The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-19
CHAPTER XIV.

AllAAAE AEtA AM
7 am well aware that have readers
who will call this picture overdrawn.
It is very difficult for those who have
been so fortunate as never to have been
associated, even temporarily, with the
discomforts Of a drunkard's home to
realize the privations, crosses, and gen.
eral disappOintments Of a drunkard's
family. Still harder must it. be for them
to imagine the terror, drudgery, and
destitution constantly endured by the
drunkard's wife, who, being continually
under the sway Of despotism that can
nowhere else be so thorough and COM
plete as in the relation that binds a
helpless woman to the insane exactions
Of a husband whose every human faculty
has been diseased by dissipation, must
constantly endure the consequences.
But also know, and am sad indeed to
know it, that there are many, heaven
pity them and me, who realize to the
bitterest extent the facts that am here
relating. II my case were only an iso-
lated one, its sorrows being over now,
except in my memory, il would not be
worth my while TO trouble the public
with the history; but see that the seeds
of the curse that caused my poor hus-
bands disease and ruin are still being
sown broadcast all over the land
Scarcely a family Of my acquaintance
but possesses its ''black sheep" or way
ward son, whose blood is liable to the
infection Of drunkenness. And for every
inebriate's wife there is a destiny as ter
rible as mine, fate that, If not parallel
30 it in many, or even most, things, is
at best so terrible that when they read
this story Of my lot they will see many
things with which their own experience
shall so nearly tally that they will won
der how / came to know so much about
their lives Of shame and sorrow. Then,
too, there are women by dozens, know
whereof 1 speak, who are to-day endur.
ing the very bonds Of iniquity which SO
long oppressed me, and are consequently
drinking houliy of the gall OF bitterness
To such 1 need not say that I am moi
Overdrawing my picture. Alas for them
they know that cannot paint the por.
trait with sufficient Yividness to portray
tithe Of the blackness Of great dark
ness through which have passed, anC
which has left the marks Of its terrible
seorching so indelibly upon my brow
and form that every movement Of fea
ture and physique attest to the analyt
ical observer that what assert is true
Women suffer their share in tn
worlds crucible Of afiiction, when un
der proper care and kindly treatmen
they bring forth children in sorrow an
train them up in pain and weariness
But when added to this comes th
double burden Of physical toll whic
alone would Overpower the stronges
man; and when, in addition to all, come
the tyranny Of a drunken despotisn
that is not 30 rare as 10 be deemed ex
ceptonal, it is indeed time for them {
cry out, and demand that protection
which men claim TO be woman's LOT
but which, alas, they so often fail to be
stow upon her that thinking, reflect
ing persons Of both sexes are now en-
gagged in searching, as never before, 70
a removal Of the cause OF her disabili
ties, that the effect may thereby be, il
time, outgrown.
Rur to resume my nfcfnra Tho fag
gots Of pitch-laden fir with which
kindled my fire blazed up eheerily.
was so nearly benumbed with the col
that I was long in warming, and whe
once my blood was temporarily deprive
Of its chill, I grew so stupid that I 500
fell asleep beside my little ones. linus
have slept an hour judging by th
height Of the sun, when awoke an
started up, in an alarm far more sever
and sudden than that I had felt on this
never-tO-be-forgOtten day when I ha
found myself adrift with Gerald upo
the bosom Of the tidal river that Dol
me on toward my terrible destiny. NJ
hrst impulse was to look for my chi
oren' but they were nowhere to be seel
was struck dumb with a namele
dread looked for Gerald, but he tc
was missing.
What was I TO do2 Ny bones we
troubling me with Rheumatic tvyi,,s
and my blood was again in a theron,
chill. But forgot my personal ago5
in my apprehension for the safety Of =
darlings, and I sailed forth in search
them, not knowing whittier to turn.
Again, in my great anguish, aud
spite Of it, was the picture Of landsc,
impressed upon me so vividly that, ]
that picture Of the valley Of the Sac
mento Of which before have spokel
never can forget it. In one direct
lay a dense fir forest, skirted in
foreground by a stretch Of prairie,
which my fettered cattle we're quis
grazing. Immediately beyond
prairie was a belt of charred, denu
timber, the great black leafiess t
trunks holding aloft their skeleton al
in mute appeal, OF else in mock defia
Of my misery. Beyond the blue-gr