The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-07-20

months; and if in that time do not
hear from King, I may consent to marry
Thomas; but [ can't think of it now.
Goodbye"
When Martha reached her fathers
cabin it looked more lonely and desolate
than ever. A kettle of boiled meat had
been overturned in the fireplace, scald-
ing the feet of two of the children, who
were screaming with pain, while Major
Marblehead, with his heart as hard as
his head, was distributing cuffs and
blows among the older ones with his
usual dexterity.
"pn have no more of your gddding,
young womanw he said, sternly, as
soon. as Martha entered his presence.
"Won't you, though ?" thought the
daughter, rejecting, for the first time,
favorably upon her improved opportu-
mites.
"What Mrs. Jones can see about old
Marblehead and all these young ones to
want to marry him outdistances my
calculations" she added; "but there is
no accounting for taste, as woman said
when she kissed her cow"
After time comparative quiet was
restored, the usual supper of venison
was dispatched, and the younger chill
dren stored away in their rude trundle
beds. The rain was beating a dreary,
monotonous tattoo upon the low clap
board roof, and Pickering light from a
candle made of venison tallow contrib
uted a sickly glare to the meager sur
rOundings.
"Will you read the Bible tonight,
Martha? The light is bad, and my
eyes are falling"
Martha wondered if her father was
taking leave of his senses. He had
never politely asked her to do anything
before.
With a heavy heart she opened the
old family Bible which had been her
mothers solace during earth's darkest
hours. 1t might have been an accident;
possibly it was inspiration guided her;
but certain it was that upon opening
the book at random the first words that
met her eyes were, "Come unto me, all
ye that labor and are heavy laden, and
L will give you rest"
"Please, father, don't let's read any
more tonight. That one passage of
Scripture is all need now," she said,
closing the book, after marking the
place, while feeling of quiet peace stole
over her senses, as she knelt beside the
Major in prayer.
To hear Major Marblehead wrestle
with Jehovah in his supplications to the
Infinite to step aside from immutable
laws to follow his own human plans,
you would have thought the Ever Pres
ent must be gone on a journey. His
voice rose high above the war of weep
ing elements outside, and literal an
swer to his petitions, in spite of his
faith, would have turned the universe
into chaos.
Martha knew the prayer by heart, so
she did not listen, but poured out her
spirit in a simple, silent request.
"Surround me with ministering an
gels, o, Father, and lead me in the paths
of righteousness"
Whether her prayer was answered or
not, l cannot say. L know the Majors
was not, for the universe still stands,
and the orders of nature are everywhere
the same as before.
Father and daughter arose from their
kneeling position, each feeling uncom-
Portable sensations in their Iong-fexed
muscles.
"Father, you'll be going to Oregon
City in day or two. Won't you see if
you can't get me letter from King ?"
asked the daughter, while her heart
rose in her throat as though it would
choke her.
"Didn't command you to have moth
ing more to do with that giggling
idiot?' he thundered, utterly forgetful
of the presence of Jehovah, and all else
except his own mandate.
ITO be continued