The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-08-17
"she has no children, you must re-

member"
"Plty she HASN'T Where's Gus and
Sam and Pop and Susie and"
"StopI They're not her children.
You have little ones of your own"
'Father, do you intend to take your
family to the distant city? And, If you
do, are not your children in as much
danger from the contamination of the
world as mine ?"
The Major had intended to prepare
the way for the revelation in store for
his daughter as gently as possible. In
his heart he pitied her. He plainly saw
that she was not happy, and he remem-
bered her rosy cheeks and buoyant step
of few short years before with a feel
ing nearer akin to remorse than any he
had ever before experienced.
at is the intention to give Thomas a
clerkship," he said, falteringly.
30, father, I am so glad P' cried the
daughter, clapping her worn hands with
somewhat of the olden spirit. ~ do
hate this life of hardship, and now 1 see
a light ahead. When are we to start on
our journey?"
The Major saw that he could not lon
ger withhold the disagreeable truth.
"Mrs. Marblehead and have decided
to sail in a fortnight, taking Thomas
with u.s." he said, firmly. "You and
the children-your own, and your broth
ers and sisters, you know-can move up
to my house and get along all right.
Thomas can save the most of his earn
ings if you are not with him, and can
save much of mine if the children re-
main at home"
The daughter turned ashy white.
Leaning forward in her chair and plac-
ing the baby in its cradle, she gazed
upon it for an instant, and then rose to
her feet.
'Major Marblehead, see through all
this maneuvering BOW. Your wife, and
my husbands mother, is at the bottom
of all this, and you have cunningly con-
trived that / shall bear the brunt of all
your late ambition. But you have
reckoned without your host for once. I
am a woman now, and will be dictated
to no longer as though 1 were child"
"What will you do, then?"
"I'll not stay, that's all. This life is
very we'll for those that like it, but it
never suited me. Pm not fitted for it,
either by strength or fancy. Pm the
T victim of foul conspiracy, else 1 should
not be here at ALL"
"What do you mean, child?"
"Dare you look me in the face while
, tell you what I mean?"
"Never mind, Martha. Never mind.n
"But I will mind You compelled
me to marry Tom Jones, to suit silly
whim of yours, and you've tied me
down to lifelong discomfort and misery
at best. If it were not for these little
helpless children, whom pve been COM
, PEELED to curse with an unwelcome ex.
} istence, I'd commit suicide! rd-"
"Stop, my child! You've no ides
how terribly you're talking. Would
you dare the wrath of an avengine
: God ?''
r Martha was frightened into silence
/ The teachings of her childhood haC
r given her the usual horror of death, 81
! prevalent in superstitious minds.
f "Then leave me ~ she cried. "Don'
: come here, mocking me with ddUice
q and laying plans to condemn me con
: stantly to life loathe, when, had yol
: left me to my own inclinations, would
n be the cherished wife of man I love
D You've robbed me of liberty, and woul'
v fain deprive me of even the faintes
n pursuit of happiness. My life is tn
G only thing you've left me, and fee
d perfectly justified in doing what 1 pleas
= with that"
g Martha, look at your children, an,
n be ashamed of yourself"
~ do look at them till my hear
U aches! And Pm ashamed to be thei
n mother since cannot love their father.
r "Thomas is by far too good for you
= poor child"
If THAT may be; and If he Is, he ough
% not to be cursed with my presence"
If "That's what his mother"
10 The Major changed the subject.
70 "Come over to the house this ever
.e ing" he said, abruptly. "We'd just q
well come to an understanding first 6
!. last" he added, to himself, as he wake
y homeward with his head bowed in III
a. happy meditation. "The very devil
70 in the women. You never know he
IN to take 'em, any more. When 1 was
boy nobody ever heard of women tai
T ing on, as they do now, and assertin
their own way as though they had
right to do it. But Mrs. Marblehea
7 will set that straight"
Why Mrs. Marblehead nee Jones wi
= not as unwOmanly in asserting herse
as Mrs. Jones nee Marblehead had bee
in the same line of conduct, the Maj,
did not pause to ponder.
ITO be continued
Everybody knows that mob is
"