The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-12-01

| cans, be1'S UlOIlel LOOh W hCl OCuJ
overcome with grief and indignation,
and his father was a most miserable
specimen to behold from the same cause.
Ben drove his fast horse to the station
to meet his beloved, who was very mod
estly and prettiIy attired and eagerly
anticipating her visit to Ben's home.
The poor fellow was obliged to warn her
of no very cheerful reception.
''You see, the old people are queer"
he explained, lawfully pious, and all
that sort of thing. And they think the
circus is-is-well, something very
dreadful"
"Then, what do they think of me ?"
exclaimed the angel, anxiously.
"Oh, they'll think you all right when
they know you," said Ben, encourag-
ingly.
On arriving, Ben conducted his angel
into the presence of pdter fauliI5aS, and
Angela, although disappointed at what
she had just heard from Ben, deter
mined to be friendly, and extended her
little hand with pleasant smile. The
old man was at loss to know how to
act. He was surprised at Angela's very
youthful, pretty, and modest appear
ance; yet when he thought of her as "a
creature who wore tights and jumped
through hoops" his sense of what was
proper and becoming was so shocked
that he could not endure to notice such
being, much less to take her hand;
yet could he be so inhospitable as not
to say word to her? 1t was a trying
moment, but he finally compromised
matters by pretending not to see the
little hand, but bowling low, he said he
chad no doubt it was a great pleas
ure to Ben to have her here''
Ben asked for his mother.
His father informed him, with mel
ancholy shake of the head, where she
had betaken herself.
Ben swallowed his notification and
anger and devoted himself assiduously
to his lady love. Supper was partaken
of in absolute silence by all three, old
Duncan steadfastly regarding his future
daughter-iu-law all the time with sol
emn eye. His conclusions were that
she did not look so utterly God-forsaken
as he had imagined her, and from true
sense of duty be determined to try to
convert her, as from her profession she
could, indeed, be nothing less than a
heather. Accordingly, as Ben and An
gela were sitting snugly and affection
ately together on the sofa in the little
parlor after supper, old Duncan entered,
and taking chair and seating himself
directly before them, commenced
abruptly, looking at Angela:
"Have you ever attended divine SER
vice?"
The young girl looked up astonished
and rather frightened at the solemn as
pect of her interlocutor, and replied:
"Yes; but not often"
'Indeed, 1 am relieved to hear you
have been there" said the old man,
. with much emphasis and more conde-
. cension. "But as the future wife of my
son, I feel it my duty to try to bring be-
! fore you a knowledge of the evil of your
r life, and to entreat the Lord to change
) your heart and occupation. Let us
pray"
The old man fell upon his knees and
: in all true sincerity poured forth long
and earnest petition for Mile. Angela
2 conversion. Ben and Angela remained
+. sitting, Ben with crimson face and bit.
e ing his lips aDgrily, Angela bewildered
] and thoroughly embarrassed. The old
, man at length arose, and without further
r remark, wished them a solemn good,
D night.
s The young girl was really touched
f with the genuine fervency of the ole
? mans prayer. She and Ben sat for &
s few minutes silent after he had left the
e room, and at length Ben spoke in con
sclatory and apologetic tone:
# "You mustn't mind him, Angela. HI
g don't mean anything. He often pray
J, at me like that. He's a real good ole
r fellow, if you only knew him we'll"
= In the meantime Ben's father haC
d gone upstairs and was holding convers
# with his faithful spouse. The latter hat
aroused herself with much curiosity, de
IS spite her headache and heart-burning
s on hearing the approach of the familia
o footsteps, eager to know the report he
e husband had to bring. She was horri
" fed and plunged in deeper distress whel
she found that a somewhat favorabl
r impression had been made on he
b worthy partners mind by his futur
daughter-in-law.
d "Are you, too, going to side with tn
Evil One ?n she groaned. "Oh, yo
o men are all alike, young and old. /
Is pretty face hides all disgrace. A circu
"a woman to be upheld by you, Benjamin
l. and to think of your position in tn
W church !"
le 81 do not uphold her profession,
e, meekly demonstrated the old man; "bu
As she certainly did seem impressed wit
my prayer, and she is a nice, modes
lie little girl, and Ben might perhaps hav
t. done worse"
is ''That is downright vanity, husband,