The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-11-12

me strength, my God"
Overcome by anxiety and WEAKNESS,
she sought the couch and sank at last
into fitfuf slumber between the Sleep
ing babes. AS she slept, she seemed in
reality to be more vividly awake than
ever before. She visited the home of
Aunt Molly Seabank, and was carried
back through the many weary years
when the protected and supported wife
of the head of the family at the Sailors
Rest had borne the double burdens of
maternity and bread-winning, until at
last she had sank under the load and
laid herself away in the death-sleep.
while her children resped the bitter re-
ward of her constant everlasting in
sickly bodies and dwarfed mentality, to
to be deprived at last, when they most
needed it, of the priceless heritage of
mothers care. Then, in her sleep, she
visited the home of Captain Mason,
where large hearted; cbeerful-minded
and just-souled husband was literally
annoyed to distraction by a fauIt-find-
ing, tyrannical little 7terniagant of
wife, who held over him continually the
reins Of ruthless law. In her dream
she saw the souls of these people, and
could read the causes of the life mistakes
that had brought them enduring bitter
ness. Then she seemed to be waited
back to the home of Josiah and Alba
Carson, "Here, I" she thought, 'is con-
geniality, and consequent happiness.
The husband and wife are true as steel
and pure as gold. Their children arise
and call them blessed. Mrs. Carson is
rosy and robust, and as youthful looking
as though no maternal cares had ever
worried her." Then, following Mrs.
Carson in her dream, she saw her NOV
ing wearily about the house, performing
prodigies of labor for (which she pos
sessed no adequate strength. She heard
the feeble wall Of a tiny babe that had
inherited, from over-tasked maternal
conditions, pain-racked body and fret
full disposition, and listened with intense
agony, that seemed too vivid for dream,
to the rawlings of her delirium, when, no
longer able to shoulder the self-imposed
burdens, they had fallen upon and
crushed her. Then, the good-Samaritan
services of Josiah and Abba Carson rose
before her. She lived all over again her
own days of terror and desoIation, when
but for the couple whose hospitable roof
sheltered her, she would have been
-ah she shuddered in her dream as
she imagined what-and then, gradually
came to her the consciousness that her
best friend was dying.
Starting up with smothered cry,
she awoke only to find the pale light of
the dim lamp, the attic bedroom and
the sleeping babes. All was still in the
apartment below where the lone watcher
sat, and she would have risen to Join
him in his vigil but for the tiny waif
that slept upon her bosom, which she
feared to disturb. Soon she sank to
sleep again, and dreamed that what
seemed to be Lord Dunbarton's wife was
lowering over her. AT first she shud-
dered when she saw a substance so shad-
owy and yet so real, and she sHrank from
the phantom's approach as though it
were serpent.
"Pray spurn me not poor lady" said
a voice that seemed to make no audible
sound, although Rosa felt the words,
''for am come to do you good. Near
you are those that will aid you, poor,
weary, world-sick woman that you are.
The darkest hours of your life are not all
past. You have a duty to perform. I
charge you to discharge it faithfully.
Your friend is lowering upon the mar
ginof the land of souls. Her children
are to be motherless. You must care for
them even as their mother cared for you
in your loneliness and desolation. Will
you promise, Augusta Stanley ?"
In her dream the girl-woman gave
unconditional assent to the required OBJ
legation, and the phantom-woman
smiled radiantly.
"Go to Coney's Cliff" continued the
apparition. 'Look under the ledge of
rocks upon the lee shore, near the center
of the Cliff. There is cave there. In
it are some papers that will make you
rich, some day. Tell nobody but your
friend below stairs. Poor, weary, hope
less woman !! You have suffered, and
so have /, and both have been made to
suffer through the instrumentality of
the same man. But rest, tired heart.
Beyond the blackness OF the clouds that
brood over you the golden sun is shin
ing. Some day, when you have con-
quered the shadows and climbed beyond
the gloom into the glorious gladness
that awaits thefall performance of your
duties as they come to you, you shall
look back to these and former days Of
blackness, and rejoice that you have
been tried, and saved as by fire."
The vision vanished, and Rosa Lee
,aRoke in the uncertain light of the attic
chamber to see that morn was dawning.
ITO be continued.l
Robert Dale Owen, who has suffi-
ciently recovered from his recent mem
tai illness to make longer confinement