The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-12

what could 1 have done? The question
was well worth asking.
The doctor dressed my baby's wounds,
and then turned his attention to my
husband, who sat in the corner with his
head bowed, evidently in profound re-
pentance. Such a lecture as that doctor
gave him! II had only had the indie
pendence as wife which he possessed
as a doctor, might have aided my hus-
baud in his reformation, through the
enforcement Of a moral necessity. But
1 was only child-wife, poverty-strlcken
aud child-burdened.
Yet Gerald was penitent, and for a
time my skies frightened. When lie
was sober there could be no need Of a
better man. He was cultured, inteIli-
gent, attractive, and naturally hand
some; aud, in spite OF my baby's injury
staring me in the face continually, a
portion Of the old love came back as he
returned to his old ways. And sick as /
was, and much as the duties Of house
keeping incensed my rebellious stom-
ach, bore my lot in thaukfulness so
long as he was sober and sympathetic.
That grand old doctor was my stay
aud strength. To him / related the
whole story OF my so nearly fatal regard
for his son, aud to him was indebted
for a mighty though unsuccessful effort
to remove the young clergy man to the
scene Of other labors.
Gerald was wholly himself again
after a while, and then Mr.. Motley, now
that there was no immediate need Of
protecting me or mine from drunken
ness, was willing for his wife 10 return,
that might enjoy the association I so
much needed.
Ny baby, who had been So healthy,
chubby, and vigorous before his acci-
dent, was now stupid and dull. He
would sometimes break forth into fits Of
. screaming, from which he would pass
into a stnpor, in which he would remain
for hours.
, think Gerald was ashamed Of him
self, and l am sure he meant TO reform
thoroughly. He was a very enterpris-
ing man, and was much ia love with
California, whittier he resolved to re-
move and cast his future lot, and !, only
too glad to second any scheme that had
the promise Of change or excitement in
It, was delighted with his proposition
for me TO accompany him thither.
a fortnight Of active preparation fol-
lowed our sudden resolve, aud then, ac-
eompanied by my friends, the Motleys,
who had changed their minds some
what as to their future mission, and
were now resolved to plant themselves,
with their religion, in the new territory
Of the United States, concerning which
the colonial newspapers had so much to
tell.
But it seemed to me that an evil
genius pursued me, for no sooner were
we well on ship board than Elder
i Chalmers also came, his destination
i san Francisco, or "The Missiou," as il
was then designated, his object the res
cue Of deluded Greasers, Kanakas, anC
Indians from the alleged heresies Of ID,
Roman Catholic religion.
And here I had another reason fo
. questioning the divine necessity O
=, Christian proselyting. The Catholi,
hates the Protestant, the Protestant thr
q, Catholic. Each not only believes hi
: eternal salvation is depending upon tn
a, proper expodnding Of and implicit ODE
y. dience in a certain formula, to whicl
+ the other cannot possibly agree; bu
# each is trying to carry this divided gos
l. pei into the same heather lands, as %
only bread Of everlasting life, withou
q which cometh eternal destruction. On
m thing TO me is very plain. If I shaI
= ever 90 away into the everlasting fire q
n the New Testament Scriptures, it vii
=. be because Elder Chalmers considere
70 himself specially called 20 the work Of
T. missionary.
Tie vessel we sailed 10 was an AOel
,r icau three-masted clipper, with a row Z
a outside state-rooms adjoining the Cap
, tain's suite on deck, where my husban
mercifully bid me away from the SIMS
10 ter sneers OF the self-appointed vice
eerent of the meek and lowly one, VIII
not only never gave cause for resen
meut, but "when he was reviled, reviie
not again.
a Mrs. Motley took my husband asiJ
No. and gave him a long lesson Of instrul
tions as to his future treatment Of Il
mother OF his children, a lesson thi
,s was certainly beneficial during our vo!
,d age, if not afterward.
mn Gerald was of duty ~ shipmast
10 now, and he had much time to deyo
e- to me- Gradually so much of my o
ad foudness for him came back that il VI
no longer impossible, as / had on
er thought, for me to live in his atmo
ID phere. Gerald, our baby, recoVere
of too. But his nose was distigured az
or bis left eye destroyed, while there "
m imminent danger Of curvature Of q
IL spine.
All journeys by sea are very mu'
like those that preceded them. The
is the same interminable watery wasi
pt accompanied by the same smell Of bill
.te water, aud the same musty beddin
n The unending variety of shore line o
l meets in many voyages is always
'as nearly the same in general outline tn
Us the reader will pardon the parad
made necessary in describing. Y
4 "a 81.