The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-05-11


on since his wife died. rll get it at a
bargain, too, and I've no money for
pleasuring."
"Well, my boy, suppose you had
lived on this place and toiled on it as 1
have for thirty ears. Suppose y ou had
come here, as 1 did, when the land was
wild, without a comfort or convenience
for home. Suppose you had made
butter and cheese for market, and that
butter and cheese had not belonged to
you but to your wife. Suppose that in
addition to bearing and rearing a large
family yon had done all the work for a
house like this. Then when you came
to be old and infirm, how would you
like for your wife to have the power to
will the entire property that you had
earned to one of your children, leaving
you a pauper in your old days, or, at
most, pensioner upon the bounty
which your child might see fit to bestOw
upon you, leaving you no choice but
submission ?"
"I can't see that the cases are at all
parallel, mother"
"And 1 confess fail to see why they
are not So"
"Well, mother, there is no use in ar
guing the point, for it is plain we never
shall agree. You'd just as well make
up your mind to be contented."
"My sou" said Mrs. Rutherford, chok
ing back her tears with great effort,
"if you will give me five hundred dol
lars, will never trouble you again"
"And what would you do with five
hundred dollars, pray? The very idea
is absurd"
"I could rent Aunt Judy's old cabin,
if you would let me have it, and be a
great deal more Independent there than
[ am here"
"What the mischief do you want to
be independent for?"
"For the same reason that you like it,
my sou. I have earned my independ-
ence, and l propose to enjoy it,"
Further conversation was interrupted
by the appearance of the hired men at
dinner, and Mrs. Rutherford buried her
tears by an effort of will and resumed
her place for the nonce as a protected
and supported subordinate.
1t was three in the afternoon before
her work was so far completed that she
could get away from the sick-room and
kitchen and steal for little while to
the one little, low, unfinished room in
the attic that had been left as her realm,
and even here she was not safe from in
| trusion.
The sun beamed upon the roof till the
room was like an oven; but Mrs. Ruth
erford was fully aware that it was "bet-
ter to dwell in the corner of house-toI
than with brawling woman in a wide
house."
Throwing herself upon the bed, she
INDUCED for long time in an agony o.
tears that at last soothed her ruffleC
feelings. She was away from the noise
of children, too.
Rising, at length, and opening LITTLE
quaint old trunk that bespoke, in its an
tique style and diminutive size, of th,
times long ago, she searched among OLE
keepsakes till she came to an Old-fash
ioned brooch and ear rings of considera
. ble value.
"I intended to keep them till m.
change should come" she muttered
"but fate has willed it otherwise.
took journey to st. Louis once, and
will go again. All, mern
, Then for long time she lived owe
the memory of that never-to-be-forgot
ten time when she had dared to CLAIM
some money from the bank wherewit
to assist her daughter to remove to tn
far, far West.
81 felt like culprit then," she solilc
, quized. "And yet why did 1? I ha
earned the money. By every mora
right it belonged to me without m
:. having to steal it. Yet what could
S do? had no right to my own earning
a which my husband was bound to II
- SpcCbs LNSly dOAlol L haO ShCA CesL hO
b belonged to him, and now, through b
+ will, to his son. Luckily my fatht
,, gave me these jewels before I became
d wife or mother, else would not hay
q them now. Eben says it will cost thrt
hundred dollars to get me to Edna
g The jewels are worth twice that, but
n don't care. It's all they'll fetch. i
d sell them and have it over"
er "You must get somebody else to {
l. this work tomorrow, my son." she sal
'e when he and the men came in to suppe
''I am going to st. Louis to transact
X little business on my own account. Al
while you are getting help you'd just
k well make a permanent arrangemer
10 for am going to Idaho.n
E. 1t was all in vain that the son d
u INJURED. 1t was all in vain that Il
daughter-in-law expostulated. 1t W
:" equally in vain that the children erie
't When they all discovered the fulfill
s, of their efforts to retain her as hous
O. keeper, she heard her daughter-in-ls
~ say, petulantly:
"Well, Pm glad we're going to get
K of her! 1 never did fancy such an
y, cumbrance as mother-in-law !n
eu The good woman might have retortC
er but did not. She knew that in (