The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-26

honored and happy wife aud mother,
young and ignorant as am, rather than
the degraded outcast am compelled
to be-"
"My poor darling, are you quite sure
that your lover told you the truth ?"
"Why, certainly. Why should lie
deceive me ?"
"Alas, child. tits indeed hard trial
that you have yet before you, infinitely
harder than any you have yet endured.
Do yon think you are strong enough to
bear it?"
"Oh, yes. can bear anything ex-
cept the loss Of my faith in AlOnzo.
That would drive me mad"
"Bnt suppose that something that
would cause you to lose faith in Alonzo
was the very thing I came here to tell
you about"
Then you would lie, and should
know it. Aud then l should despise
you. And should be sorry to hate you,
too, for you do seem good and kind"
"Could you live and bear it il you
knew that your lover was married al
ready ?"
81 could live and auenge it. Just let
any other woman dare TO marry the
man whom God has already married to
me, and I'll never rest till have killed
her."
"But you forget that he would be
equally responsible with herself in the
matter, If not really more to blame than
she. For men make all the matrimo-
nial propositions, a you know"
"Yes; know, know"
"Well, my dear, suppose you should
learn that the girl he had married was
good, and beautiful, and intelligent and
innocent; would you still desire to muir
der her ,"
'You talk as though his marriage was
already fact" and the poor girl shiv-
cred with new and sudden alarm.
"And suppose he had told you falsely
about the selfish cruelty Of his mother
What then ?"
"Oh, he wouldn't do that"
"But suppose you were to see his
mother, and size were to offer to take
you to her home and heart in spite OF
your disgrace. Would you have faith
in her then?"
81 don't know. ! hate women.
They're all treacherous."
"Why do you think so ?''
'Because my own mother turned me
out OF doors"
"YOur poor mother. Maybe she had
to do it. Maybe your father willed It,"
$50 he did. But she need not have
needed him"
"Poor woman. She could not help il,
doubtless"
"Do you know my mother ?"
81 know Of her, my dear"
''Did she send you here to see me ?'i
mo"
: Then, how came you to come ?"
81 know AlonzO's mother"
; "You do 20
! "Yes, child"
"And does she know about me 90
"Alas, yes"
"And did she send you here as 4
spy?"
Il have come as friend, my poo
darling. l am AlOnzO's mother, and
will be yours, also, If you will let me.
{ go, Mrs. Snowden! And I hav'
talked so ugly to his mother Can yo,
/ ever forgive me >"
Eyes, nv child"
"And will you really let Us marry
/ Oh, how good aud kind you are
, my precious, precious mother! III
mothern'
And the poor child nestled clos
? to Mrs. SnOwden, and lifting her dim
Piled hands in an attitude of devotion
closed her eyes and said: 81 thanl
thee, o, my Godr'
ALAS, my poor child ~ said the per
picked and anguish-stricken woman
81 know not what to say or do"
$50 it's just as he told me. Hi
, mother will pity me aud say homie,
: words If the fit strikes her, but when i
E comes to hOnorably protecting me an,
his child, it's another thing entirely"
Mrs. Snowden spent several minutes
: 10 silent prayer. She knew that thii
! poor girl must be undeceived, but how o
- when it WAS best to attempt it, SD,
J., really could not decide.
e What are you thinking of" asked
the girl, abruptly.
e "Of a story / read once, my dear - sh,
b answered, with sudden impulse. "I
: was history very much like yours. A
= young man who had kind aud good
though Over-indulgent mother, fell int
J. wicked ways, and caused the ruin OF ,
+ trusting and unsophisticated girl, wh,
| was but merechild. The girl loved hin
e unwiseiy well, and when be shoul,
nave married her 10 save her from tn
% ruin he had wrought, he told har tina
ms cruel mother would not consent
i and so. be put her Off with false exeuse.
Is And while she, poor girl. had nm
We bounded faith in his pretenses, ne wa
TO paying court to an heiress and a beaot,
And later, while she was an object ,
n charity, and an inmate, with her bah
lg girl, OF lying-in hospital, be went ava
ul and was married to to the heiress an
the beauty"
be 30, Mrs. Snowden, How could he |
X so base and treaeherous2 Surely /