The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-17

the soul is constantly protesting, and
the voice of the heart in the flesh is cry
ing out, through wrecked lives, contin-
ually because Of the desolation of those
whose faces are wreathed In smiles and
their tongues clothed with the declara-
tions of content, even wfTile their health
fails, their footsteps falter, and their
lives give an unceasing lie to their at
testations of happiness.
Martha Marblehead Jones was not a
member of the die-away brigade.
Deeply as she had been wounded in her
spirits innermost recesses, she was
strong of nerve and brave of heart.
How wearily she took her burdens up
nobody but herself could know. How
alphabetically Indifferent she felt toward
everything around her, nobody but her
self imagined. But she was resolved to
do her duty, and she did it bravely.
AS the years passed on, one child af-
ter another came, to fill her heart with
love and tenderness and prevent her
from wholly despising the man whose
name she bore.
Then change came over the spirit Of
her dream.
Mrs. Jones Marblehead had long been
busy in politics. Not that she would
have admitted the fact. Not she. Had
the question of woman's political disa-
bilities been at that time before the
world, she would, with all her might,
have disavowed it. She would have
busily assailed any woman who would
have dared to advocate it. But it was
different thing when her husband
wanted an office.
The new Territorial Legislature had
been organized, new offices created, and
new officers installed, prominent among
the latter being Major Marblehead, who,
but for his wife's intriguing, would
have been compelled to remain in pri-
vate life to the end of the chapter.
"Oh, Major p exclaimed his delighted
spouse, "we'll be looked upon as rulers
of the land, hereafter. You won't catch
me plodding along in the old humdrum
paths any longer"
"And what will you do, pray ?" asked
Major Marblehead, whose new honors
added vastly to his dignity.
"Why, I'll go to Washington, to be
sure. And We'll hire elegant apart
ments and give state dinners and feast
officials and control patronage. You
see, Major, can do many a thing as
your wife which wouldn't be admissible
if were you"
"How can that be, Mrs. Marblehead?n
The Major had always called his first
wife Martha, and there must have been
a lingering tenderness in his heart for
her memory, else he would have applied
the same sobriquet to the present part
ner of his joys and sorrows. Mrs. Mar
blehead liked her patronymic. II
sounded in her ears exceedingly aristo-
cratic. To be the first attendant upon
an offiee-holder was her highest aim
Her husband was as clay in the potter
hands. Like an aspen in the wind, be
could be swayed in all things to do hel
bidding. Yet he demurred from hel
plans for while. 1t was not congenia
to his feelings to see his wife politi
clan. If sometimes he found himsel
contrasting his present lot with that o
little while ago, when the blue-eyeC
partner of his youth was by his side
ever toiling, yielding, sacrificing, ant
I suffering; trusting implicitly in hin
I while her cheeks grew pale, and goinI
: down at last into the valley and shado1
of death-if sometimes he sighed for tn
:, old authority and old-time quiet acqui
t escence in all he said or did in church al
: fairs, while those of state were neve
thought of, the reader need not wonder
If at is a woman's place, Mrs. Marble
d head" he would sometimes say, ct
!, keep the home and make it pleasan
a while her husband should attend to po
It itics."
it Then Mrs. Marblehead would argu
thus:
l. "You see, Major, there's no use
,e your trying to manage these affail
Z alone. I'm not arguing the question {
to my right to do this or that; but pr
Ie pose to do what choose if the HEAVIER
Ie fall"
n "But you should stay at home an
D look after the affairs of the house, m
ts dear"
is "Look after the affairs of such an e
r, tablishment as this, indeed! Why,
lie shall have my brown stone front, m
coach-and-four, my servants in liver
Id and everything else that's grand"
b. "But the children, Mrs. Marblehead
IN The children"
IL "MajOr, do you suppose I marri,
re those children?"
p "You promised to be a mother
lr them, madam"
E. "Now, Major, don't begin to 'madaI
M me. Remember you're dealing with
of woman who knows her p's and q
You'd better go slow"
Ill "Do you intend to take the childr
be to Washington ?"
ly "Take them to Washington, indee
Id Major, do you mistake me for fool?''
BIT "Oh, no! no! Mrs. Marblehead."