The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-31

| -A0NSS saw gazing VIC AibblO
square window as stolid as a statue.
"Are you not we'll this morning,
dear?" leaning over and kissing her
upon the forehead.
GAS well as a penitentiary convict
can be-" said Madge.
"Are you not happy?"
Happy" cried Madge. "Do you
think 1 can be happy, when feel that
1 have killed my mother ?"
"Your mother isn't dead, poor child"
"But she will die if I don't go to her
to-day. feel it in my bones"
"Well, dear, if you will leave the
matter to me, I'll see that you go to-day"
"Will you?" and Madge started up
with delighted little chuckle.
"Yes. You must obey me, though.
Come out and eat your breakfast, and
appear gay and witty and eontented.
You can fairly bewitch those men if
you will act your part as 1 know you
can. They'll feel that they have con-
quered you fully then, and that will
make them less vigilant. 1 heard
them talking about going to The Falls
to attend court-something about a
town site. They're going as soon as
they think you're reconciled. Now,
brighten up, and act cheerful"
"And be a hypocrite W cried Madge,
Indignantly.
"Poor child ~ and the woman smiled
sadly, revealing a row of badly-decay-
ing and constantly aching teeth; "poor
child! You'll learn that deception is
the defense of most wives before you're
twice married"
''Every instinct of my soul revolts
against it," said Madge, deperately,
"but PlI do it,"
81 should say she 1Ods broken in al
ready, but not exactly in the way they
imagine" thought the hostess, as she
led the subdued wife to the table, and
bountifully filled her plate.
1t seemed that Madge was bewitched,
so brilliant and vivacious was she.
George Hanson was delighted to wit
ness her exuberance of spirits, but the
pious host was grave and digni6ed.
'Rather too much levity in a minis
ter's home," be said, solemnly, where
upon Madge laughed more heartily than
ever, and finally upset even his dignity
completely with an impromptu lode"
upon connubial happiness, which was
only lost to the world forever because
no Photographic reporter was ready to
transcribe it as it fell from her lips.
''This is pleasing surprise, Mr.. Han
son." said the host, not forgetting to
measure his voice and attune it to me-
lodious double bass. ''I was not aware
that Mrs. Hanson was poet"
"She is a wonderful woman, in every
particular" said the husband, admir-
ingly.
''She's not a woman, but child"
said Madge, relapsing into her accus-
toned air of abstraction. 'But she is a
wonderful child-at least she astonishes
herself when she awakes from a strange
fascination, only to wonder what has
become OF ner."
"You seem to be thoroughly alive to
your wifely duty this morning." said
the double bass. ga true wife considers
J it her chiefest glory to lose herself in
, her husband, so to speak. I often think k
of the sublime self-sacrifice of the
} Scripture maiden, Ruth. rEntreat me
not to leave thee, nor to turn from fol-
, lowing after thee; for where thou goest
will go, and where thou lodgest will l
lodge; thy people shall be my people"
"Hold % said Madge. "Do you know
? what happened once upon time when
somebody quite as noted in the worlds
r history as Ruth, or even Boaz, head Of
the family though the latter became,
3 took some other illustrious body aside,
t and misquoted Scripture?"
t "You're rude, Madge," said her hus-
s band, reproachfully.
: ''rm your wife, and we're one, and
r according to the laws of the land, you're
that one, and so yolt're rude," laughed
r Madge.
= "Are you perfectly satisfied to do az
!. your husband bids you, as becomes ar
obedient and exemplary wife ?" asked
r the parson.
, Suppose he commands me to dc
e wrong?" asked Madge, her eyes flash
q ing. ., as.... frs
!, Her hostess suddenly reminded her o
Y the role she was acting by vigorous
: nudge with her foot under the table.
d 'It's not expected that the head o
e the family will do wrong" replied The
: double bass; "for the husband is th,
g head of the wife, even as Christ is tht
,, head of the church." tr
y "Have you been crucified, George p
y said Madge. "And have you risen from
a the dead and become glorified person
age, because you SO loved your wife tha
y you gave your body as willing saeri
d fee to insure her we'll being2''
''Take care, or somebody else will b,
misquoting Scripture" said the doubl,
e bass, sarcastically.
d George Hanson blushed and fidgeted
q In spite of his attempt to shake the Wis
d ion from his senses, there rose befor
him in appalling vividness the pictur