The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-09

badly in error, my mother dear. I'd
give the world, to-day, if it were mine
to bestow, if only George Hanson had
proved the true, loving, and tender hus-
band that he proclaimed himself to be
when I married him. That he was
weighed in the balance and found
wanting, is no fault of mine"
"But you were too young to think of
marriage, child"
81 know it. And so was Alice when
she took the same responsibility. So
were you, too, for that matter, judging
by the choice you made when you ac-
cepted your second husband"
'I admit, dear Madge, that was very
foolish. But it is so necessary to a
woman's life TO have somebody to love
her, you know"
"The trouble is, my darling mother,
that getting married doesn't always
bring somebody to love US. Look at
me, for instance"
"But people must marry, child"
"Then let women have equal or supe-
rior rights to men under the contract.
Women have the hardest and most re-
sponsible burdens of matrimony to bear,
and they should refuse to sanction mar
riage contracts unless accorded all nee
essary prerogatives for their own and
their children's benefit. But here
comes Jason with the team. Pm going
with him to The Falls"
"What ~ exclaimed Alice. "You
don't mean to say you're going to town
in that old dress ?''
ats all havev answered Madge.
"Well, must say, you care less for
personal appearance than do; for, be-
fore 1 would go where anybody could
see me in such a get-up as that, I'd see
every man that needs a woman to watch
him to keep him from getting drunk go
| headlong into the bottomless pit"
81 like good apparel just as well as
you do, Alice, but like my duty bet
ter. Some day I shall bave a good
home, happy surroundings, and every
thing long for, to make life worththe
living. l don't know just how it's all
coming, but L see a beacon light at the
the top of a deep, dark gorge, and the
light grows perceptibly nearer every
day. You'll live to be proud of me yet,
Alice. See if you don't"
'It's blessing to be born an idiot ~
said Alice, aside, to her mother, as
Madge hurried away to the wagon, pin
ming her shawl and tying her shaker as
she ran.
81 should say it was blessing to be
just such an idiot as she is" replied her
mother, with a smile.
The journey to The Falls occupied the
usual two days, but was unusually long
and tedious, owing to the constant fall
of rain.
''You go into the hotel an stop" said
Jason, as the three pairs of cattle at last
stood painting before the door of the
largest hotel in the principal street,
glancing furtively, as he spoke, in the
direction of a liquor saloon that held
| lOIIu IllS USUAL SllSuG lhNlLaIiOu " Iue
unwary TO come in and whet theil
morbid appetites.
"I'll not leave you alone, Jason An
drews," replied Madge, in a decided
way. 'pll stay with you until the cat.
tie are cared for, and then We'll go tc
the hotel together"
"All right" was the subdued reply
al wouldn't once ha' thought it possible
that 1 could ha' minded a woman, bul
ye seem to throw a spell over me with
, yer cussed authority, an 1 might al
well submit"
(which shows your good sense, my
amiable step-father," laughsi Madge
r ~ propose to remain with you every
minute till you're safely locked in you
room at the hotel. Just think how /
; will please mother if 1 get, you hom,
safe and sober"
And Madge was as good as her word
She went with Jason to place the cattl
in pasture, accompanied him through
the rain to the warehouse where tn
! wheat was to be stored, walked will
him to the store to purchase winter gro
t ceries and dry goods, and was so com
8 pletely his shadow that no evil-design
ing man had opportunity to tempt hin
J. with rum.
"Before I'd have my steps dogged b.
Don1dn, especially such homely
!, dowdy-looking she-devil as that is, wit
her lynx eyes and square jaws, starin
and grinning defiance at me, think T.
e go and hang9myselfr' angrily ex
= claimed the worthy har-keeper at In
j well-known dead-fall where Jason
u when on former spree, had sold hi
mare for whisky.
"Women are always meddling wher
u they have no business !" calculated an
= other, as he shuff1ed a deck of greas
cards preparatory to a new deal.
'Tf L had my way" said one sovel
eign, who was too far gone, under th
=. influence of recent potations, to spea
: distinctly, though he did hot by an
means forget his rights" eff had N
y way, I'd keep every woman at hom,
= where she belongs, and keep 'em a
q busy raising young ones"
HTf vvonoan had no hatter husina,