The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-05-18
CHAPTER xxi.

CHAPTER XXI. .
Mrs. Rutherford was as badly at loss
about pawning her old-fashioned jewels
in st. Louis as she had once been about
securing a thousand dollars from the
bank.
As before, the hustle and roar of the
busy city bewildered her. As before,
she longed for SoIon's aid and conf
dence, but she had not the feeling of in
security akin to guilt which had before
possessed her. UncOnsciously to herself
she was sustained as she bad not before
been in any of her many resolutions. A
quiet determination to overcome every
obstacle, and positive feeling that she
must succeed, nerved her with unwonted
strength.
1t was as though ministering angel
guided her.
The sum realized from the sale of the
only relics of her life of toll that she
could call her own was far too meager
to meet the necessities of her journey as
they should have been met, but she was
resolved to attempt it at all hazards.
When she went to purchase her ticket
she was not surprised to find that men,
in business, do not take woman's impe-
curiosity into consideration when they
deal with them. She was not surprised
to find that in travelling, as in every
thing else, it costs a woman just as
much to meet expenses as it costs a
man; but she was grieved over the fact
as she never before had been, and was
astonished that the injustice of compell-
ing women to spend their lives as SER
wants without wages had not before
given her more indignant concern.
Had Mrs. Rutherford been left to the
choice of forty lashes or a return to her
old home, before starting West, for her
few personal effects in the way of wear
ing apparel and little keepsakes, she
would have chosen the former as the
lesser evil. But her means were too
limited to enable her to do without the
very scanty wardrobe that the laws of
men called hers, and there was no alter
native but to 60 and get it.
Very cool was her reception as she
again ventured to cross the threshold
that was once her own. But Mrs.
Rutherford took no heed of glowering
looks or cOntemptuous words. Her
daughter-in-law was not treading path
strewn with roses, and she felt for her
pity strongly akin to pain, as she saw
her struggling with loads of labor and
care while walking weariIy in the same
hard road of life through which she had
toiled in bringing up her own family.
"Why don't you keep help, my child?
You are not strong enough to perform
so many duties. The care of your fam
lily is enough without your making but
ter and cheese and doing cooking and
washing for hired men," she said, ear
nestly.
Mrs. Rutherford junior was aston
ished. Such an expostulation from heI
own mother would not have surprised
her; but coming from mother-in-laW
made it simply wonderful.
"Take my advice and never earn {
dollar outside of your household labor
which must be performed, of course, tC
satisfy the bodily demands of your chill
dren. I have toiled all my life for tha
which was nothing to me when came
to need it worst. Women's work doe
not belong to them but to their husbands
orwhosoever their husbands may choos
to will it,"
"But Eben says he can't get help
mother. He is very angry because yol
are determined to leave u.s."
"Did you get right up out of you
bed, after started to st. Louis, and g
into the kitchen to shoulder all thi
load ?''
"Of course did. How could hel
myself? Eben wouldn't get me an
help, and the work had to be DONE"
"Well, child, you just go to bed an
stay there till you get well. You hav
not been so kind to me, heaven knows
as to place me under any obligations
you, but 1 will give my advice gratis
He'll be compelled to employ somebod
to do the work for good and all if yo
keep on at this rate. The average ma
knows nothing whatever about takin
care of a woman"
"If you had only stayed :" sobbed tn
poor weak mother.
"And why should 1 stay, I'd like t
know? You n'tappreciate anythin
I was doing, and nobody paid me fc
my labor. I've resolved to spend m
little remaining strength in working fC
myself, since the toll of lifetime hi
been willed to my husbands children
You know that mother isn't suppose
to have any children of her own ~ an
Mrs. Rutherford gave a bitter laugh.
"Wel, Pm sure there is no use