The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-02-02
VOLUME We

this condition of evil and usurpation as
it is the duty of every faithful husband
man to conquer the thorn and thistle,
root and branch"
"But how are you going to begin,
Edna ?"
"First of all, auntie, dear, we must
have woman just as free to follow the
promptings OF her own selfhood as man
is"
"And how are you to bring all that
about, when in all this broad America
there is not one court Of justice where
she can have any prospect to figure ex-
cept as a criminal ?"
DWELL, auntie, I can't see that we are
to make anything by theorizing here.
lily sovereign lord and master, who will
have me to know that he is head of the
/ family that provides him with food and
shelter, and who robs us daily of a con-
siderable sum to keep himself boozy,
will probably sleep for several hours,
and if you will keep the babies, will
visit the new family of which his wor-
ship beniguly consented to tell me-"
"Why, child! You are not able to
take such a walk! The road lays across
the gulcb, down Que great hill and up
another still larger, and you haven't
been out of the house for weeks"
tNever mind, auntie. Any sort Of an
adventure will be a change. I'll try
|it.u
The wonderfully exhilarating air of
Idaho Flat acted upon her being like an
elixir of life. Instead of falling dead on
her little journey, as she had hoped and
prayed to do, she grew suddenly strong
in feeling and purpose. Walking with
firm step along the grade below the
cabin, she paused, after a while, to
watch the men at work. Some were
wadiug waist deep in the yellow water
of the rapid creek and upturning the
gravel with Iong-handled spades, while
with aching limbs they toiled from
morning till night in preparing for the
coming 'clean up" when they hoped to
reap golden rewards for the rheumatic
twiuges and tic douloureur contracted
during the seasons toll.
'If John would strive like that to
earn his bread I shouldn't mind my
own toll and suffering" thought Edna;
"and it is plain enough that all men are
notidle or drunken. Whata pity itisthat
a man who is idle or dissipated can ever
be the sole arbiter of the destiny of a
woman whom be holds by virtue, not OF
his own good conduct and her desire,
but through a fiction of the law which
compels her, though not a party to the
laws, to obey them in spite of her innate
sefhood Surely there is a great wrong
somewhere"
Edna found the ascent of the oppo
site steep more difficult than she haC
supposed. Listening intently forsoundi
issuing from her home, she fancied tina
she could hear the low wall of her TIMES
babe, and she hastened on, designing t.
complete her call and return ere Aun
Judy's patience should become ex
hausted.
In an erewhiie abandoned cabin, sever
feet by nine in area, and perched upol
the very verge of an ove1hanging ledg
5 of rocks, under which the miners evel
now were burrowing, lay a woman il
an evident state of intoxication.
"Well," thought Edna, "if this is th
sort of recruits that come, in the shap
: of families, to Idaho Flat, don't wan
to remain, even though gold abounde
like powders. And yet, why has nc
this woman as good a right to drink q
s John ?'
e Edna had inherited from her motbe
= all the feminine prejudices against ev
II in woman for which womanhood
= everywhere commendable, and the sag
= reflection to which she gave utteranC
was born only of the force of examp
'e in her husbands home.
az guess I won't rouse her. Guess Z
ie steal back aud tell Aunt Judy that I'y
y found counterpart for john" she SAT-
e. irresolutely.
N Yet it had been so long since she ha
e. seen the face of any woman exec
Aunt Judy, that a curious desire to kno
ID more of this stranger possessed her.
IN The usual paraphernalia of mfnir
e. camp lay scattered about. There w
as no bed, except the roll of gray blanke
of upon which the woman lay, and no fir
Id or place for any, except upon the rocl
ne outside.
of As Edna stood surveying the wretcht
scene, and painting from the effect
ay her uphill walk, a rolicking yet sa
looking man, in sandy hair and pla
,ir cassimeres, approached the cabin, ca
n rying bag of beans and fitch of b
If con.
nd A look of annoyance crossed his cou
an tenance as he met Edna, and his ey
We fell.
'AIy name is Smith," said Edu
ce land came to make formal call, F.,
re ter the custom in all villages"
"And my name is Young, madal
on My-that is-Mrs. Young is not well
n day"
ay Edna breathed more freely. Perha
OF she had mistaken the woman's indisI