The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-10-27
CHAPTER ".


Aunt Judy took especial pains to in
struct her wards in their several lines of
business.
"You see it's the only alternative"
she would say, decidedly. "John might
teach, if qualified, which he isn't, or
might practice at the bar, if a lawyer,
which he couldn't be under a years
close application to study; Edna might
teach, only there's other work for her,
and so you must learn to farm. Pm
giving you a splendid chance"
And so, after a few days of diligent
fussiness on Aunt Judy's part, and pas
sive yet diligent obedience on the part
of her charge, the kind lady was ready
for her journey; and the young couple,
who had embarked upon the matrimo-
NAL voyage with visions of future splen-
dor before them, found themselves glad
to get possession, as temporary tenants,
of lop-sided log cabin with puncheOn
floor, furnished with blue-edged table
ware and unvarnished chairs, with seats
of braided hickory bark.
There was plenty of work to do, in
doors and out. Good Aunt Judy re-
solved to start Edna right in all the
paths of industry, so she ordained that
her spare time should be occupied in
quilting at great maze of patchwork
that hung overhead in the frames at
night and at meal time, and was low
cred to suit her convenience when there
was nothing else to occupy her hours.
Edna would sometimes cry, and John
would often curse his stars, but neither
crying nor cursing proved of any avail.
"They were IN for it," as Aunt Judy
had wisely observed, and now they must
both endeavor to make the best of bad
bargain.
Aunt Judy's benevolent face was
flushed with satisfaction as she bade
them adieu; and she started on her
journey with happier feeling at her
heart than she had realized since that
never-to-forgotten day, ever so long be-
fore, when the light and joy of her life
Event out through mystery that her
friends had never been able to unravel.
81 guess pll call on Susan on my way
to the steamer landing" she said to her.
self mo doubt she'll be able to make
some wise suggestions about the young
people. She'll be glad, too, to hear from
Edna, for mothers will be mothers.
know mighty we'll that my poor moth
er's heart was broken because of her
truant-there! There's no use in wor-
rying. She went to her long home
years ago, and Pm still spared. What
for's always been mystery, but doubt
less for some wise purpose"
"Howd'ye do, Susan?" she cried, step,
ping briskly in spite of the redundancy
of her avoirdupois, as she entered the
great farm kitchen of Solon Rutherford
"Poorly, Judy, poorly" was the saC
reply of the weary wife of the wealthy
farmer, who lifted heavy cheese anC
turned it neither side up as she spoke
Sometimes, Judy, get to wondering
what life's for, anyway. 1t seems 81
barren of anything lasting or real that
worth having! Pts toll, toll, scrimp
scrimp, save, save, to the end of tn,
chapter. Twenty-Five or thirty year
ago 1 stood it first rate, for l though
we'd be able to live comfortable in ou
old days; but the more property Solol
accumulates the harder l must work t.
pay taxes. You know the hundred-acr
lot that Will Caples owned down belo1
the big meadow"
"Yes, Susan; I've gone a strawberry
ing through it many time" said Aun
Judy, wondering much that her frien
had nothing to say upon the all-absorb
ing theme of which she was herself s
full.
"Well, Solon sold the cheese las
week." continued Mrs. Rutherford
"There was a prime lot of it, too-tw
thousand pounds at 20 cents-and
netted four hundred dollars. pve neve
asked him for any money till lately
except for necessaries, you know"
81 know" said Aunt Judy, still wor
dering what all this preliminary ws
about.
'Tve worked hard,n continued til
good woman, "and well nigh worn my
self out, soul and body, in serving th
owner of all the real estate belonging {
this plantation; and when Edna wei
away" here the old lady broke dow
and dropping upon a chair, wiped b,
fearful eyes with her checked apron, &
know she didn't do just right, but 81
was the last had, and she was so de,
to me, and wanted to make her a pre-
ent. She married poor stick of fe
low who might get along if he had
start, for Edna's no shirk when she
aroused, and she'd help him; but Sole
iared up when asked him for thou
and dollars he had 10 bank that I kne