The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-12


under the misfortunes that bring out
the better elements in women's pa-
lures ?"
81 suppose it is because they are as
compared to men, what refined steel is
as compared to pig iron"
"Then why are they so often rendered
helpless and powerless because OF the
law and custom that makes them de-
pendent alone upon the will and caprice
Of their husbands 2n
81 will not attempt to answer that
question, little cousin. Your mother
was an angel, born and bred. She met
your father at the old abbey beyond the
Scottish border, and being young, ar
dent, and imaginative, fled with him to
Gretna Green aud became his wife, as
many another noble lady has done, to
her SORROW"
"But my father is not bad man"
81 know he isn't. He's simply a
good, easy-going, goOd-for-nothing sort
of an animal, a splendid animal, in fact,
aud there's precious little more senti-
ment or sentence about him than you
will find in a Devonshire bull"
had been so long in America, where
mock-modesty affects airs of supreme
sensibility over the name of a perfect
bovine that blushed, though in truth
I was modest enough to feel ashamed OF
] LIZ k,-.,r,o,. .r.FF H. hHrruIfVur
my kinsman bad spoken truly. Back
through the vista Of the bygone years
looked and saw my hopeless mother, as
she toiled and drudged and suffered.
Then the vision Of her dying day passed
before me, and again heard the words,
as she caressed her dead baby with her
dying fingers, at was a girl, and it is
better so. 1t will never suffer as l have
suffered"
Now, patient reader, pause with me,
and let US ponder this question well.
Why is it that woman's life is so full Of
suffering? Is it not because she is un-
der a human curse? Do you consider
God the author of her misery? l do
not. A few years ago a young girl was
placed in my care by her father, under
peculiarly painful circumstances. She
was soon to become a mother, and had
never been a wife. Her father was a
plodding farmer, well-to-dO and incon-
siderate Of everything save disgrace.
Her mother was a bow-backed drudge,
such as you so often see in farm-houses
that they fail to awaken surprise or
sympathy. 1 had long been compelled
to act the part Of an dccoUchese, to earn
bread to keep the wolf from my rum
cursed door, and this girl was placed
with me for the double purpose Of hav-
ing care and hiding her shame. She re-
mained with me three months before
and as long a time after the advent Of
her babe, with nothing to do but to take
care Of her health, and then her mother
came by night, when she was quite
well, to take her away. In spite of the
mental and physical agony the girl had
endured, she was as thoroughly strong
aud well when her mother came as
though she had suffered no illness.
"If I could have been half as well
cared for in bearing children in wedloek
as my daughter has been cared for in
her disgrace, I should not be the broken
down creature am to-day" said the
mother, with a sigh. "And then" she
continued, "there is consolation in the
thought that my daughter will not be
compelled to submit again to the man
dates Of maternity-at least, not with.
out her own consent"
Good reader, pardon me. 1 am re-
solved to let no opportunity escape tC
impress upon you my utter detestatior
Of the popular and almost universal sub.
jugation Of wifehood. Motherhood
properly respected, honored, and con.
suited, is an honor and a glory. But
alas alasl it is a crying shame thai
matrimony is so often used to crush Oul
all that is desirable in it. How long, o
, Lord, how long shall these things be
And how many Of you who read thes'
columns can look back Understandings
upon the lives of your own mother
} with a knowledge that their record wa
e a happier one than my mothers, or yer.
j much happier, but for the drunkenness
D than even my own?
e All, mel
D Will men continue to impose thes
? unjust conditions upon legalized mater
} nifty to the end Of time?
But forget myself. I was tellin
r you about my mother, and solving
/. little by little, the riddle of my imme
s diate ancestry.
e "Why was I never allowed to knoV
, that Lord Bothwick was my mother
, cousin, while lived in England ?"
n asked, suddenly.
= "How do you know it now ?n was tn
ready reply.
Il sense it. And then am sure yo
y, have said so.u
ie My kinsman laughed.
L, hou women are strangely intuitive,
Id he said, musingly.
~ ieei certain that Lord Bothwick
b. mother was a Graeme, and that =,
I'd father was given better living tba
the other tenants on the estate-hard
Of it was-because Of the natural desire
se her kinsman to assist my mother.n
3. "You have guessed it, little cousi
but you do not know, nor can tell 20
lr how nor why it was that Ethel Graen
D. your mothers cousin, was compelled