The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-10-06

cited response.
From that day henceforward, for
many years, the name of Edna was not
breathed in Solon Rutherford's pres
ence. The good wife grew strangely
reticent, and queer CLEAN of cunning
sometimes lit up her mysterious eyes;
but Solon noted no change, or if he saw,
appeared purposely Indifferent.
Twilight was coming Edna passed
out through the hall of the old house
and down the back steps, out into a
waving cornfield.
"Where can I go, or whittier flee ?"
she asked herself; but no answer came
to solve the fearful problem. 81 can't
90 back to John; I can't seek refuge at
the home of my brothers and sisters af-
ter my parents have cast me of. Pm
too conscientiOusly proud of their stand
ing in society to seek service in the
neighborhood and cause a nine days
scandal and make them ashamed of me-
In all the wide world l have nowhere to
lay my head"
In the far edge of the waving corn
field dwelt an old lady in rude hut,
surrounded by a kitchen garden with
sun-fowers guarding the entrance, and
at the humble door festooD of morning
glories.
"Aunt Judy will not drive me away"
she said, half audibly, as she climbed
the stile aud walked timidly up the
narrow path leading to the humble en-
trance.
For many years "Aunt Judy" had in
habited this rude hut alone. She was a
distant relative of Edna's father, and
had sometime seen better days, though
nobody could break through the icy ret
icence of her demeanor to learn why it
was that she had come to poverty, lone
illness, and grief.
"Aunt judy" said Edna, with an air
of abandonment that to the lonely indi-
vidual thus addressed, who had only
known her in her brilliant moods, was
perfectly bewildering, twill you let me
share your home? l need friend, and
in all the wide world have no other to
whom 1 can go for protection"
"What, my child So soon ?" and
Aunt Judy offered her an old-fashioned
easy chair, and when the weary child
was seated, stood over her smoothing
her brow and patting her pale cheeks
with her soft, cool palm. "Have your
Sodom apples turned to ashes already,
pet ?"
Edna had been nerved to apparent
stony-heartedness under censure; but
the sympathy of Aunt Judy broke, up
the fountain of her tears.
ayes, auntie. I've reaped the bitter
fruit of rashness, ignorance, and diso-
bedience much sooner, it seems, than
you Imagined"
"Has your husband discarded you ?"
''No, auntie; not that, exactly; but be
taunted me with being burden on his
hands to support, and 1 couldn't bear
it.n
as that all, child? Why, bless your
simple heart, there's millions of women
bearing that taunt every day in meek
ness and submission"
mo, auntie, it isn't AL; but it's
enough, goodness knows. Yet there's a
greater trouble. There's nothing for a
support-nothing at all. John has al,
ways lived on an annuity, from which
his friends have cut him of, now he's
married, and my father won't help US
and neither of US knows how to do any,
thing"
"The more shame for you both, if you
don't, Edna"
'I know it, auntie. But what can
do? You know how it would humiiiatt
my friends if l should create scanda
here by going out to service or to teach
now Pm married. And it would hu
initiate me so I couldn't hold my heaC
up, to have the world say my husband
couldn't support me-"
"Why, bless you, child, there ism
one man in hundreds who has the nam,
of supporting wife that does it. Lool
, at your father, for instance, and you
married brothers. The nucleus of thei
riches is in their farm-houses, where tn
wife holds the helm. There was oil
! man Case, down in the Missouri bottom
t He was rich, you know. Well, his wifi
e died a few years ago, and he was like
j watch with a main-spring broken. H
D ran down and remained down. H
: came here accounting me one day.
: Aunt Judy blushed and hesitated, tan,
: he said there was no such thing as pros
v pering without a woman"
d "What did you tell him, auntie?" an
e Edna smiled through her tears.
f 'Told him I was sorry for him, bu
s not quite sorry enough to walk in th
track of the dead Mrs. Case,n reptile
: the old lady, with mellow chuckle.
s "Well, auntie, what shall do? Nv
resolved that I will not endure tn
a taunts of John about my helplessnes'
u When women were uneducated an
y kept in utter ignorance of their ow
dormant powers, maybe they didn
mind it; but it's different nowadays.
I "My child, if you intend to do as yo
please, don't mock me by asking m