The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-15

| idol low. Mr.. LaSelle had come over
from Boise to look after the interests of
his famous mine, and in descending the
shaft the machinery broke, precipitat-
| ing him to the bottom, whence his body
was rescued, stark, mangled, and life
less.
The widow was inconsolable. OF
what use to her were costly equipage
and elegant surroundings now?
But the realities of business. must be
met. AS a wealthy widow, still fair,
though far from being young, she did
not lack for friends. But there came a
day when she looked upon her husbands
death as the very least of her tribula-
tions. And that was when legal wife,
with prior claims, came over to Idaho
Flat, and, with her children, inherited
the property, very small fraction of
which, while it was in Aunt Judy's power
to bestow, would have rendered Mrs.
Rutherford and her daughter eomforta-
ble in the darkest hour of their destitu-
tion.
The woman who had been deceived
had no redress, the legal wife no mercy.
Aunt Judy's only alternative was to re-
turn to the home of Edna and her
mother, heart-broken and desolate.
"Have women all the rights they
need? Have you all the rights you
want now ?' asked Edna, as she
smoothed her troubled brow and regu-
lated the folds of her widows cap.
"Oh, don't, Edna! Don't reproach
me, darling! 1 was kind to you once.
Won't you love me now? ?"
Certainly, auntie. And you shall
have home as long as there is one for
me. And, auntie, do you remember
Mr.. Shields? I mean the young law
yer who made his logic felt in Idaho
Flat good while ago."
eyes, Edna; but why? What of
him?"
"Oh, he's been away for year or
more, occupying an important Federal
position in another part of the Terri
tory, and now he's coming back, and
Pm going to marry him."
"What, child? After all our hard
experience ?"
"Yes, auntie, dear. I've been corre-
spending with his mother for the past
six months, and lately with his father
and sisters. Pm well acquainted with
his antecedents, and love him, as my
life. He was disappointed in love once.
So was 1, you know. He was married
once, and his wife died by suicide"
Edna shuddered at the mention of the
word.
'How did you get so well acquainted
with him ?" asked Aunt Judy. "He's
been in Boise for year."
"He went at my request, auntie. We
became acquainted by letter."
"But, after my experience, I'd never
dare to trust another man, and 1 should
think you wouldn't either"
$50 I thought once, but after all,
there's no sensible way to live except in
marriage. People should belong to
each Other-should live in pairs. But
there should be legal and honorable
way to settle all matrimonial, as we'll
as all other differences. Your husband
was not bad man at heart, yet, under
the imperfections of human law, he was
tempted, and he deceived you cruelty to
become your husband. The worst adul-
terry on earth is that which is the result
of inharmonious marriage; for the
weaker party to the contract must live
forever in subsection unless human law
is broken. We are going to be happy
Mr.. Shields and 1; yet had either
John Smith or Mrs. Shields failed
to commit suicide, each of us would
have been in legal bonds, and would
have been compelled to observe and
obey them, despite the fact that God
had united us. Thus does one per-
sons crime conduce to another's sup
posed superior virtue. Man looks upon
outward appearances, but God looks at
the heart. Verify we have no moral
right to judge others lest we ourselves
be severely judged"
There was another wedding in Idaho
Flat. The church that occupied the
site where Edna had first assisted to
prepare bower for public worship and
literary entertainments, was literally
festooned with evergreens and flowers.
Mr.. Handel, who had been called
away from Idaho Flat year before to
another field, came over the mountains
by special invitation to officiate, bring
ing his bride with him.
Edna arranged herself for her nuptials
in somber gray, relieved by sprays Of
pale forget-me-nots in her hair and
bosom, and, as she stood beside the man
to whom she felt that God had united
her, and spoke the fitting vows that
men should recognize as binding, a tear
or two of quiet gladness stole down her
cheeks, and silent prayer was waited
heavenward from many a sympathizing
heart, invoking the blessing of God
upon those whom He, through tribula-
ton, had Joined till death should part
them for a season.
That Edna was saved, was not because
of the protection of human law, but in
spite of it; that she became a true and
glorious woman, foremost in good words