The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-12

CHAPTER VI
The partiaIity that an mothers ex-
hibit toward children who are cursed
with any infrmity, such as deformity
of figure, imbecility Of intellect, feeble
ness Of body, or well-known weakness
in morals, has long ago passed into a
proverb. was no exception TO this
universal rule; indeed, to this day my
other children speak occasionally of
their poor elder brother, but always in
tones Of injured innocence, as though
they had suffered in some way from my
particular fondness for my unfortunate
first born. And yet who should blame
a mother for dearly loving an unfortu-
nate waif, whom cruel fate has cursed
with untoward birth, through circum-
stances over which mother aud child
had no control?
II I no longer worshiped Gerald, my
husband, I idolized Gerald, my boy.
And when the great awakening came,
that taught me that my marriage was a
moral fraud, could have been free %
act according to my inner convictions OF
right and duty, I might have shaken
myself loose from a long train Of ago.
nizing experiences, the memory OF
which often causes my blood TO run cold
even yet.
Why a marriage which is a fraud
upon the face Of its own contract should
be falsely honored in the observance,
when the only real honor is in dissolv-
ing the already broken bond, is more
than I can now imagine; but 10 those
days the superstitious idea was widely
prevalent that a woman, once a wife
must accept the position as final, If in
so doing she should be compelled to i'm
moIate her life, aud the existence and
well being of her Innocent children,
upon the altar where intemperance,
cruelty, and Inconsistency held ruthless
empire.
do not believe in divorces, even now.
There is no need that humanity shall be
so poorly disciplined that it shall con-
stantly be making conjugal mistakes.
Given perfect equality Of rights ia all
things, coupled with an intelligent un-
derstanding Of natures laws, whether
philosophical, physiological, conjugal,
legal, political, or financial, and there
are few persons Of mature age who will
wreck their lives upon matrimonial
reefs. But unhappiness will never
cease in wedlock so long as mere chill
dren are allowed 10 be wives, and con-
sequeutly compelled to be mothers
simply because they have given assent
to a contract Of the nature of which they
know nothing. To recognize such q
marriage as valid is the worst greaN
crime known to humanity, next 10 th,
ceremony that calls it legal, and stamps
it with the seal Of enlightened religion
authority.
suppose that whatever is is destiny
In no other way can account for th
blackness Of great darkness through
which mortais are so often compelled O
blindly grope ia times Of loug-continue
trial.
As now look back upon the by gou
years, feel astonished that I did 10
openly rebel. wonder that my natu
rally impe.uous spirit did not snap %
thongs that bound me to a druuke
monster, long after love for him ~,
dead. But, as I have said, ] worshipe
Gerald, my baby; and believe that
before have told you that Gerald, m
husband, was at intervals, for man
years, very tender and patient with M
was not a paragon, either. ! was a
ways suffering either the ills Of gest;
tion or the agouies of maternity. Ti
frequent Outrages upon my nature wei
constantly avenged by aches and pair
innumerable, under which / bore a
continually added burdens Of a rapid
increasing family, and / was often j
ritable without apparent cause, and ul
lovable without visible reason.
All, me,
But I am anticipating my story. L
me pass over the several weeks subs
queut TO Gerald's return in silence.
need only to say they were weeks Of ia
moil, which ended, as everything, ]
matter how disagreeable, must er
sometime, leaving me in in body, di
tracted in mind, and utterly routed
aim and purpose.
Mr.. Motley would not allow his vi
TO remain in the house with drunk,
man, lest her reputation be iuiur
thereby" be said, so my only frie
was taken from my side at a time VIII,
Of all others, 1 felt that / most need
her
The ft Of my husbands periodic IN
ady was over at last. But with his C,
vaIescence came a capricious appeIi
to which, in my youth and inexpe
ence, vainly sought to cater satisf
torily. Add to this that my own dig
tion was again disturbed by gestatc
symptoms, 70 which DO one sought
cater, and for the alleviation Of viii
there were none on earth 10 care, a
you may well cease to wonder tha
was no paragon.