The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-22

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"Mrs. Hill, Peggle, do you know me ?''
The invalid had momentarily swak-
ened from the death lethargy, and was
gazing with a mothers fondness upon
her babe.
"Oh, Hubert Munson p' she gasped,
as he took her hand. "Have you come
to see me die? little thought when I
saw you last, that in this time I would
be as you see me now. Silas says you
are married. Oh, Hubert take care of
your wife, for a life of suffering is before
her at best"
She stopped exha usted, and Hubert,
no longer able to bear the scene without
tears, turned silently away. He said
but little during the forenoon's ride.
Occasionally, when Effie in her winning
way would ride close by his side and
utter some epdearing word, he would
press her hand and say something
equally affectionate, but his thonghts
were with that morning scene, and
when he looked at his rosy-cheeked
darling, fair as the fairest lily, and
blushing as the fairest rose, fancy would
picture her in that dying mothers
place.
Marriage is something very import
ant, dearie. 1 used to boast that ladies
thought fifty times Of matrimony where
it once entered the heads of men, but
don't blame them SO much for it now.
There is risk to run when an independ-
ent creature trusts herself, happiness,
life, love, everything, in the power of a
husband, that few consider properly"
Herbert and Florence rode ahead,
gaily and happily, as they felt. As
they had not seen the dying woman,
they had no lasting serious thoughts
about her.
81 wonder if that is Farmer Gray's
house ?" said Herbert.
'T presume it is; the house looks just
like himself and family. I wonder if
Polly's boys will have clean faces ?"
1--WE had better wait here for Hubert
and Effie. They are as steady as clock
work" Hubert said, as they refined up
under huge fir-tree, out of sight of the
house. They were soon overtaken.
"Wbat are you waiting for, brother ?"
'For Birdie and her cavalier. Here
is Farmer Gray's house, I am certain"
"How do you know it is?"
'Don't you see that old-fashioned
well-sweep, and hear the spinning
wheel ?"
"It does look decidedly Grayish. If
we are not near there, we ought to be,
for am very tired"
They'll hear us talking" said Flor
ence, in a warning tone.
They dashed up to the door in Orego-
nian style, and found, as they had con-
jectured, the abode of their rustic friends,
who had been expecting them for an
hour.
"Well, Ia bless us Efie, your cheeks
look almost too rosy. IdOn't b'lieve ye
can stand the fatigue of twenty mile
ride like 'Erbert's wife can," said Mrs.
Gray, patting her flushed cheeks and
loosing her hat and riding-habit.
81 feel very tired, but hope to get
used to such rides before long. I lived
in the city too long. We never thought
of riding over four or five miles there.
have severe headache" ..s--
Mrs. Gray begged her to lie down, and
she reluctantly consented to go up stairs
and try to sleep. Hubert saw her
safely ensconced in Charlie Graves bed
room. 'Now, pet, when you have
slept an hour, you may get up. But you
must rest while that headache lasts.
Are you subject to such attacks ?"
Eyes; have been ever since lived
at your fathers. I believe caught it
from the constant inhalation of camphor
and ammonia"
'I wish 1 had removed you from there
before went abroad"
"Don't reproach yonrself for it, dear.
i'm be better presently" He kissed
her fevered cheek and went below.
A substantial dinner was served in
the kitchen, to which the visitors did
ample justice.
Florence soon became well ac-
quainted with the family, and her
inspiriting conversation speedily en-
gagged the admiration. of her host and
hostess, though they had declared upon
the wedding day that she was "too
proud too notice common folks, an ep-
tibet which, in Mrs. Gray ay'simagination,
implied much that was bad. ai .---.
pWhy don't you have honeysuckles,
wild roses, and morning -glories growing
around your house, Mrs. Gray ?" she
asked, as they were inspecting the vari-
Gus improvements of the door-ysrd and
its vicinity. 81.
"Joseph says that shade'u rot the
house down. was the reply. 31
T guess won't have yenoyinesa Fuininl
Of my house. There's Maurice; he's q
pretty smart felIer in some things, but
he exposed a tender spot in his head
when he sold off half his land to build q
fiue house; that's failin' number one.
Then them oak trees an vines'n rot ii
down in fifteen years, unless he paints
1t over every other summer. You don't
catch me sellin' land to pay for a fine
house, nor don't intend to have this one