The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-05-12
Jane Fields Work.
BY ELLA f. MosRY.

''The task that needs me is the task need"
Jane Field, the heroine of my story,
was not a strong minded woman, nor
even a cultivated one. One look at her
broad, kindly countenance, full of con-
tentment, and her patient gray eyes,
was enough to convince you that she
was satisfied with her little world, and
had no restless aspirations after change.
She had Obeyed willingly all her life,
first her parents; and afterwards even
the children, her -brOthers~and sis
ters, had exercised from their very baby
hood lovingly unconscious tyranny
over her which Jane found truly pleas
ant. She would have felt no interest in
"spheres" or missions" if they bad
been subjects she understood. Yet, she
did mans work without opposition,
and received a mans wages without
demur on the part of her employers. 1t
came about in this way:
Her mother was a pleasant-faced
little woman, without a particle of
courage or force of will. She married
an improvident and unsuccessful man,
who died young, leaving her a widow,
with one little girl of five years old
Jane herself-and without any visible
means of support for either. In this
sLraitened condition she came to H,
to live by her own labor, although she
was ill-fitted in any respect to fight the
battle of life, nor was she strong enough
in soul to do her work willingly for
loves sake. In the midst of her hardest
difficulties and discouragements she
happened, one day, to meet Berke
Litchfield, an old lover of hers many
years ago, and who was now strong,
sturdy miner, looking fully able to sup
port dozen or so by his own hands.
She was too much absorbed in her
own troubles to remember the old
dream. But some lingering fancy from
his past youth stirred in the mans
heart as he saw the pale, tired little
woman going every day about her work
with her thin-faced little girl, and at
last he offered her a home as his wife;
not with any special show of sentiment
-Berke was never given to that-but
kindly enough.
"Thou knowest, Jennie" he said in
his rough, but pleasant voice, 81 vowed
l would never ask thee again; but a
bad vow is best broken, and thou art too
weak to be left by thyself. 1 don't like
seeing it when Il am strong enough for US
both.n
Mrs. Field looked up with a smile
It would be a pleasant relief, she
thought, to be freed from her present
anxiety and toilsome labor. Then she
looked at Jane and sighed.
The man understood her glance. He
called the child to him, and smootheC
her light, tangled hair.
"She shall be my daughter now-wil
you not, little one? Jennie, 1 viii
take as good care of her as if she were
mine in truth.n
Go fIatr rr-ara II ~
grew up, she had the cares of a nurse tC
five brothers and sisters, all of whom
learned quickly enough to run to be-
patient arms as their never-failinC
refuge in all kinds of childish trouble o.
perpleXity, and to listen for her cheer
ful voice as the source of most of theil
little pleasures. But the duty she loveC
best of all was to render any service Il
her step-fatber Every day at noon sht
carried his basket of dinner to him il
the mines; for they lived very near thu
SnOwfield Coal Mine, in a little black
looking house, so small that it seemed
TO be attached to the No. Sc which huns
conspicuously over the door. He likeC
to have her talk to him while he ate
Sometimes she tried to manage hi
tools, and so her hands became stronge
and more expert in their use every day
About this time, Jimmy, the sixth
child, was born, and soon afterward sh,
noticed that he began to look very tiret
when he came home, and said yer,
little, even to her mother. Also, whel
he had finished his dinner and returne,
to work, he sometimes seemed unabl
to find his tools at once, and gropet
after them like a man feeling his wa,
i'm the dark. One day he wearily pu
his hands over his eyes as he got ul
from dinner, and Jane said, softly
"Father, thou'rt downright tired. LIE
me work awhile"
"Nay, lass, butt do less and les
every day, and get less wages"
"1hen rest now, father, and let m
work. Thou'st worked many a day 70
me-"
1t was the same the next day, an
the next, and the one hours wor
heightened into two and three, unit
the mother began to fret over Jane
long delay at the mine.
Berke Litchfield reused up at that
and, for the first time, spoke roughly t
his wife.
may, do thou let that alone. n
not hear it.n
One evening, as Jane was fiuishin
the tObOte aiJerHOOn's wOrh, she wa
surprised by his coming near in hi
dazed, uncertain way, and asking, wist
fully, "Lass, art thou tired ?n
81 could do as much again." she re
piled, laughing.
"Eh, but thou'rt powerful lass f.
thy age" And he said no more unit
she came to take him home. Then h
spoke in weary, broken-down wa
that went to James heart, "It's all u
now, my lass. Thou'lt have to take N
home for good. I'll never zee thy fac
again, nor little Jimmy's." Then, sue
denly stretching his powerful limbs, b
cried out in a voice hoarse with pair
and unlike his own, "My God l al
blind-and my children -
'Poor father" said Jane, gently
touching his arm, "but Pill do the wor
all the same"
"Eh? But thou'rt only cir
They'll not let thee"
'1'Il do weeks work first, to sho'