The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-01-25
CHAPTER xxx.

MAJ LA -N-NA-Na
"You must loan me a few hundred
dollars" wrote Martha to Colonel Au-
gustus Marblehead, "else I will 90 to
Salem and hire a room beside China
man and start an opposition wash
house"
"Confound itr said the honorable
gentleman, as he passed the letter over
to his wife, "that woman will disgrace
the entire family yet"
"On the contrary, my dear, should
say she's an honor to US. Inever think
Of her trials and struggles but my heart
aches. If you can help her you must,
and Pm sure 1 know Of DO reason why
you can't"
every nan has enough to DO to take
care of his own family"
"But every man doesn't do his duty
in that direction, by great odds. II
seems strange to me to see a man with
as good judgment concerning other
things as you possess so sadly at sea
upon the woman question"
"What now ?"
''You act as if you think every other
woman in the country ought to be salts
fed, no matter what her circumstances,
because Martha Brown got a good hus-
band who holds Office, and whose name
is Gus Marblehead."
"One woman ought to be satisfied, at
least" said Gus.
$50 she is, with herself and her own
condition, but not with the cireum-
stances Of women whose husbands are
either incapable, OF unwilling to dc
their duty"
''Well, pet, here's a check for a cool
five hundred. was going to buy that
farm over the river as soon as the mort
gage is up for foreclosure, but one can
never doas be pleases when he has poor
relations"
"And you've just about as much use
for that farm as I have for Cheops, or
the Pyramids" laughed the little wife,
saucily.
She had been reading history, ancient
and modern, and her comparisons were
colored with its teachings.
Colonel Augustus Marblehead smiled
dryly. He knew she had told the truth.
Marrow us down to what we can
use, with all the usual luxuries thrown
in, and we can fare we'll and have few
= destitute relations" continued the little
wife.
81 know; but that kind Of logic nevel
builds colossal fortunes" replied th,
Colonel.
"And, really, nobody ever needs 'em,
was the quick rejoinder. "Of what US
is a colossal fortune to anybody ?"
"AIuch, every way. It endows col
leges, builds churches, advances civil
zation, brings honor to its possessoI
and enables him to become a philan
thropist"
81 wish I could unravel the privat
history Of every great philanthropisl
Gus. Pve no doubt but they've al
missed opportunity to do good to thos
around them, in a quiet, unostentatiou
way that, if properly accepted and prot
itably acted upon, would have KEEP
them from building colossal fortunes 70
heirs or legatees to quarrel over"
'Is Martha coming here ?" asked th
Colonel, abruptly.
Somehow there was unanswerabI
logic in his little wife's peculiar idiosyn
crasies, and he generally found it easie
TO change the subject than to hold hi
point when she began her moralizing,
81 shall write, asking her to come
az wouldn't
"Why3 p"
Women can't understand thes
things, little wife. The new nominal
ing convention meets here very soor
and I don't want to cripple my chance
by harboring poor relations, especial
when they're under the social ban
grass widowhood."
"pm just as ambitious as you are, M
husband. I want you to have place al
power, seeing you relish it so mue
and I would do anything honorable
assist your chances as you term ther
But no man ever gained any lastir
honor by selfishness or cowardic
Retribution is one Of NATURES immut
bic laws"
81 gave you five hundred dollars f
her, and that's enough, my dea
Don't bore me with any more of th
business"
So the sister-iu-law, her brown ev
brimming with tears, and her hea
heavy with a sense of humiliatio
which, for her husbands sake, she W
determined to conceal, retired to h
chamber and wrote to the distressed b
by no means exceptional modern +
chael, inclosing the check, and sayiI
with bit Of pardonable feminine vani
and deception, "pm SO sorry you wol
have time TO visit us before leaving
Montana. But I know how anxio
you are 10 make haste TO meet yo
birdlings, and ! shall not expect "
BE of good cheer, and if at any tim
can assist you, let me know, and "