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

with the air of an offended, much-in-
jured chieftain, as he stood in the door
way, shaking with anger
"Who said your family didn't respect
you ?" said the wife, pale with fright,
and covering before him like a criminal.
"You said it! You, madam 1 mar
ried ye jist to save yer character, and
this is all the thanks git! People was
talkin' about ye, an We know ~
81 know you said so, Jason, and you
led me to believe it; but don't believe
it now, for know better"
aye doubt my aOord, then ~
"Tell him yeS, mother, do" said
Madge. "Irs your own fault that he
ineers over you so much. Tyranny
thrives upon undue submission. Stand
up for yourself, and you'll come out all
right"
ayes, ye upstartD ~ yelled the step
father. "pll not have you round here
any longer bossin' that silly woman,
an settin' her up to resist my authority.
Ye've got to leave the rancho ~
40, Jason ~ cried the terrOr-stricken
wife; "you don't mean to drive my
children from me ~
'Yes, I do Every brat that's big
enough to sass mes got to git out O.
this, or pay up. 1 don't support the
young, ones o. no man no longer, unless
I git paid for it. We've been married
nigh onto a year, now, an not a cent
have had from their dead daddy's es-
tate. The estates worth it, though, an
I'll have my pay"
80, Jason, don't be cruel ~ pleaded
the poor mother. "I do everything 1
can for your children, and you have
two more at home than l. Then, too,
yours are all smaller than mine, and
incapable of earning their living.
Surely, if I care for six children that
belong to you, and save them from be-
ing a burden of expense to you, yOu
ought to be willing to grant to nly
children the boon of shelter-at least
under my own roof"
"Nadam, do ye know who yer talkin'
to ?" was the exultant reply.
"Alas too well ~ she answered, with
tears.
''I think not, madam Ye don't
seem to realize that yer my aOJe; an
what is mine is my OlUR! Talk about a
woman earning money! Pshaw May
be We think old Sap' pointing to mem
ber of the horse-team that Harry was at
that moment leading through the yard)
"maybe ye think she earns money ~
"Jason Andrews =" cried Madge, in
warning tones, tone word more of in
suit to my mother, and We'll appeal to
the divorce courts ~
can make fools o. yourselves. I've
never struck my wife once since I've
had her. She's always had plenty to
eat, and as for wearables, nobody in
Moalla has any better. I'd like to see
ye maxim out a case that the courts
would take up"
"But you exercise what the Declara-
tion of Independence would call an uD.
warrantable jurisdiction over u.s." said
Madge. "You deny US the right tC
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
You govern US without our consent"
'Tve had enough o. yer sass, an
dou't propose to stand another word o
it. Pack yer duds an be off. If
wasn't a mighty clever man, ye'd gi
away without any rags only what "
stand in."
"Why5 JASON" cried the anxious
mother, "what are you thinking of?
couldn't live without Madge! Yol
know harvest will he on pretty soon
and with my poor health, and all tn
work to do, you'd have hired help t,
pay, and doctor bills-just think o
that"
''She shan't stay another night unde
my roof, an the less fuss ye make abou
it, the better off ye'll be-"
The poor mother threw her arm
around the neck of her daughter an
wept bitterly.
"Don't cry" said Madge. "Ifs a.
right"
"But I can't live without you. Ther
what will become of you if he drive
you away? I believe shall go mad
"Let your mind be at rest about mi
mother, dear I am not going away.
"How can you help it, daughter ?"
"By remaining here"
"But he has tire power to turn 20
out of doors.'
"Just let him try it r' And Madg,
with her square jaws firmly set and he
wild eyes flashing defiance, gazed at he
step-father and shook her head, like
stag at bay.
"But what will you do, my des
child ?" asked her mother, as she clun
to her desperately.
"Just nothing at all, mother. Ho
can leave you when l won't go ?'
"He'll compel you"
"Again say, Just let him try it,"
Possibly Jason Andrews had forgotte
the incidents of a former occasion, whe
he had essayed to try the physical arg