The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-08-18

] nCuCclOIlus II SilO was vi uO ulOic COu-
sequence to him than fly on the wall,
why, she would not even buzz in his
ear. Meanwhile her work should not
suffer.
By midsummer she had visited every
school within the towns limits, and be-
come acquainted with the capabilities
and needs of each. Her energy inspired
energy in others. If she entered a
schoOl-room, it was as if an electric cur
rent passed into it, arousing pupils and
instructor to unwonted activity.
Little Tom was usually her cOmpan-
! ion on these expeditions, though he
rarely crossed the threshold of a school
room, liking better to run about the
! fields to pick berries or gather flowers
for Zilpha.
"These long drives are making a little
Samson of you, Tom," said she, gaily,
one evening, as they drove home to-
gether. Last spring | should have
been afraid to expose you to the night
air like this"
She had been out in the ward district,
where there was some feeling" and
had been beguiled into staying to tea.
! Now it was rapidly growing dark and a
shower was threatening.
"By Jim look at that thunder-elOud,
sister," responded Tom, irreverently.
For answer the lady drew up the car
riage boot and touched the horse lightly
with the whip. He started forward,
there was a sudden clatter, vision of a
whiffietree dashing against his heels,
and the next instant he was rearing in
the shafts, and with frightened leaps
Jerking along the buggy by the thill
| tugs. Zilpha clung to the reins, and
! Tom clung to Zilpha. There was a mo-
ment of sickening dread, and then the
danger was past; she had the terrified
animal under control. Having soothed
him into quiet, she dismOunted in a
mud puddle to ascertain the nature of
the accident; tugs firm; traces firm; but
the bolt fastening the whiffietree in po-
sition broken in two. What was to be
done? Manifestly the horse could not
draw the carriage if the whitf1etree was
not properly secured. Locomotion hung
upon that missing bolt; but how to re-
place it in desolate mud puddle fully
half a mile from any house? In this
emergency Miss Wentworth bethought
! herself of Toms pockets. She had often
said their contents would prove mine
of wealth to a pioneer. From a medley
of pencils, fishing lines, and rusty nails
she abstracted bit of stout copper wire,
and having backed the horse into the
shafts, she inserted this in place of the
bolt. To prevent it's dropping through
the hole, she bent over the upper end
! by pounding it with a stone, and as an
additional safeguard, she was tying a
leathern string about the middle of the
whiffletree, when she heard the sound
of wheels.
"Has anything happened, madam
Can assist you ?'
In the dusk DIR. Rodman did not rec
ognize her till he spoke.
at is nothing serious, thank you,
doctor. l believe we're all right now,
that is, if my cobbling is strong enough.
What do you think ?"
He gave few muscular pulls at the
traces, and nodded approvingly.
Eyes, it seems fast. / would see you
back if could, but Pm sent for to a case
of convulsions. l hate to leave you this
way"
"Oh, never mind us. I dare say we
shall get on famously," said Miss Went
worth, rather tremulously, his kind
tone agitating her more than the acci-
dent.
He put her into the buggy reluct-
antly, and dashed away at a furious
pace, but drew rein a moment to tell
her to drive slowly.
"a neat job that for a lady," unused
he, with admiration. "And how per-
fectly collected she was! Most women
in her place would have lost their wits
but Zilpha is no common woman. She
has sense in some things" he added
twitching his moustache angrily. "H'm
1t behooves her to have fortitude, if she
takes upon herself a mans work. Wei
. get up, Charley II don't know why
: 1 should concern myself about the su.
pervisor's reaching home safely; de
! you ?"
: Nevertheless, he could not Danish hel
/ from his mind, and as he approached
her house on his return, be felt a strong
impulse to call. But his pride resisted
/ it. She might fancy he wished to con
/ ciliate her. He would have nothing t
z do with this strong minded woman. HI
did compromise with himself, however
to the extent of inquiring for her of tht
hired man, whom he came upon patter
: ing about in the rain with lantern, set
t ting tubs under the water-spouts. Zilph;
r had arrived without further adventure
e and was gone to watch with "the widde
] Skeels."
e "The widder thought she was mad
! when Zilpha sat up with her," Calel
= observed.
t "Zilpha has womanly instincts-n,
f question about that" sighed the doctor
r driving on. "Who'd have prophesiet
D her developing into an Amazon ?"
f Miss Wentworth sighed, too, as sh
3 heard his wagon pass the sick woman
q door. Who could have believed mai
so kindly as the doctor could be so un
< forgiving?
3 Summer went by and autumn came
Y Little Tom had i'll turns occasionally
4 when DR.. Rodman was sent for, but b
= never dropped in unbidden of an even
= ing in the old friendly way. Zilphi
g had ridden rough-shod over his preju
e dices, and he resented it. He wishe
b, her to feel that he did. Yet in carryin
J, out this resentment perhaps he wa
y the greater sufferer. His bachelO
= rooms were dull and cherries. H
: sorely missed his pleasant hours b.
Squire Wentworth's open fire, and til
t lovely gray-eyed woman sitting oppo
!, site at her sewing; while as for Zilpha
r she still had her father and Tom, anC
t to offset the DOCTORS coldness, an assuI
: ance of the warm affection of man
d newly-made friends.
e For she was doing a missionary wor
! in the schools. Even the doctor ad
i mItted that, at the same time half hOL
o ing she would fail under it, that sh
: might confess to him, meekly, "Doctol
II you were right; this was no woman
a labor" 1t was hard work, too, some
r times, in the face of opposition. Sh