The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-12-17


nestly claimed by the child; but she
would not have admitted it, even to her
self, if she had stopped to question her
own thoughts; yet she frequently caught
herself looking for aid and impatiently
expecting it, upon the strength of
Madge's declarations, in spite of her
better judgment.
"If there's such thing as an answer
to prayer, we'll have help" she whis-
pered, to herself 'Though I can't ex-
actly say I've prayed in faith, nothing
doubting,' yet I've agonized before the
Lord continually. Surely We are of
more value than many sparrows, and
yet not sparrow falls to the ground
without His care"
The work of the camp in the con-
stantly-falling rain was anything but
agreeable, and Mrs. Morrison was far
from strong. But, as the hours of the
weary day rolled on, and her work grew
more and more burdensome, and her
husband ceased his acute cries of dis
tress, as though too far gone to suffer
more; and as night, without a moon,
settled upon them and no succor came,
the faith in her own prayers and the
singular sightseeing of Madge alike
vanished, and the weary woman was
almost ready to curse God and die.
"We'll have splendid lot of shakes, ,"
said Madge, coming in from the woods
at night, with Sam and Harry, the
three begrimed with SCOT and pitch
from head to foot, and looking like
literal children of the wildwood.
"The tree is burning beautiful" said
Harry.
SIT draws fast, like race-horses, and
roars, like the aOindr' shouted Sam.
"Sh-se-seW whispered the mother
| "dOn't you know your father is getting
! worse ?"
2 What to do, with such a family ot
r children, herself as dependent as any o.
/ them, her husband dangerously Grip.
: pied, and no human habitation within
: fifty miles, was indeed a puzzling prob,
lem.
r "Fatherll soon be all right. SEE
'em coming" declared Madge, as she
2 shut her eyes, with that peculiar, ab
sent air which her mother so Otter
e shuddered to contemplate.
] "I'll not stand it much longer" sale
S Mark Morrison, trying to rise upon hi
2 litter, only to fall back in worse agon!
than before, because of the wrench h,
e had given his broken limb.
/ "You won't have to-" said Madge.
e Night could not well have closed he
] misty, drizzling drapery over gloomie
: scene. Candles the family had not, an,
the salt bacon grease that emitted
8 flickering, sickeuing- -odored light, b.
o the aid of calico wick, from an oil
o rusty tin cup, was only sufficient t
e make the darkness and discomfor
dimly and desolately visible.
The deep religious faith of Name.
e Morrison was undergoing a severe OF
!, deal. What wonder, as the darknes
e closed around her, and the tired chill
e dren crept into the wagon to sleeE
a leaving her alone with her sufferin
and disabled charge, upon whom sh
r had for years depended in her Owl
= weakness-what wonder that faith an
a hope alike forsook her?
1t is very easy for the well-fed an
y prosperous to profess and really posses
u the sublimest and supposed-to-be holi
est truth in heavenly promises. But
/. when despair takes possession Of hu
man senses because of the force of ad
verse human surroundings, shall we nc
hope that the All Merciful will loo
with many degrees of allowance upo
the heart that sometimes wavereth be
+" cause it cannot help it?
'I shouldn't mind leaving you an
2, the chicks, Nancy, if 1 only had yO
we'll provided for" said the sick mar
h rousing momentarily from his stupor.
"Don't worry about US, dear Mark,
o was the woman's heroic answer, a
though hope lay dead in her bosom
and despair alone remained, stickin
" closer than brother.
"This is bound to be great countr
some day, Nancy" continued Marl
a "All it needs is people. You better jus
stop here. Madge sees people a-comint
80 with her eyes shut, and know they
lie be here. Don't worry. You'll get a
the help you need to bury this broke
- body. Pm nearing the narrows, an
pIl soon be home"
Mrs. Morrison could not trust herse
er to speak. Bending over the rude lite
le she imprinted fervent kiss upon h
pit white forehead, and muttered some
the endearing words which the husban
Ell had not heard for many year, bl
ye which had filled his heart with a GLOW
as ing fullness in the days of their wooinI
II and had never been forgotten, althoug
K for so long a time they had not bee
resurrected by either of them.
g. ITO be continued
No doubt that work is a luxury, an