The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-10-06
Kate Armour.

One night at the stroke of twelve,
when there was no moon, the door of a
large and handsome house in a pleasant
country place opened softly and girl
crept out and looked anxiously about
her. She was pretty young creature,
with a soft, foolish sort of a face, and
she had an air about her that told of
good living and freedom from all care
as to ways and means. Her dress was
a handsome one, suitable for travelling,
and in her hand she carried Russia
leather-bag.
Closing the door softly behind her,
she hurried down the garden path, and
at the gate found her hand clasped by
the strong hand of a mana handsome,
big fellow, though even in that light
one could see that he was not a refined
person. .
Indeed, the man was her own mothers s
hired servant, with whom she was
bound to elope.
To say why she had been so foolish as
to take fancy to him, to explain the
feelings that induced her-yOung, beau
tiful, and educated, the daughter of
wealthy woman, with a good position
in society-tO fall in love with fellow
who had a certain amount of coarse
good looks to recommend him, would
be to succeed where all the wise men of
the world have failed thus far Who has
ever yet been able to give the reasons
for wOman's infatuation for her lover?
Indeed, she has none, so that often in
the years that blot her folly out she asks
herself, "Why did l love that fellow ?"
and can find no answer. a man can
generally say, "She was pretty" in the
same case. 1t does not need even that
to make a woman an idiot.
And so I cannot tell you why Kate
Armour left her happy home, her
mother who loved her, her friends, and
all her luxuries, for the kisses and
praises of that boor of groom, who had
no honest worth to compensate for his
lack of education and manners. Go she
did, however, and the two were married
in the nearest town, Tom Scotcher hav-
ing no doubt that Mrs. Armour would
relent when she heard that the girl was
really married, and that he should lie
down in clover for the rest of his days.
He reckoned without his host, how
ever. The mother replied to her daugh-
ter's first letter by forbidding her even
to write again. And when the answer
came the groom was very angry.
However, he was in love in his coarse
fashion just then, and, after sulking an
hour or two, he turned to his wife and
said:
"Well, you're as handsome as pic
ture, anyway; and hang the woman ~
Then he took her by both arms, hold
ing her so tightly that he left the marks
of his fingers upon them, and kissed her
on the neck-a fierce, hot kiss, from
which she shrank with a little scream,
crying:
''Tom, you bit mer'
So he had-at least, it was a sort of a
bite. She did not know what to make
of it. Afterward she learned.
1t was the first lesson be had dared tC
give her in the difference between the
love of a brute and the love of a gentle.
man. And it was not long before she
learned that a passion utterly without
sentiment falls like a curse upon any
woman's life. Tom had no sentiment
Yet, for awhile, her fresh beauty
charmed him, and it was better with
them than it was afterward; for while il
lasted he behaved decently.
He found work suited for him, and
did it. He spared what he could, as he
said, 'for finery," and she, though she
began to understand the difference be.
tween being Miss Armour and Mrs
Tom Scotcher, clung to him as long az
be yet told her she was "the prettiest
girl anywhere" For year she was
often uncomfortable and very remorse.
ful when she thought of her mother, bui
she was still blind enough TO be happy
at times.
Then little babe lay on her bosom
and she was very delicate, and began tC
fade little, and then Tom came home
tipsy once or twice, and she could moi
4, tell which were worse, his liquor-ha,
vored kisses or curses.
Then, disenchantment having begur
on both sides, red-cheeked girl, cham.
6ermald in low tavern, made her jeal
Ous-jealOus of Tom Scotcher. And re-
preaching him with it when he had haC
glass, foolishly twitting him with the
fact that she had left her wealth anC
luxury for him, and might have mar
Tied well, he struck her.
So her love ended, and the loves
depth of misery was reached. She saw
the man she was bound to for life in hi
true colors.
And now often he told her that she
had lost all her good looks, and wal
nothing but drag on young fellow
who could marry the "prettiest girl go
ing, if he were single"
"Oh, mother, mother, If YOU only
knew" the. girl often sobbed in secret
but she could not go home with Ton
Scotcher's baby in her arms.
Indeed, she had not the resolution
necessary to enable her to run away. a
little, soft, silly thing she was still, anC
ever would be.
Tom Scotcher, with his habits, los
one place after another, and they moved
on and on, living here and living there
sometimes with plenty to eat, some.
times with half enough, until the child
was year old.
Then, one morning, Tom Scotchel
having found work in a neighborine
town, or so he declared, they Travelled
together across the country, the wife
carrying the baby in her arms and 6
bundle on her back.
Kate Armour had disdained to carry
the tiniest parcel.
They had come to a spot in the road
where grateful shade fell from some