The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-13
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.
Edna was doing everything. AS she
had said, her children required all her
time and energy to enable her to prop
erly care for them, and the extra toll of
both brain and body were telling fear
fully upon her nerves and temper. But
her programme must be carried out.
The miners were crazy for Legitimate
amusement, such as can only be enjoyed
when there is honorable blending of the
feminine element in the different phases
of mems social life, and she had prom
ised to supply it.
They were also in a mood to be highly
pleased with anything in the way of en-
tertainment which Edna could offer.
But her ambition ran high. To so far
perfect herself in her new calling that
she might be satisfied with her own ef-
forts was no slight endeavor. Mean
while, to keep John placated and sup
piled with spending money, it was nee
essary that her pastry cooking should
go on without interruption.
happy as bride to care, or seem to care,
for Edna's further prospects.
There comes a time in the life of
almost everybody when the concerns of
Others amount to nothing. When a
man and woman are so deeply enamored
of each other that they live only within
themselves, they are in a state of &C.
stacy which ought to be pardoned, for
certainlyit is usually evanescent enough
to only cause the concern of friends
through fear of its instability.
Edna was in a great dilemma. To
write her own declamations was a part
fherprogramme. Not that she felt that
she could not have chosen more wisely
had collections from other sources been
at her disposal from which to make lit
erary selections; but books were a rarity
in Idaho Flat-almost as scarce indeed
as the women who desired to use them.
"John," said Edna, one day, as he
came sauntering into the cabin with a
maudlin grin upon his expressionless
face, 81 must have some help in the
house, else 1 shall never be able to fin
ish my literary work in time for the
benefit"
"Let the work gow retorted John,
quite agreeing with Mr.. Handel in CIV
ing advice, if in nothing else.
"But, John, you know 1 cannot do
that. You and all hands must be fed
and clothed. Suppose my new expert
ment should fail. We must then have
something to fall back upon, as you
know"
"But don't see how we are to get
any help. There are no women to be
hired ID Idaho Flat"
There's Sue Randolph, John"
"What? Do you mean to say that
you would bring that creature into the
house, Edna p"
''She could cook and wait on miners,
John. 1 guess she's as good as her CON-
panion, Jim Young, and you seem tc
think he is good enough to keep your
company, and as an equal rather than 6
servant, at that"
Aunt Judy was fearfully shocked wher
she learned that Edna had concluded t.
accept the services of the disgraced anC
discarded wife of her husbands son, bu
Edna very soon settled that question by
informing her that her own affairs wer,
her own business, whereat the goot
lady waxed exceeding wroth, and be
fOOLx harsalf fo bar pau- onortars -, b;oI
dudgeon, where she lamented for a
least a minute over the reprehensibl
conduct of Edna in presuming to ac
upon her own convictions of expedienc,
and right, and then forgot all about i
in her new-found happiness.
"John makes Jim Young his prim
associate at the gambling den, and Sc
no reason why it is not as well for me t
give Sue employment as for John t
give her companion in guilt the earn
ings of my toll" said Edna to herself
And so it was that the blear-eye
woman became an inmate of Edna
hut, and was soon her sworn ally an
friend.
Ihere is one condition upon whlc
we may be mutual help to each othe
in all things, Sue," she said, as soon a
both were alone and busy.
''If there is anything that will hel
either of us, should be only too glad t
know what it is and where to find it,,
was the sad reply.
"You, at least, can be true to you
self, Sue, for you are not the legal bono
woman of the man you detest Now,
ask you, first of all, to begin now tt
ways of better life by abstaining frol
intoxication and licentiousness. Tt
first of these I am legally free from
thank God, and can therefore live abov