The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-08
CHAPTER XIX.

CHAPTER XIX.
81 guess your pretty milliner has
found something better suited to her
taste than keeping her store, " said Mrs.
Captain Mason to her husband, the har-
Dor commissioner, as the two sat at
breakfast.
"Ahp was the simple reply. Then,
as long silence was likely to follow,
he looked up from his coffee and added,
interrogatively, Anything else ?"
Eyes. Old Moll Seabank is just
about gone. You know she's been fail
ing for a good while. If she dies pll
lay the blame on that chit of milliner,
for if she had stayed with her and done
the work, before she got so low, instead
of going of with you to San Francisco,
spending your money, and making a
fool of both you and 'Siah Carson, that
mother might have been spared to her
children.n
The air of Mrs. Mason as she uttered
this wise and charitable comment and
conclusion was that of an austere and
badly-wronged dignitary, whose per-
sonal injury it was imperatively neces-
sary to impress upon the uncharitable
object of all her suferings.
"Rosa's life is as sweet to her as Aunt
Molly's would be, if not a good deal
more so; and fail to see the justice OF
her sacrificing it upon the altar Of
Ebenezer Seabank's indolence," re-
marked the Captain.
''That's always the way" retorted
the wife. "You're always ready tc
stand up for that forward mink and
'Bia Carson. Pity but one of them
could have been your wife,
"What have been saying about Mrs
Carson to start you harping upon that
string ?" queried the husband, helping
himself to steaming stack of tempting
hot cakes.
'Nothing, sir. You're very careful
Of late to say just as little about her in
my presence as possible. But you
needn't think to fool me. You'd be q
happier man if you had her, or that
counterpart of hers, for wife than you
are now. I know a thing or two"
"Indeed, my amiable darling, you
make yourself so charmingly fascinat-
ing in my eyes that it would be impos-
sible for me to fancy anybody else ri
said the usually taciturn husband
"You are always smiling and humoring
me, my pet" he continued, with 8
grin. 'You trust me so utterly that
would be very migrate did I fail tc
fully appreciate your many excellent
and amiable qualities. Indeed, the deer
affection, the confiding gentleness, the
failure to upbraid me with unjust sus.
picions-in short, the generally affec.
tlonate, wifely exhibitions of your feel.
ings toward me are so taking, my dear
that it wouldn't be considered possible
by any other than a jealous expert, like
yourself, for me to waver in my loyalty
to you for even one delusive moment
If such confding devotion as yours can.
not command the entire conjugal fealty
of a reasonable man, God pity thepool
devil who has suspicious WIFE"
''There it goes v exclaimed the wife
hysterically. "You spent ever so mucl
money on that unknown woman 10
nobody knows anything about her
when you went to the city-enough t,
have sent me on visit to my mother
You know you did p
'Do you think, madam" said tn
Captain, speaking with considerabl
exhibition of temper, "that Rosa LIE
would take your money or mine, S
long as she is able to maintain herself 81
"Of course she wouldu'
''Then you wrong her, madam.
would not dare to offer her money, o
anything else that would lay her liabl
to the humiliating consciousness tina
she was under any special obligation t,
me. If you want to visit your mother
madam, the money is at your disposal
You may go as soon as you please, ant
remain as long as you like"
"Of course! of course!" retorted tn
woman, petulantly. "You'd be very
glad to get me out of the way, no doubt
But you'll miss it! I won't go. Catcl
me giving you over to the wiles of tw,
such women as the Lee and Carson. I
you do go to ruin, Captain Mason
mark you, say, if you do, it shan't b
my faultP'
Captain Mason had by this time fin
ished his well-prepared but unsatisfae
tory repast, and rising from the table
without deigning further reply, he shu
the back door after him with bang
and sauntered down the street, picking
his teeth and resolutely resigning him
self to the fate in store for any husbanr
Of weak-minded, tyrannical wife.
Everything was in confusion at th
Sailors Rest. The recent indispositiol
Of Rosa Lee had for several days pre-
vented the usual attentions of Abba Car
son at the crowded hotel, and Aun
Molly Seabank's condition require,
nursing which her lawful protecto
could not or would not give, and tn
poor woman lay in the. death-chamber
suffering for the commonest little office
of kindness, while her children grey