The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-09-07

TlOlcule r
Her appetite was spoiled. She knew
the general effect of the Majors manner
upon the spectators, though he rested
in happy ignorance. She played ner-
vously with her fork and spoon, and
while her husband and son did ample
justice to the food before them, she fed
upon the deepest humiliation.
"Who is he? asked one, and Mrs.
Marblehead not being blessed, as the
Major was, with partial deafness, heard
both question and reply.
"He's new official dignitary; one of
those wiseacres who is to revOlUtioniZe
politics, engraft God in the Constitu-
ton, and pray himself into personal
prominence and political Immortality"
This was said by a mild-mannered
gentleman who had no intention of be-
ing overheard, and, but for Mrs. Marble
heads acute sensibilities, she would
have been oblivious to it. As it was,
she was on the alert, and the tympanum
of her adjacent ear was like frightened
drum-head.
81 wouldn't trust him farther than
yOu could throw twO-year-Old bullock
by its tail, /" was the decided rejoinder.
"You must be good reader of char
acter," remarked the other.
"Why ?"
"Oh, it's easy enough to see why.
You echo the public sentiment exactly.
Every body will know the Major and his
business before he leaves the dining
room. Have you observed his wife !?
DeUced smart woman, that"
"I'll wager nugget from my Jack
sonville placers that she hasn't lived
with him as a wife more than year or
two.n
"And how have you reached that con-
clusion ?"
"Easily enough. Did you ever see
man with over-pious propensities, mar
row face, thin lips, high back head,
sharp nose, grey eyes, and hair combed
like the roof of a country meeting
house, who had lived to the age of sixty
without losing at least one wife?"
81 never thought of the question in
that light before"
"Well, have; and you may depend
upon it that the old skinfiint has buried
the mother Of large family of children,
who crueified her life in obedience to
his behests. pll warrant this to be a
second, possibly third wife"
"Do you think he'll get the better of
her?'
mot bit of it. She knows his weak
side. He's as vain as a peacock, as
stubborn as a donkey, as pious as a
monk, and as deceitful as the devil.
But she'll match him."
"But she's doesn't look like a woman
who would aspire to be the counterpart
of such a person as you delineate."
Mrs. Marblehead blushed. Itwas her
turn to catch it now.
mo; the woman's not narrow, noI
over pious. But she's ambitious and
uuSCI IupuIOuSi anu vi lSSSy anu az SiSedOle'
She'll make her way in Washington
and his, too"
An increased clatter of dishes among
the walters in the dining-room pre-.
vented further Overhearing. But Mrs
Marblehead was not sorry. She had al.
ready heard enough.
Excuse me, Major; I am not hun.
gry," she said, half-rising.
You'd just as well get the worth o
your money. The PAYS all the same
whether you eat much or little, " replied
the careful calculator of current ex
penses, in a loud, deliberate tone.
Mrs. Marblehead curled her lip in dis
gust and left the room.
In truth she was not bad looking
She had a magnificent figure, ampI,
and well-proportioned, aud it was eas,
enough to see how she might make he
social mark at the Capital, where brill
liant and intellectual women were known
to be scarce.
When the Major had finished hi
ample meal, he returned to his chamber
to find the partner of his joys and sor
rows in fever of mortified indignation
"Old Marblehead, you're fool :" sh
exclaimed, stamping her foot.
at is better to dwell in the corner @
housetop than with brawling WON
f an in a wide housed" said the Major
solemnIy.
Mrs. Marblehead was nonplussed fo
once. Like very many other Don-relig
ious persons, she held to a sort of inner
, tied reverence for the Bible which mad
t it difficult for her to answer any argu
ment or accusation having, or seemin
= to have, its foundation in the Scriptures
f The Major had never before attempte
: such rebuke in the presence of Mr.
: Marblehead number two. And he wa
q astonished at his own audacity as 500
D as he had spoken. But his wife's cor
fusion inspired him with new courag,
!. A tyrant is always a coward, and a COW
d ard is always bully, so long as the oil
|. ject of his attempted power is in retres
But Mrs. Marblehead had no idea
q final retreat. She paced the floor fe
4 minutes in silence, and then turne
i. upon her liege with a merry laugh.