The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-04

$50 would l." exclaimed the mother,
involuntarily, while a shudder passed
over her frame. "Am 1 not already in
his power ?" she thought.
"He's as ignorant as an OK" con-
tinued Harry. "We've had books and
papers, and a checke er- board and copy
books for the last two years, and longer,
and while all the rest of US, you includ-
ed, have spent the evenings in learning
something useful or pleasant, Jason sits
as sleepy as a buffalo till bedtime, and
then mOpes off to bed like ground-hog
like a man that has snap in him-a
man that will drive things and keep 'em
going, even if he sometimes gets angry,
and plays general smash for a minute or
two."
'Mr. Andrews isn't model for amia-
bility of temper, by any MEANS" said
the mother in a low voice, modulated,
as Harry's had been, to prevent the OBJ
ject of their conversation from over
hearing.
YOU'RE right as to that" answered
Harry; 'but he's perfect model for a
conceited, churlish Ounce"
"Guess it's my turn to ride" said ia
son, as, suiting the action to the word,
he clambered upon the wagon-tongue,
while Harry dismOunted TO take his
place beside the oxen.
Mrs. Morrison sat for long time with
her face averted. In her heart she
loathed the man to whom she had, in a
moment of weakness, allowed herself to
pledge her hand for better or for worse.
She loathed herself, too, for having
yielded to the temptation, aud now the
battle between her repugnance to the
proposed union and her own ideas of
honor was fearful one.
"What ye thinkin' about, Mamie,
dear p"
Jason Andrews looked tenderly into
the widows eyes, and smiled after the
manner of every love-lorn swain since
Adam lived and courted, and she
blushed violently as he whispered the
question.
ooh, Mr.. Andrews please forget our
conversation last night J" she pleaded.
at is all like dreadful dream to me-"
'Its amazin' sweet an real like to
me, darLin'. It's been so long since
had anybody to love me. OF course ye
can't back out an be hon'able. No
woman would, after she had lowed a
man to kiss her %
A strange thrill of terror passed
through the widows frame. To recover
the vantage ground she had so weakly
and foolIshly lost in that billing and
cooling season, she would willingly have
bartered life. And, as his brawny,
freckled hand grasped hers in a passion
ate hold, and his hot breath flashed in
her flushed, humiliated face, she would
have welcomed the very mountains to
fall upon and crush her.
"While we're about it, Mamie, dar-
lin, ye'd just as well name the day.
The best an only way to stop gossipy
tongues is to obey the laws of the United
States, an git married at once"
"But the children % pleaded Mrs.
Morrison. "What will they do? What
will Madge say ?'
"They can say what they please, and
be blasted, after the knots tied"
thought Jason, but he was far too willy
to express it openly.
1.-THE best thing we can do for them is
to git married tonight, at The Falls.
The children'll submit all right when
they see it's no use to object. DO say
tonight, darlin', do! 1 want We to be
all mine. The sweet little yes ye whis-
pered yesterday has cooed in my heart
ever since, like doves music"
Had Mrs. Morrison overheard Jason
Andrews talking sentiment to any other
woman, she would have considerd it a
capital joke. AS it was, there certainly
was no fun in it. There was fascination,
however, as well as desperation, and
these made her suddenly calm and reso.
lutte.
81 see that there is no escape" she
said, firmly, as she gazed away, over the
heads of the oxen, and out into the
blue, wide expanse of atmosphere that
bounded the beautiful prairie.
"Will ye say tonight, then ?"
ayes, tonight"
The rhapsodies that followed were the
direst infections upon her disenchanteC
ear, but she felt that now the Rubicor
was passed, the next step was to burr
the bridges.
The marriage laws in the Territory al
that early period were primitive to the
extreme of simplicity. 1t was only
necessary for the consenting parties tC
go to minister or magistrate and pro.
nounce the vows, according to no partic
ular formula, and the work was done
which human beings so often charge tx
OmnipOtence, but which, in reality, il
often the result of human imperfections
and a short-sightsdness that is born o
Ignorance and sustained by prejudice.
''Shan't tell Harry about it T' askeC
the groom expectant.
Mrs. Morrison blushed and shud
dered.
"For pity's sake, don't say word t.
him p' she exclaimed. with HttI
/ q