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

"What's the matter, John ?" queried
Edna, as her liege lord came sauntering
into the dainty suite of rooms which a
young couple in their circumstances
would not have thought of engaging at
the price, had they been brought up
with the remotest idea of the value of
money.
John was pale and careworn and cross.
az wish I hadn't married % he ex-
claimed, bitterly.
Edna had not before seen him in such
a mood; but, in truth, she had been
wishing ever since they had been
twenty-four hours married the very
same thing, yet she would not, for the
world, have wounded his feelings by
saying so.
"Why, John, what's the matter ?'
and her heart gave great painful throb
of dread aud expectation.
'Matter enough, Ed. Pm dead broke!
The ole mans cut off my 'lowance, and
left me without a shilling. 1t would
have been hard enough if I'd been
bachelor, but with a wife on my hands
to support, it's deuced tough"
Edna turned deathly pale. Was this
the same adorable John who had courted
her so faithfully, who had written scores
of model lOve-letters, any one of which
abounded in enough of protestations of
eternal fealty to have stocked u life
time, had they been ratified by conscien-
tiousness.
"Are you tired of me, John ?"
The question came as though
wrenched from her with a spasmodic
pang.
"Much good it'll do me if am tiredr'
said John. "pm in for it, and I'd just
as well submit to fate"
'Tll be a burden on your hands no
longer, JOhn," replied Edna, her lips
white and her eyes flashing.
John laughed, impudently.
"What now ?" he asked, in a con-
strained attempt to appear playful.
"Just what I mean, John Smith! God
knows I'd be free from you from this
time forward if wishing would free me;
but the fiat has gone forth. I've be-
come your lawful wife and must abide
the consequences; but burden on your
hands 1 never will be-"
John attempted a facetious whistle.
"One would think you belonged to
the short-haired tribe of the strong
minded, to see you put on airs p' he
said, after a painful silence on Edna's
part.
The dinner bell rang.
"Are you going down ?' asked John.
mo, Mr.. Smith. You've enough to
do, according to your own statement, to
support yourself. Pm going to my
mother"
This was a turn in the tide of Johns
affairs which was wholly uuanticipated.
"What new crochet are you nursing
now ?" he asked, in alarm.
''The crochet of a new and unlocked
for necessity" was the calm reply.
Edna had left her father and mother
to cleave unto John, accompanied with
but single change of wardrobe. This
meagre allowance had been literally re.
plenished by the enraptured Benedict
upon the occasion of their marriage; but
now that he was taunting her with be.
ing burdensome, she would not touch
an article that he had bought.
'Mr. Smith," said Edna, for the sec
ond time in her life addressing her hus
band by the name of which she wa
ashamed, 1--WE must rigidly observe The
proprieties. You go down to Dime
and tell the inquisitive boarders tha
I've been invited out. It's half true
you know, for you've given me an un
mistskable invitation to go out. Afte
Pm gone, you can pretend you've con
cluded to go and join me. You can g
where you like. rll go to my mother
"And get FOOLS luck for your palms.
"What do you mean?"
'T mean that you'll find the home G
Edna Smith very different establish
ment from the home of Edna Ruther
ford"
''It can't be any worse than the hom
Of my husband, when be not only ha
none to offer me, but accuses me of be
ing burdensome, even in the honey
moon," sobbed Edna.
One by one the little trinkets her hus
band had bestowed upon. her in thei
short-lived period of happiness wer
laid aside.
'If you had only told me your Gil
cumstances, John, 1 wouldn't have er
couraged you to buy these" she salt
holding up a glittering pair of gol
bracelets, with claspings set in am,
thysts.
sit goes in life-time," answere
John.
How Edna did ,Oish that John wOuI