The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-05-19
respect and honor her as though she
were your own mothers child ?"

"Then behold her p'
AS Madge spoke, she brushed her
shocky wealth of shortened hair away
from her low, broad forehead, and, set
ting her square jaws firmly together,
looked into his eyes with a tremulous
smile for a moment, and then burst
into tears.
Mr.. Morrison rose to his feet and
paced the floor to conceal his agitation.
"Well well r' he exclaimed, at
length, as he moved the lamp to throw
full glare upon her face. "How long
do you expect to live like this ?"
"God only knows, sir. had to have
bread and shelter. Everybody had evil
suspicious about me as long as they
thought me a woman. Now, though
my work is hard and my employers are
often harsh, am free from suspicion.
Women do not mistreat or Inspect me
as they would if they thought me one of
their sex. And men, having no hope
of personal favors, take no particular
notice of me-"
"But suppose George Hanson should
discover you ?"
"I'd run away again. But 1 am not
afraid. pll have his boots to black and
his clothes to brush in the morning. l
shall not shun him, nor act in the least
afraid of him."
"Madge, do you still love him ?'
"LoUe him, indeed! How can I
love a man who not only does not and
never did love me, but who is morally
bound to another, whose holiest allie
glance he repudiates I? did love him,
or thought did. The whole memory
seems like a dream. He was gentle,
respectful, affectionate. was ardent,
sympathetic, impulsive, hopeful. He
said he needed me. l was unhappily
situated at home. My step-father
abused my mother on my account, and
i don't know how it was-but let the
preacher say a few canting words over
me to which gave assent, and now, 1
must either yield myself continually to
the endurance of life l loathe, since it
is not the life bargained for, and thus
perjure my own soul, or must be true
to myself and endure my present exist
ence."
"Can help you any ?"
eyes"
Command me-"
! GtT mani ,,o,, 20 ,,iaif ,,,,, nathan opj
comfort her. Tell her for me that L am
doing well, and, though walk through
the valley and shadow of death l will
fear no evil, for there is a beacon light
overtopping the deep gulch of misfor-
tune in which am wandering, foot
sore and weary, and know pll reach
the light at last, even though L wade
through the blackness of a darkness
that can be felt"
AS Madge spoke she seemed trans.
formed with peculiar glory. Her face
beamed with an inspiration that wa:
passing radiant, and a holy light
beamed in her eyes that inspired hel
companion with the mental ejaculation
"The place whereon 1 stand is holy
ground"
"You must have rest, little one," ht
said, respectfully. az cannot lay any
plans tonight. L must have time t.
think"
''You loaned me a jewel, sir" sale
Madge, "and you authorized me to dis
pose of it. Fortune has smiled upoI
me in an humble way, and 1 do no
need it. prefer to return it to you"
"But, to her amazement and dismay
the ring was gone.
at makes no difference, little one,
he said, although there was eviden
disappointment in his tone.
"pll find it," said Madge "There'
a mystery here, but I'll solve it. l fee
1t in my bones"
"I'm glad you don't worry about it :
replied her friend. "And now, little one
it's time you had some sleep. Waiter
must be up early and late. What nam
shall l give when l want to ask fo
you ?'
Tommy, the walter boy"
"All right"
."Good night"
The primitive hotel was badl
. crowded, and the woman with tn
child, who had been Madge's last Gus
toner at the supper-table, was assigne
> an attic chamber so close to the littl
cuddy where Madge's bed was, tha
with only thin partition betwee
them, she could Overhear anything tha
n was said.
a Madge had stolen up TO her narro,
y quarters and was in the act of e1
d tinguishing her light to retire, whe
s the sound of voice that still ha
power to thrill her with strange EN-,
n tion arrested her attention, and chile
her very hearts blood.
d "And so that's the brat that's raise
e all the rumpus, eh, Sara ?"
/, "Oh, George !" and the voice thu
answered was low and pleading, and i
t tone filled Madge's soul with sympath,
1t "don't speak so about our baby, pleas
,r He's as fine a fellow as ever blessed
n mothers heart. You promised lor
y ago to marry me and legalize his nan
e. and parentage."
l. MARY yOu, indeed! What a
-nl I Oh