The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-10
Dedication.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE AUTHOR.


Six and half years since Maurice
took possession of his claim, and Ada
and Maurice were sitting in the We
randa, watching the playful acts of two
lovely children, prototypes of their par
ents, who were playing upon the lawn,
delighting pa and ma with their play
ful, artless prattle and innocent pranks.
Maurice, don't you think we ought
to receive a letter from your father this
mail? It's three months since you adj
dressed him, and you requested him so
particularly to come and live with us,
that think he ought to condescend to
write, if he won't honor us with his
presence"
''There goes the post-boy, now. 1
guess Pll ride down to the post office;
it's States mail day, and We'll get an
armful of papers and magazines, if we
don't get letters"
Maurice had sold half of his land, and
the other half was now inclosed by sub
stantial rail fences, behind the most of
which osage-orange was slowly but
surely growing up. An orchard, cover
ing many acres, was loaded with bios
SONS of every variety of fruit common
TO this genial cline. The delicious fra
GRANGE of the beauteous flowers, beaded
with sweet, spring rain-drops, made
Ada almost wish that the fruit would
delay its visit, so that she could longer
enjoy the season of bloom. Instead of
the log cabiniin the glen, snowy-white
house adorned the hillside, peeping out
from a mass of oaken foliage, like a
stately palace from lovely park. The
house was not all thoroughly furnished,
the main luxuries consisting Of carpets
and curtains, but Ada told her friends
rather confidentially that the next fall
crop of fruit would purchase the re-
mainder of the furniture.
"a letter with the Cincinnati post
mark r' she exclaimed, as Maurice
handed her a torn envelope. He still
held the letter in his hand.
"Here, read it, pet," he said, as he
saw that she was-if possible-more
anxious than himself to know the con-
tents.
''That letter is just like the old gen.
tleman. Sounds just like he converses,
when he's pleased" Maurice remarked,
when she had finished.
"Oh, I'm so glad he's coming to Ore
gon! He would have done so long ago,
perhaps, if you had invited him."
~ didn't invite him till I wanted him
to come. He would have scolded me SC
numerically for being so foolish as tc
get married without money, that
really didn't care about seeing him."
''He says he'll be here by the lattel
part of May. Strawberries will then bt
in their prime. Won't we give him oul
wild strawberries with cream this spring
and currant jelly and blackberry pies
this summer, till he's satisfied to live
without pork Pr
"Why, Ada must say you ac
more like girl of fifteen than matror
of twenty-four. And that isn't all
either" he added, patting her cheel
and stealing kiss.
"what now, Mr.. Criticism Let
hear it.n
"Wby, you look more like girl G
seventeen than wife of seven years
You really appear more girlish nov
than when we were married" il'l4
"And you think that stately father @
yours will think me extremely childish
Isn't that it? Come, own up p' she ex
claimed, springing into his lap and re
turning his kiss with an air whic
showed that she was not very seriousl
concerned about his fathers opinion.
mo; 1 didn't think of that But
was thinking that the Doctor woul
think you had been well cared for.''
Haven't been well cared for ?,l,
'T guess So But here come the chi
dren. Flora, come to papa. BY tn
wsy, pet, I heard of Florence Willar