The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-18
YOURS TRULY" MAKES A BAR
GAIN.

AOAA bhC
Truly became subscriber to the New
NORTHWEST, the governor had been
boasting that he wouldn't read it.
There was nothing in it, he said, but til
rades against the tyrant man. Women
wanted the pantaloons, and, for his
part, he was willing they should have
'em, if they'd only make the living.
He would always take the butter and
poultry and eggs and dried apples and
soap and stocking g-yarn-mother's earn
ings-to market, and pay dry-goods and
grocery and brandy and tobacco bills,
and bring home the rest to pay taxes,
and would continually condole with
himself about the hard time he had in
supporting his family. The wheat crop
has always gone to pay the hired men,
and buy new wheat fields and machin-
cry; though what the governor intends
to do with these last, after he's got ,em
all paid for, isn't clear to Yours Truly.
He had always been so badly opposed
to the NEW NORTHWEST, that it wasn't
considered necessary to keep it out of
his sight; but the sequel proved that
"white mans mighty uncertain" Did
you ever know a deaf man, Mrs. d. d?
Not mute, but an elderly gentleman,
whose sense of hearing was so obtuse
that you'd feel compelled to half blow
the top of your head off to make him
hear? And did you ever try to speak
low in the presence of this man, when
addressing something to somebody else
which you didn't want him to hear,
only to find that he could hear as we'll
as anybody when it suited his purpose
to listen?
Well, the governor couldn't be per-
suaded to read the NEW NORTHWEST as
long as anybody wanted him to read it;
but, like the deaf man about his hear
ing, he was ready enough to read when
he wasn't wanted; and so mothers
brown merino was "yak lace" to him no
longer, and the five dollars at Lewis &
Strauss would answer in the bill as
''SundrleS," neVermore.
Yours Truly expected a scene when
the governor got that paper, and she
saw it. You should have witnessed his
rage, Mrs. d. Mother was half fright
ened out of her wits, but Yours Truly,
not being the governors wife, held
half, at least, of the advantage, aud she
planted her feet firmly upon the ball Of
carpet rags she was winding, and, toss
tossing her frizzes defiantly, laughed in
his face as she said, pleasantly,
"What do you propose to do about
it?"
'I propose to cut off your credit, Miss
Saucebox Dye see anything O. that ?n
AS he spoke, he handed over a letter
which he had just written to the above
named firm, forbidding them to trust
Yours Truly on his account, as he would
pay no debts of her contracting from
and after that date.
Yours Truly read the letter, and, gaz.
ing earnestly into the governors eyes,
quietly answered,
"Well ?"
"What do you mean by ',0eU p ~
asked the governor, sternly.
"Fifty dollars month, and found ~
demurely replied Yours Truly.
Mrs. D., you ought to have heard the
governor thunder out,
"WHAT?"
There's no description that can do the
subject justice.
"pm of age, sir! My labor is wortt
fifty dollars per month to you, cleal
gain. I am plain and fancy cook
laundress, dairy-maid, chamber-maid
seamstress, carpet maker, fruit-dryer
poultry-raiser and dish-washer. I have
enumerated nine different trades, as yot
see, sir. Mother has filled these posi-
tions, with the occupation of nurse-gir
thrown in, for forty years; and now, she
is too badly worn-out to labor, and she
has nothing to live upon as a product o
all her years of industry except wha
you are pleased to give her, after you've
grumbled about it till you've almOs
crazed her."
"Hold your tongue ~ cried the gov
ernOr.
''These old pantaloons that Pm tear
ing into strips to make carpet for the
governors feet have soiled my fingers
and can't ~ said Yours Truly.
'I won't give you fifty dollars /
month, or any other sum, for doing
nothing, you baggage p' exclaimed th'
governor.
every well, then" said Yours Truly
rising. AS mother says, she's chip o
the paternal block, and her temper il
none of the mildest. every well, then
If you've cut off my credit at the stores
and refused to pay living wages for my
work. it's quite time was looking ou
for myself"
"Oh, daughter ~ said mother, will
tears in her voice.
She couldn't leave, poor thing, and nj
wonder the prospect troubled her.
ga pretty out yO1'U make earning
your living ~ said the governor, con
temptuously.
"You gave Dick and Phil hundret
dollars month each, as long as the.
worked for Won. sir: and a farm apiece