The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-10
way of it for spell, she thinks I'm out

way of it for spell, she thinks I'm out
of my senses" thought Madge.
Mrs. Perkins saw that no time was to
be lost Forgetting her own fatigue
and disappointment, she turned her pro-
fessional attention to the relief of the
patient with the happiest results.
Before morning Madge was asleep
with tiny babe in her arms, and Mrs.
Perkins was lying exhausted beside the
wife of her son-in-law, soothing her into
tranquility by the tenderest assurances
of sympathy and aid
In the morning the numerous family
came tramping home, eager to see the
new arrival and smother it with kisses.
The meeting between the grand
mother and the children being over,
and the house once more restored to
quiet, with the little ones away at
school, Mrs. Perkins took a seat beside
the invalid to gather what information
she might be able to give concerning
her daughters death.
"There isn't much to tell" said Mrs.
Andrews. "Jason was sober and steady
about his work, and they got along af-
ter fashion. He wasn't cross, partic-
ularly, but he didn't sympathize with
her, and she pined for little petting
and coaxing that he couldn't see the
need of. She was very anxious for you
to forgive her, and the last act of her
life was to sign the letter that you say
you only received so recently"
"Have yoW been happy with Jason
Andrews ?'
The question was an abrupt one. Pos
sibly it was in bad taste, but at all
events it had been asked, and Mrs. Per
kins could not recall it.
'I happy with Jason Andrews did
you say?" and the poor wife smiled
sadly. "Can the dove mate happily
with the hawk, or the robin with the
jay"
."Then why did you marry him? You
ought to have known him well enough
to have understood this before. Ther
his drunken sprees-how could you eve
reconcile yourself to them ?''
81 married him because-because-
well, because, like many other womer
who ought to know better than to throw
themselves away, acted the fool"
"How?"
"I allowed him to talk sentimental
one day; to tell me how lonely he was
how he pined for somebody to love him
and all that. He talked in this way til
L felt sorry for him. Then he said tn
neighbors were connecting our name
together in disreputable way, ant
we'd better get married to cbeckmat
gossip"
"But how could you endure hi
drunkenness 2"
az knew nothing whatever about il
Your daughter had never even hinte
to me that he was in any way addicte
to the cup"
"Of course you'd never hear of tina
from her. She knew before she marie
him that he would occasionally indulg
in sprees. But he made her believe tina
he only needed her love and her gentl
influence to restrain him, and he woul
r then reform altogether. This is tn
sixth time that man has been abser
from home, on a drunken debauch, 6
the birth of one of his children. The
last baby was born on the plains, whel
he couldn't get liquor, else doubtless b
, would have been intoxicated then"
"Strange, very strange that Mrs. Al
, drews never told me about it," cried I'll
wife, who had stepped into the dea
s woman's shoes, all unconscious of the
quality.
Y "Wives never tell these disgracef
e truths if they can help it," said Mr.
Perkins. Indeed, my poor Mary W;
t the soul of honor about everything els
It and yet have known her to fib befo
d my own face, when she must ha,
u known she couldn't deceive me, decla
ing that Jason was sober, when he vi
L so tipsy he couldn't walk straight"
n "Didn't your daughter have any r
claiming influence over him ?" ask
Madge, while a rosy flush suffused h
" cheeks, and she thought, with unutte
IL able tenderness, of the sweet wor
/, George Hanson had whispered in h
ear, when he had said he needed her
n keep him in the paths of rectitude.
y mo influence whatever, after the
ID marriage" said Mrs. Perkins: "Duril
the few months while their engageme
e. lasted, he did not drink. But they h
N not been married week till he car
home intoxicated. He knew the ID
Id and the power was now in his oV
ut hands, and could no longer preve
a. her from living i'm subsection to his wi
no matter what he did, so long as
ed didn't break mems laws, and what 4
II he care for his promises ?"
I'd "But is there no honor among men
o. asked Madge, tremulously.
re "Certainly, my dear. Honor withc
m stint, among hosts and hosts of the
m But you can't find it among those W
tell you that they need the loving de-
ly ton of some weak woman, upon whC
they can lean in their strength, to So
% themselves from falling. The man W
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