The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-04
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII
Mrs. Morrison retired to her couch in
the wagon, thoroughly disgusted with
herself, her fate, and Jason Andrews.
"What will my children say? And
what would Mark say, if he knew it ?"
she asked herself over and over again,
as the hot tears fell fast upon her pillow
"There's nothing attractive about Ja-
son, I'm sure. And the name Pshaw
I can't think of giving up the honorable
name of my dear, dead husband I'll
make Jason release me from my VOW to-
morrow. The whole things a shame !"
Having settled her mind upon this
determination, the widow fell asleep, to
dream that she was in the midst of a
mighty, raging flood, whose waters
rolled and surged around her, while she
held aloft in her arms little child that
made night hideous by its screams of
terror.
Morning found her awake and ex-
hausted. The efforts she had made in
her dream to rescue the child had been
so real, the exertion so fatiguing, that
every bone and muscle in her body was
aching with weariness. Peeping from
her covert in the wagon, she was re-
joiced to behold, instead of the angry
floods with which she had been battling,
the beautiful, rolling landscape that sur
rounded their encampment, and the
living spring hard by it, with a cheerful
fire burning near.
Jason Andrews was abroad, after the
cattle, and Harry was broiling some
venison.
"Why don't you wait till get break
fast ready, before you begin to eat ?"
asked his mother, as she languidly ap-
preached the fire.
Because Pm hungry" said the boy.
"But what's the matter? You look
like the last rose of summer"
"Why ?"
Mrs. Morrison dropped her eyes to the
ground and blushed.
"You needn't ask me why! How
should I know ?" answered the boy.
"rve had an awful dream" said the
mother, as though speaking to herself.
'Mr. Andrews will soon be on hand
with the CATTLE" said Harry, land you'd
better hurry up breakfast"
Thus admonished, Mrs. Morrison
moved about, as though yet in troubled
dream, averting her eyes continually to
escape Harry's wondering gaze, and at
tending to the details of camp-life in an
abstrscted, mechanical way.
"Halloaw cried Jason, coming into
camp, and throwing the heavy whip,
with the usual thud, upon the wagon
bows.
Woodworking" replied the widow,
without looking up.
Had Jason Andrews been a sensitive
man; had he cared single iota for the
feelings of Mrs. Morrison toward him
self as related to mRtrimouy, be would
have been deeply concerned by her aver
sion. But he enjoyed the popular delu-
sion SO generally INDUCED in by the
practical, unthinking sons and daugh-
ters of earth, that possession was nine
points in law, and possession had al
ready been promised, SO he was Sc
renely satisfied. He spoke in patron
izing way to Harry, and disgusted the
boy with his assumptions; but SO well
pleased with himself was he, that he did
not perceive the child's contempt. The
widow noticed it, however, and rallied
herself with an attempt to smile. The
smile was a grimace, however, and to-
tally unlike those usually given by the
author.
"She's little rantankerous,u thought
Jason, 'but won't say nothin'. When
I've Gagged my bird, it'll be time enough
to make 'er walk the chalk"
Very gracious and assiduous was the
suitor during the breakfast hour; and
very kind and attentive was he in his
efforts to Tighten the widows necessary
labor.
Pity she could not remember how un-
gracious he had been in his first wifeis
days; but woman who is wooed and
won always imagines that she, above
all others, will be able to hold captive
by her loveliness, the man who declares
that he cannot live without her. II
some other woman has failed, to her
knowledge, to convert him into ways Of
pleasantness and peace, it is always the
fault of that woman; and never, never
in her judgment, would such a mar
have failed in his fullest discharge o
duty, had the first wife always been suf
ficiently obliging and affectionate.
whats come over Jason this morn.
ing ?" queried Harry, as he sat beside
his mother in the wagon, while the OBJ.
ject of his inquiries stepped briskly be.
side the plodding oxen.
"Why ?" asked his mother. "Havt
you noticed anything unusual about
him"
"He steps like yearling FLY, anC
his face beams like vanished pump
KIM" said Harry.
''How do you like him, anyhow y
asked the mother, tremulously.
swell enough, for all the use I hav,
for him, and that's very little," an
swered the boy. m
uHe's q very industrious man,