The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-11-24
VOLUME VI.

lucy give uleu all the duNduldS6y ali ]
the power, and then complain because
the men accept it,"
81 think you're wrong there, Judy. |
Men take the power, take the property, |
make the laws to protect themselves
from each other, and then depend upon
the chivalry which they cannot trust |
among themselves for justice to wom-
anhood. Woman accepts the situation,
first, out of her great love for her hus-
band, and secondly, because she cannot
help herself.n
"But what of Edna and John?" asked
Aunt Judy.
'Tndeed, you've asked question I
cannot answer. Edna is already so sick |
of her foolish and hasty bargain that
she is making both herself and husband |
miserable. He, poor fellow, means well
enough, but he isn't a Solomon or an
Atlas. He hasn't the wisdom to build
temple or rule a realm, nor the energy
and perseverance to bear a world on his
shoulders. Edna feels his incapacity,
and, what is more, admits it. Wives
generally stimulate their pride to ena-
BILE them to endure their burdens by de-
nying that their husbands can do
wrong"
"Did you give them the thousand dol
lars ,"
mo, Judy"
"You were wise in that. Those chill |
iren must be taught from the begin
ming, as though they were babies. They
don't know anything about the value
of money"
az don't know about that, Judy.
Edna has suddenly developed wonder
full business acumen. She lays plans
for the future, or tries to, rather, for you
know she has no power to carry them
out; but she tries to lay them with as
much forethOught as though she had all
her life been accustomed to considering
the ways and means of livelihood. But
it won't do to trust John with money.
Should 1 give them the roll of bills
have procured at such a sacrifice to my
own peace of mind, he'd simply board
and dress and ride in buggies and play
billiards till it was all gone"
"What, then, do you propose to DO ?'
at breaks my heart, Judy; but Edna
wants to go with her husband to the
borders of the far Pacific. She fancies
that new beginning away out in a
new country will stimulate him to eff
fort. didn't tell her about the money,
but pve made up my mind, if you'll
give 'em shelter till spring, to provide
them a team and travelling outfit and
send them away with my blessing"
"But if Solon discovers that you have
drawn the money from bank, what
then? It's his, you know, in the eyes
of the law, and he can seize the team
you purchase, or anything else you get
for them, if he so wills, and you cannot
help yourself"
"Pve thought that all out, Judy
You are to take the money, keep it
through the winter, and do the buying
in the spring. 1t will be quite a tax
upon you to feed them through the win
ter, but can slip you little provision
now and then, and will save some but
ter, and occasionally cheese, for your
pin money. If Solon only would let
me, 1 should be so glad to open this
great house to them, that might enjoy
Edna's society for the last time ~
The good woman could bear no more.
Breaking into uncomfortable sobs, she
stole away to commune in solitude with
her own bitter thoughts. She remem-
bered Edna in her babyhood. All the
sweet, endearing recollectiOns that clus-
tered around the bright young life that
had budded and blossomed in the old
house were dead now, and she did not
even have the sympathy of her husband
in the dearth of her bereavement. Her
. heart ached for Solon, too. She knew
how many fond hopes he had builded
through all the years of Edna's child
hood upon her brilliant future; how his
every aspiration had centered upon the
possibility of brilliant match for her,
: the thought that she should ever excel
: upon her own account never having
? crossed his brain; she knew that, in
= spite of his stern exterior, he secretly
s loved his daughter still, and she longed,
with an irrepressible loneliness, for his
t cordial acquiescence in her desire to
e make the best of circumstances from
e their present unsatisfactory standpoint.
But Solon Rutherford was not to- be ap-
e preached upon the subject. His will
o was law, and his wife would have ap-
s preached the Sultan of Turkey upon q
s forbidden theme with quite as much as
D surance as she could have mustered fol
a the ordeal of approach to him.
S Being wife, and therefore incapaci-
= tated from doing business on her OWL
t account, except that business was fully
: understood and sanctioned by'her pro.
|, tector and head, Mrs. Rutherford wisely
j gave the entire. responsibility of hel
e plans into the hands of Aunt Judy, who
a being unsupported and unprotected, wal
b in a measure free to follow the dictates
}, of her own conscience.
8 Law books were procured for John, by
y Edna's contrivance, but the effort t.