The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-06-23
CHAPTER XVIII.

return, lest her fears would be realized,
and the team and produce squandered
in pandering to her husbands unfortu-
nate appetite.
'pve so far conquered my repugnance
to Jason since the baby came that !
think 1 could endure him very well"
she said to Alice, ''if he would only
quit his drinking and become a sober
man, as I thought he was when mar.
ried him."
''Since Madge has taken him in
charge, think there is great hope fol
him." was the consoling reply.
81 don't know" sighed the wife.
"There isn't much hope for a reforma-
tion when there isn't anything to speak
of to build on"
at passes my powers of comprehen-
sion to understand why you should
have married that man at your time OF
life," said Alice.
"You are not more astonished than
l." was the mothers humiliating con-
fession. 'I must have been crazy OF
dreaming, and 1 guess L was both. l.
guess-I-was-bo both"
"And guess you're right in that con-
clusion, mother dear. But let any man
catch me a-napping over the matrimO.
nial moose with my present knowledge
of the world, the flesh, and the devil
Don't be irreverent, Alice" said heI
mother, reprovingly, as her daughter
turned to the little mirror to fix some
cheap ribbons in her hair, trilling the
while lightsome ditty to an old-timt
tune, and dreaming, even then, of future
connubial possibilities.
Most single women are matrimonially
Insane, while two-thirds of the married
ones are secretly signing for the same
circumstances. Don't berate us too Sc
verely for telling the sober truth, good
reader. Unpalatable as it is, it must be
spoken, simply because it's true.
"Yonder they come now," said Mrs
Andrews, with a half-suppressed sigh
"and do wonder if Jason's sober"
Madge alighted from the wagon, gave
the cattle and the heavy whip into the
charge of Sam and Harry, and assisted
her trembling companion to the ground
"Just as I expected" said the anxious
wife.
''Just as you don't expect" crieC
Madge. "Your baby's father is as sobe
as judge"
"Pm mighty sick, though" reptile,
the head of the family, as he tottere,
toward the house.
HE needs liquor ~ exclaimed th
wife, in an undertone.
"Not another word ~ said Madge
aside and authoritatively. "Pve re
solved that he shall never taste anothe
drop. If he lives over this crisis. well
Well do what we can to make as decen
man as possible of what there is {
him. If he dies because he can't &c
whisky, the quicker he's gone tn
better"
"Mddge ~ exclaimed her mother, i
astonishment, chow you shock me w
'Its to be hoped the shock will d
you good" was the quick rejoinde
"Jason's my patient, and if he dies it,
be my funeral. He's better off dea
and sober, than living and drunkard.
The women had fingered behind, an
out of the hearing of the reformin
man, who staggered up the walk alor
and miserable.
"How wish was dead ~ he waile,
as the agony of an intolerable longin
for stimulants burned in his brain an
stomach, while his palsied limbs a
most refused to do their bidding.
"Are you not ready for death ?"
The question seemed to come from IL
iunermost depths of his shattered bein
In terror he looked around him, bl
no living mortal was near enough to |
heard in such voice except the lit
babe that lay in its rude cradle, breatl
ing peacefully.
"POor little creetur! Pm so glad it's
girI"' he said, repeatedly, as he dropp'
into a chair and looked long and ca
nestly into its face.
"And why are you glad it's a gi
pray?" asked Madge, kindly, as 81
came into the room and placed b
hand caressingly upon his uncover
head.
Because it'll never drink whisky
"Whars to hinder it2 Maybe il
Inherited it's fathers appetite. T
sins of parents are often visited up,
their children, you know"
"But women are 3 heap stronge
minded than men. A woman nev
falls into drunkenness till after sh,
kicked out o. decent society.n
'I must differ with you there, u
good friend. Women would yield
evil habits, and, per consequence, [
come the prey of evil diseases just
often as men do, or, rather, men wol
not yield any oftener to evil habits To
women do, only for the faclthat WON
are generally powerless to dictate
them concerning their daily wa