The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-08-21

ing my own way about mine" persisted
Alice.
"Bert is as stupid as an owl, or he
wouldn't look at you when you slight
his wishes SO persistently," said May.
whoever said he trdsn'f stupid 81
sI give II up,r May answered, with \
laugh.
81 don't think you have much room
for boasting, Miss Nay retorted Alice.
'If had made up with Bob Green of
my own accord because he had fallen
heir to little money, I'd feel a good
deal worse than / do now, when about
TO be compelled to marry Bert O'ToO-
dies because his father and mine possess
divided interests which they insaneIy
expect to unite by making unmatable
Matches"
"Well," said May, picking a rose ger
anfum to pieces as she talked, ''irs too
late to mend matters if we don't like
'em. Net O'Toodles has hated me ever
since 1 captivated Mr.. Green"
"Mr. Green! BAH" replied Alice,
contemptuously. "Before that old
mizer uncle died in rags and squalor,
leaving him bag full of greasy bank
notes, you never called him anything
but Bob, the impudent boor.'"
"And you invariably spoke of Bert
O'Toodles as the 'conceited simpleton."
"Have changed my mind ?"
"Tm sure / don't know"
"Iknow"
"Have you?"
mo; and what is more, never ex-
pect to change"
"Girls girls. am ashamed of your
said the mother, excitedly. "You may
search the world over, and never find
perfect man. I know it is customary
and quite natural for girls to build up
matrimonial ideals. Nobody ever had
brighter dreams than / had once. But
they're all dissipated. Yet your father
is a good man as men go. He has his
failings, and they used to give me great
troublei but I've got used to them.
Perfect women are not so plenty that
we need stipulate for perfect me-"
"But you loved my father when you
married him." said Alice, "and what
ever your disappointments may have
been, you at least had the satisfaction of
knowing that he was par excellence, the
man of your choice"
''Very true, my child; but soon
found that he cared very little about
love. He said affection was sentiment
tai nonsense, and married people must
not live on moonshine. 1t once hurt
me, but Pve got used to it, as | said.
am only sorry 1 ever expected anything
different. It's such bitter disappoint-
ment to find that the man you dreamed
of as perfection is only common clay like
other mortals."
"Mother, listen TO mel" said Alice,
imperiously. ''The ides of September
will soon be upon us, and then, you and
my father have decided, and Bert
O'Toodles has consented, that I am to
become party to a match which will
possibly accelerate the great financial
schemes of others and ourselves. You
have left me very little choice in the
matter. Bert hasn't cared single
straw for my opinion, and you and
father evidently rejoice in seeing me
inundated upon the altar of mammon." J"
Daughter, don't talk so! You
would make your father terribly angry
if he should hear you"
81 wish he'd come! I'd give him &
chance to hear me, that's certain"
"Was it me that you wanted 2'' que
ried Mr.. Hastings, as he entered the IL
brary and disposed of his tobacco-per
lumed and champagne-be-bloated body
within the depths of a luxurious easy
chair.
"I'm glad you have come, Mr.. Hast
ings," said the mother. "Alice, viii
you talk before your father as you have
just been talking to me?"
'I was just remarking, sir, that Ber
doesn't care a cent for me, nor for him
He's a conceited coxcomb, parts hi
hair in the middle, sips champagne
aud simpers is Il possible p and II iron
der" whenever you say anything, ne
matter what. Don't you hope you
, grandchildren will resemble the father
: you have chosen for them ?''
, "Fie Al, for shame ~ said May.
CHOW terribly you talk ~ exclaime,
the mother.
80, it's terrible and shameful to speaI
these things, but its sensible and prope
!, and respectable and all that to act them
is it ?"
"Alice, my daughter, what has com
over you ?" asked the father, sternly.
"a fit of rebellious common sense,
4 was the instant reply.
, 'fYou don't mean to act the fool now
r by breaking of that match which is i
I every way so desirable; 1 know yo
, don't. l admit that I've seen hand
: somer and more intellectual boys tina
Bert, but he's a good-hearted fellow
and able to do a good part by you. Hi
father will settle ten thousand yea
, upon him as soon as he's married"
} ''Then he'd better marry some poo
. girl who needs the money"
"What have you got in the way {
riches, you vixen, except as it is give
1 you?"
s ''Do you consider me a pduper, sir?
"What else in thunder are you ?"
|. Mr.. Hastings invariably evoked tn