.. Harding, clucked to th
- - baby, pitied Fred's fingers, kicked q do
= because it ventured upon terms Of to
great familiarity from under the tabl'
asked about the brindle COW that Wa
ailing when he left, and the belled ew
q that had recently had twin lambs, bT
=" he took no more notice of Mrs. Arn
- strong number two than if she had bee
III an automaton.
90 Evidently Mrs. Armstrong was we
W broken, for she did not appear to motto
IA the slight. Indeed, she was like th
ne Irishman's famous horse, getting used |
IN privation, and dying daily under h
in discipline.
10 "Would you not like to take wall
'n Miss Armstrong ?" queried her visito
y, when the unsocial meal was finishe,
On ''The moonlight is beautiful, and ha,
ed a great desire to view the river an
er valley from yonder ridge by Lun,
Ok light"
81 should dearly love to go, sir, bl
u the dishes are to wash and the cows
g. milk. 1t will be late before my work