The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-05-04
VOLUME vi.


You'd have had your board, and mine,
but old Sol of the saloon would get
Edna's business. You can't quite come
that over me, if am a wronged and
outraged man."
"But don't you see the beauty Of the
thing? The woman needs to feel your
poDer, as you know. She needs to be
taught her place. When she finds, after
cooking hard all summer in the hotel
business that a suit will be brought in
the District Courb and judgment rem
dered in favor of old Sol against every
thing she possesses, she'll come to her
senses deuced quick"
"But I can't see that what you advise
would be right"
"The dickens take the right of the
matter! We weren't considering right,
but erpediency and po0er, my boy.
She refuses to live with you, that is
certain. Can't say that blame her SO
dogged much, for you're a sad scamp,
and no mistake; but women must learn
to obey the laws and must be compelled
to respect them, too"
''Thats a fact" said John Smith, de-
cidedly.
"After you've run a bill for, say six
MONTHS" continued Mr.. Brief, ''you can
give your note, payable on demand, and
then you'll be sued on the note, the ho-
tel property will be attached, and your
wounded dignity and honor will be
avenged"
"But, hang it, Brief, don't just like
to do such thing as that. There's the
cubs, you know. She'll have to keep
something to raise them on"
"Oh, dro1Un the cubs! Ten to one
they're not yours, you know"
John Smith did not know anything of
the kind. Indeed, such a thought had
never before crossed his brain.
"She's plaguey sight more intimate
with that jackauapes of preacher than
I'd allow a wife of mine to be ~ said
Mr.. Brief, speaking low and looking
extremely wise.
John Smith was suddenly struck with
a new sensation. The idea of doubling
Edna's honor, or of pretending to do so,
was affecting him strangely. Rising
from the table, where he had gorged to
repletion off the proceeds of his wife's
labor, he spent the day in discussing
her and the minister among his conferes
at the Eureka, and when night came
and he and his legal adviser had aban-
doned Edna's temperance house and
transferred their patronage to the Top
position" establishment, where there
was a bar, a faro bank, and a billiard
table, the sense of relief the tired and
perplexed woman experienced was the
cerning the real designs of her protector
and head.
When Mr.. Handel again called in bis
pastoral rounds, he found her in good
spirits and remarkably prosperous.
'Of course, Mrs. Smith, you are re-
sponsible for your own conduct, and
you alone must bear it's consequences, u
he said, solemnly. "But if I were you
1 should never have gone to such ex.
treme measures"
"You have no idea what you would dc
if you were me, sir. But know that i
you were in my place you would dC
even worse than you think have done
am struck with intense admiration
f over the sublime fortitude with whicl
, you bear my burdens"
r "Well, my dear madam, woman i
never justified in leaving her husband
for other than Scriptural reasons. Yol
have perjured your immortal soul"
"I have obeyed the Golden Rule, sir
E and if in so doing l have perjured m!
= salvation am ready to bear the ordeal
have done by John Smith exactly as
a should want him to do by me under tn
t same circumstances"
T "Then, madam, suppose your mex
|, dereliction will be the disgrace of di
vorce court"
/. "And what do I want of divorce
I pray? All I ask of John is that h
leave me in possession of my childre
I and earnings. 1 have had enough {
e marrying, God knows"
a MADAM, I am much relieved.
u feared that you were on the downwar
y track"
e "Then, if getting a divorce from
d man whose marriage was a moral frau
5. in the beginning is what you call tn
'f downward track, you may posses
D your soul in unconcern. I shall nC
IS want divorce. Yet I confess 1 fail {
e see the upward tendency of 'tracl
b that keeps me on the legal treadmil
l. subject to the whims of drunken il
,r iot."
le "You ought not to have married hi
e. in the first place." said Mr.. Hande
es looking extremely wise.
)f al know it, sir; but having done m,
It self an injury, and made fearful mi
1l take in so doing, do you think it IN
id duty as a Christian to continue in Il
IA evil way? thought it was the part
N a Christian to repent of and forsake 9
ID evil. 1t seems to me that lack of cor
,e mon sense is your besetting SIM"
is "There ~ said Mr.. Brief, exultantl
~ as he and John Smith stood on the wa