The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-19


matter from me, and well nigh got
yourself into the State prison because of
IT, At last learn the facts, after you
have aided our son in committing an
other grievOus sin against an innocent
and unsuspecting party, and when ! re-
solve to do tie best I can TO undo the
mischief, or to atone for it as far as pos
-ible, you are displeased with me, and
talk about some milksopof wife whom
men have supposed, in their vain imag-
nations, To be true iCOmdn, because
she'll swear that black is white 10 screen
her husband. aud thereby protect her
self Faugh."
"Oh, my head 20 groaned the little
man, in agony.
Mrs. Snowden was again all tender
ness and affection. Poor head" she
said, laying her hand upon his temples
In caressing way. mo doubt you've
done what you thought was for the best,
my dear, but you have made a wicked
mistake in concealing the facts from
your wife and Alonzo's mother. Come,
now, tea is ready. A cup Of best Oolong
will ease your aching temples. We
have had most fatiguing day"
"You won't mention this before the
girls, will you ?n
"Mr. snowden, do you take me for an
idiot ?"
"No, wife, no. But I'm afraid you're
a little stupid"
'On the contrary, sir, feel as though
| am just waking up. / almost forgot
that / have been thirty miles from home
TO n wedding that ought never to have
transpired, for scarcely feel at all
weary. / believe have been dreaming
all my life till nowD
I To all the questions asked by the
girls, who were naturally curious TO
know about the country wedding, the
wretched parents replied in painful con-
siraiut. Mrs. Emerson, good soul, had
insisted upon sending Alonzo'seisters a
bouutiful supply Of wedding cake,
which Mrs Snowden, with her custom
AIRY prudence, doled out in homeopathic
doses, sufficient 10 make it last for table
use for d week. 70 had been agreed
upon between Alonzo and his bride that
the wedding reception at the paternal
mansion should be postponed for a
/ month; but Grace did not know, until
week after, when she saw the report
of the wedding in a city paper, that the
impression had gone abroad in the land
that they were absent from the State
for that length Of time on a wedding
tour.
Mrs. Snowden prevailed upon her hus-
band % swallow a sedative powder for
the benefit Of bis aching head, and he
soon slept heavily. But sleep aid not
visit her eyes ill the We hours Of the
morning.
Back, through the years long gone,
she remembered her baby boy, her pet,
Alonzo. For be was her first born, and
every baby way of his had made an in
delihle impression upon her mother
heart. What glorious faucies She had
conjured up for him in the old days,
not 50 very long ago, when he had lain,
like beautiful rosebud, ia her mother
arms. In her heart Of hearts she had
consecrated him To the gospel ministry
before he was born. She had been So
proud Of him in his early youth, as she
mad watched the unfolding Of his natu-
rally brilliant, persuasive and eloquent
oratOrical powers. She had prayed foi
his success in the ministry As only O
mother can pray for her cherished Dlanl
for the darling who, despite her conse
Grafton, has turned aside into crooke,
ways. And this, after all, was the re
suit. It was little wonder that he
faith was wavering. Then, notwith
standing her previous misgivings, hoy
proud she had felt Of the graceful, intel
ligent and beautiful wife he had that da.
led to the altar. And then her mothe
heart turned to that ruined and degrade'
other one with strange, yearning ten
derness. And that other one was
mother, and her child was his child
The very thought thrilled her Sh
, could hardly wait till morning, 50 aux
ious was she 10 behold IL. And yet
among all Of Mrs. Snowden's acquain
tances, not one would have believed be
capable OF retrospections and longing
like these Her whole life had beei
surrounded with superficial glitter, ant
: in its aims and objects, had been a con
slant struggle to sustain false appear
ances.
& Morning found her calm, but resOlute
= Her husband saw that further remon
II STRANGE with her was useless, so he al
fected an injured air aud departed earl,
n to his store, which had been closed dur
/, ing the previous day, and which sadl,
: needed the attention Of some man will
v his heart in his work.
J, AS soon as be was well out Of sight
= Mrs. Snowden called n cab and starte
on her mission. IL was several mile
y from her home to the hospital, and tn
morning was murky, wet, and disagree
m able Ii would be impossible to portra
T. upon insensate paper the comminplin
r, emotions that stirred her spirit as tb
horses trotted through the sloppv street,
Is, Mrs. Snowden had never been consi.
ly cred in the least strong-minded. Ii
It, deed, she would have considered
We proper to have tainted outright if am
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