The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-31

woman, now, and don't feel as I
once did"
"Do you love somebody else ?"
The young girl laughed outright.
1.-THE idea, Gus ha, ha, ha !" she ex-
claimed, pirouetting around the room
on one foot, like ballet dancer.
"Good-bye, Martha ~ said Gus, in a
repulchral voice. 'Pve got a death
blow, and you have caused it,"
How Gus reached his home he never
knew. The world, that had looked so
radiant to him an hour before, was now
an impenetrable pail of blackness.
He stole into the house, unobserved
by his sister, Martha, and sought his
attic room. How desolate he was. What
cared he for farms or great possessions
now? Wasn't the light of his life for
ever gone? And was there aught else
on earth worth living for?
When he appeared at supper the good
clothes had been removed, and the
shabby apparel he had so utterly de-
tested was again in use.
His sister was astonished.
"Did you succeed in your mission ?"
she asked, as soon as they were alone.
"Yes, with the old woman, but the
girl-confound-"
"Stop, Gus! Don't be rash or wicked.
The girl has changed her mind. Is that
! it?"
eyes, sister, and I'll never trust an
other woman. I've lived for her, and
her only, for three long years, and she
always pretended to love me. She
made me happy many a time, when
but for her l should have been so miser-
able 1 would have done something des-
perate. And now, when my mind is
made up, and my heart set upon speedy
marriage, and her mother encourages
my suit, and I'm all ready for lasting
happiness, she flies the track without
any warning, and her mother holds
stakes, and Pm laughed at. L wish
were dead"
80, brother, do not talk like that.
Depend upon it you cannot love her
long if you love hopelessly. Lasting
affection must be reciprocal, because
you cannot always give unless you
sometimes take"
"But 1 can never iol1 u.y head up
again in this country"
"Why, Gus?"
"Because Pll be a general laughing
stock. Mrs. Brown'll tell it, and Mar
tha'll tell it, and everybody'll know it,
and 1 won't be able to look anybody in
the face"
"Then what will you do ?"
"Tll run away"
"Now, see here, Gus. / pity you
with all my heart. know just what
you have to bear. Indeed my trial was,
and is, far greater than yours, for it was
not my lover, but my father who re-
pulsed me. Depend upon it, brother,
this affiiction is for your good in some
way. Do you know what L would do il
1 were you ?'
"No; nor don't care w
80, Gus ~
81 don't! And if it will do you any
good for me to know what you'd do, III
listen"
"Pd go to work and make a man o.
myself, and become learned and rich
and make the world honor me.u
81 mean to throw myself away"
"Aud make Martha Brown glad thai
she Tilted you? wouldn't, Gus"
"Well, 1 won't, then. I'll conquer
this feeling, or die. But, do you know
my sister, that you are proving very
present help, in time of trouble ?"
'pm only too glad to be a help to you
brother dear. Some. day, be assured
that you-will look upon this trial as on'
, of your greatest blessings"
'I's blessing in disguise, then"
"Our greatest blessings are often sucl
in disguise, brother, else they would no
serve their purpose:N
"What would you have me to do ?'
"Why, carry out the plan tried t,
: arrange this morning. Assist me t,
make my donation claim a valuabl,
property, and will assist you to secur,
: yours. True, you'll only be allowed t.
claim half as much as you and a wifi
, together might, but you can build
cabin, keep bachelors hall sufficien
time to comply with the requirement
/ of the law, and make your real hom
with me and the children on the Cheha
, lem FARM"
Piquaut, saucy and indisciplined Mar
tina Brown had not dreamed that Gu
Marblehead would thus suddenly tax
! her at her word and give her up withou
= a protest. She looked for love scene
: for passionate entreaty and honeye
/ words, and all the exhibitions of arden
wooing of which she had lately read il
t a fashionable novel. She had failed.
2 Gus~was too honest to doubt her word
J He looked upon her refusal to becom
3. his wife, after her mothers encourage
t ment, as a deep-laid plot between theu
: to humiliate him. He had considere
it partof love-making, and fully eX
: pected to be coaxed into complying wit
the desire of her own truly affectiOnat