The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-21
YOURS TRULY" VISITS THE OPERA

It wasn't the easiest thing in the
world to do. The governor had taken
one of his periodical spells of "contrac-
tion," and had positively forbidden the
expenditure of single dime upon the
"women folks" for the next mouth to
come. 'Taxes" were the cause, he said,
and mother, dear, patti ent, long-sutfering
soul that she is, submitted to the regu-
lar annual privation, as usual, without
murmur, though it did look little
queer to Yours Truly that the whole
burden of taxation to enable a man to
enjoy representation" should so often
come upon the 1OOnldn, who has no per-
sonal representation whatever.
Mother had long wanted a anewall-wool
merino dress, for her old one was be-
coming rusty, and she had denied her.
self other luxuries for months in order
to save the money for its purchase, and
had just about succeeded in securing the
requisite amount, when in came the
governor, and with the air of judge
just above TO pass a severe sentence
upon a culprit, he exclaimed, while
thrusting bill for taxes under her nose:
"D'ye see anything o. that ?"
The governor always contracts his
sentences little when he's drinking.
as it a tax receipt?" asked mother,
innocently; though why she shouldn't
have known better can only be ex-
planned on the hypothesis that she is al
ways waiting and hoping for better
times, when she may get out of paying
the taxes of a man who thinks she has
no right to represent herself.
"a tax receipt, indeed ~ cried the
governor, loftily, ''its a dun for taxes,
lOOnldn! Got any money ?"
Mother hesitated, thought of the new
merinO dress, and sighed.
eyed just as well pungIe" said the
governor; and mother, with the air of
one we'll used to obedience, "pungled." !"
Yours Truly was angry. Raising her.
self to her fullest hight, (Which isn't
the highest at best), she vehemently
stamped the heel of her gaiter, from
which she had just removed a rubber
shoe, badly stained with cow-yard mud,
and said, Indignantly:
"Why don't you pay your own taxes?
You do the voting"
The governors injured dignity was
pitiable to behold.
"Wife ~ he exclaimed, solemenly, as
he wipedhi muddy boots upon Yours
Truly's well-blacked andirons, ''it's q
pity you can't train your children to re-
J spect their father ~
: 1.-THE children are chips of the pater-
nal block, and 1 can't help it if they
don't always do just right" meekly re-
piled Yours Truly's mother, as she tried
to reconcile herself to the loss ofthe long.
coveted merinO dress.
"How much have you paid this month
for cigars and brandy ?" saucily asked
+ Yours Truly, as she looked the governor
: squarely in the face.
: The dignitary blushed little; but he
managed to say, "None o. your busi-
ness, Miss Pert. Ye'd better stick tc
yer work and ask no questions"
, But Yours Truly had made up hel
l mind to quit work till she could go tc
/ Portland and visit the opera, so she
coolly informed the governor that she
r was "on a strike" Of course he fumet
= and threatened, but Dick, who hap,
r pened to come in just then, and who's
! getting very gracious to Yours Trnly
2 lately, because-well, because-just wal
) few months, Mrs. D., and she'll tel
/ you all about it. Dick counted out two
8 dollars and half in silver from a we'll
filled purse, and putting the pitiful sun
3 into Yours Truly hand, bade her 10 q
e to Portland and do what she liked.
: "Would that money keep you in CT
gars three days if you were to go tt
= Portland, Dick ?"
"Of course not" said Dick, and hi
= blushed a little as he said it; "but {
girl doesn't need cigars"
8 ."Why not ?"
"Ddughter ?" cried mother, reprov.
T iDgly, "yOu do say such ridiculou!
8 things! Go to Portland, if you want to
! but don't annoy me by such rakish ex'
e hibitions of nonsense"
r "But I've nothing to wear"
'"Then buy something" suggested
= practical Dick.
= "On two dollars and a half, after the
D fares paid ?" and Yours Truly eyed the
, glittering coin quite seriously. Then 6
t sudden thought struck her. She haC
r long enjoyed an unlimited "run" al
c Lewis & Strauss; and now she coulC
r again "run the governors face" fol
: wearables, and while about it, could gel
/ the brown meriDo for her mother, too
r The governor needn't know it, for she
s could tell the clerk toldesignate the me-
! rino in the bill as "yak lace" Just LEI
! q girl Of the period be trusted at the
r stores, and she'll get even on her pro-
e tectors, won't she, Mrs. d.
r The ticket was bought, and half
, dollar to spare. Pity it hadn't been two
4 quarters, to jingle; but satehel key
8 supplied that deficiency.
Yours Truly couldn't go to hotel,
+ though, for she hadn't money enough
Il.