The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-09-12

CHAPTER NNEIL
Gerald was not 90 be found. I learned
on diligent inquiry that be had gone
aboard the boat the night before, and
was probably now at Walla Walla.
His enforced fit Of soberuess had so
awakened the slumbering manhood Of
his nature that he had not the
edrontery to meet his family. I knew,
by his being. sober, that he was out Of
money and out Of credit, for nothing
else would have induced him to desist
from drink. But I hoped that he would
remain away tin would be allowed to
recover some degree Of financial pros
perity, and this was all that / had any
reason TO expect.
George aud Ethel, finding it useless to
further oppose my plans, concluded TO
leave me TO my own devices. The
owner Of the hotel, or boarding-house
where we had stopped for the day, was
seeking a new lessee, and it seemed
provideutial that ] should have thus
called upon him at the opportune mo-
ment.
When we started back together TO the
rancho, my children aud ], my ar
rangements were completed for a new be-
ginning, and, in spite Of my untowari
outlook, ] was not hopeless.
1t was not without a pang Of Jealousy
that ] discovered / was an ingredient
of very little Importance in the cup of
the young couples happiness. They
filled themselves TO their satisfaction
with the society Of each other, and,
while I was glad to see their pleasure,
30 was hard for me- as it is for every
human being, to be always so philan-
thropic as 90 take no thought for myself.
could not bear 20 remain in sight of
t.e man McCarty, who had taken such
riliass advantage Of my husbands s
fai.-y to rob me of my home. I knew
that Ethel was now provided for, and it
bebooved me 10 get a home as speedily
Us possible for Alice and the rest.
So we were enscouced IN our new
quarters as soon as we could get pos
session. Thanks to my excellent bar
gain with my son-in-law, made in the
beginning Of our work on the rancho, I
was not wholly without means. He
purchased from me my portion Of the
increase Of our stock, aud with this
money I added new comforts to the
hu.e hotel, aud prosperity, in an
humble way, again smiled upon me.
bookkeeping was naturally my
forte, and if / had always been allowed
equality before the law, and bad not
ueeu such a superstitious simpleton az
90 believe that must be living sacri
fee to Gerald at whatever hazard tc
myself or family, I have no doubt bu
chat I should long ere this have beer
one Of the wealthiest OF san Francisco
capitalists. Aud what is true in ny
case is doubtless true of thousands o
other Poverty-stricken women in So
called free America.
We had been several months in oul
lew quarters before Gerald returned
but when he did again iudict his pres
ence upon us, his behavior was sfmplv
horrible. Had he been one-half "a.
Troublesome when the children were All
babies as he now became, he must have
sometime killed Us ALL Poor fellow
How be did suffer with delirium ire.
mems He was no more responsible fol
his actions than if he had been a de-
,lared maniac, and so he should hav,
been considered long before the crisi.
came.
But strove, with all the energy Of 8
proud and desperate woman, to hide ia,
worst from the public. ] wanted m,
house 20 have the name OF being or
ierly, and ] wanted, for my CROWN,
daughters sakes far more than for nv
self to keep up every appearance Of re-
spectability.
In Gerald's besotted insanity he con
ceived a fearful dislike to me. In m,
desperation I resolved, when he re
turned to Us the last time, that, Will
would never neglect to support an
ProNlue Tor him, ! would never, unde
any circumstances. live again rs
drunkard's wife.
Good reader, do you blsna mo- n
DO you not rather wonder that 7 did no
reach this conclusion aud 40, 49,. I,
many years before I dido
But this determination, when a.,
make it, maddened Gerald. an
prompted him to attempt to destroy M
ife. For "a number of years a
fingered about The hotel, a terror to n
children aud a horror 10 myself. II
would watch every opportunity po
sibie to catch me of my guard, an
aever seemed TO have any other wish {
ambition than to Kill me.
And yet for years aud years 7 stoo
this thing. Gerald would watch his ol
portunity to collect money from III
transient custom Of the hotel, and ever
dollar he could so procure he would q
once invest ia rum. But LIQUORS ,
every kind at last lost their power ,
stupefy him. They only awakened tn
horrid microscopic reptiles that revele