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

grounds than those already occupied for
that purpose, hence the lack of that
competition in the hotel business, with
out which any enterprise soon becomes
public nuisance rather than benefit.
Josiah, please look in on Aunt Molly
this morning, there's DEAR" suggested
Alba Carson, after a days absence from
the dying woman's bedside. "Tell her
pII be around this afternoon. I'm sorry
1 couldn't have gone sooner"
Josiah Carson cheerfully obeyed the
request. Going through the disordered
kitchen into the almost equally untidy
bed-chamber, where the villainous
odors of Chinese cookery tainted the
consumptive-laden air, he spied the
head of the family asleep upon the floor,
while the hectic-f1ushed victim of the
fell destroyer was calling feebly for
food for the wailing baby that lay in its
helplessness beside her. Tears were
rolling down the sunken cheeks of the
suffering woman in great beaded drops.
go, 'Siah," she sobbed, "can't you
get some woman TO come in and feed
my poor baby ?n
Josiah Carson's first impulse was to
vigorously kick the PROSTATE family
protector, but a glance revealed that
his condition was drunken stupor, and
so he changed his mind.
The Seabank children were all boys,
except two or three, who would
not remain at home on account of the
hard work, and it was difficult to
make the obtuse Chinaman, who ruled
supremely in the dirty culinary pre-
cinct, understand that the baby must
be fed with diluted cream. But Josiah
would not be baffied. In little while,
clumsy and awkward as he knew him
self to be, the soured nursing-bottle was
cleansed and filled, and the starving
child was fed.
"I tried for ever so long to wake
Ebenezer, but couldn't" said the fee
bic, dying mother. "pm sure I don't
know what's to become of the baby. 1t
would be Lords mercy if it could be
buried with me. Do you think could
have it all to myself in heaven, if it
should die too, Josiah ?'
Poor Mr.. Carson was not accustomed
to thinking much about heaven, much
less was he in the habit. of talking
about spiritual things, but he made the
most of the novel situation, and i'm
parted what consolation he could.
'If there's a just God, ma'am, and
I've notion there is, reckon he'll see
that a mothers child stays with her.
Indeed, there's very few men would
ever be raised in this country if it want
for the protection women gives 'em
when they're babies. If there's no
whisky in the unknown country you'll
be all right, 1 reckon. Your baby's
dozed off to sleep now, ma'am. 'Bia will
come round after dinner. She'll know
what to do better thanI. Hadn't I bet
ter go over and get the Captains wife
to come and straighten up things bit?"
"She won't come, 'Siah. There's no.
body to help a bit but you and 'Bia."
'Pm a mighty poor hand, ma'am.
Women folks are so much neater and
handier-like than men. But I'll do the
best can till 'Bia comes. Now, try to
get some sleep while the baby's euiet.'
"Say, 'Siah," said the woman, anx-
iously, 'please see if everything's going
right about the dinner. Make the
Chinaman put on clean table-cloths,
and see if there's anything lacking. l
tried to get Ebenezer to tend to things,
but there he is"
But for the presence of the feeble
woman Josiah Carson would have done
something decidedly definite with the
head of that family. As it was, he
looked upon him in grunting contempt,
and proceeded to obey Aunt Molly's or
ders, muttering to himself:
"What shame for husband to in.
flict the cares of house like this upon
a dying womanW
After dinner Abba Carson came, as
she had promised, and was surprised tC
note the change that so short time
had wrought in her patient. Indeed
the directions given to Mr.. Carson
about the dining-room were her last
ones. Suddenly she seemed to lose al
hold on life, or all the cares that so long
had shrouded it. The mysteriou;
hands of death were upon her, and hel
sands of life ebbed fast.
"Send for all my children" she whis.
pered, and the order was obeyed.
The saucy girls were summoned, a:
well as the thoughtless troop of boys.
Farewell words were given and ex.
changed, and though no priest was neal
to evoke the tender mereies of the living
God, the worn-out woman's soul went
out into the untried realm of futurity
leaving the face of the clay-cold casket
wreathed in smiles of hope and Joy
suggestive of eternal rest.
Ebenezer Seabank, head of the fam.
lily, and protector of women, grew more
deeply drunken than ever, but the wet
baby, thank God, followed its mother
to the land OF souls, and was buried
upon her bosom amid a wilderness O.
white flowers from Abba Carson's am.
pie garden, and the inhabitants o
| Eaple Cove decided that IL was hettel