The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-19

| in business-like way, while baby Ger
aid begged softly for bread.
"I refused ten Thousand dollars for it
a while ago, ma'am; but if you want a
partnership, and really mean business,
I'll sell you the half for five"
"And what chance will you give me
to make payments ?"
"The best in the concern. You can
come right in and take possession, with
your two kittens, and get young squaw
to take care Of 'em; and you can take
-.l..gs Il t- D.. Is e.d chambers and
linen closets, and oversee the washing,
aud keep a general eye on things, and
I'll allow you half that's made, your
board and the keeping of the kittens de-
Quoted, till I've had my five thousand.
After that We'll divide profits, aud share
and share alike. But, mind you, that
drunken lout OF a husband don't get any
show here"
OF course fully interpret his words
for you, kind reader. They were spoken
to me in a mixed German and English
jargon, which a less anxious person
than myself might have failed to fully
comprehend.
'My husband has gone to the dig
gings, sir, and left me TO my fate. You
needn't be at all afraid Of him."
"All right, then. Begin at once.
And you'd better see if the dining
rooms all right before you go to your
own room"
"Ill begin my work as soon as have
fed my children" 1 answered, cheer
fully.
And in a little while my work was
running along as smoothly as though /
bad been trained for it through decade
of years.
The property, for one-half of which
had agreed to pay five thousand dollars,
consisted Of a succession of tents Of vari-
Gus sizes aud descriptions, containing
camp bedsteads and primitive furniture,
the ground about them covered with
sugar mats from the Sandwich Islands,
in lieu Of floors, and the walls adorned
by tiny mirrors pinned against the can
vas. The entire property cost, in New
York, not 10 exceed two hundred dol
lars, including dining-room furniture
and Office register. But California was
the land Of gold, and everything bore
inflated prices.
Ordinary conversation could be over
heard from one end Of the hotel to the
other, the cloth partitions acting rather
as a conductor Of sound than an obstacle
to its transmission.
Ny first half-day's work was done,
and had retired with my little ones to
my private apartment, when I over
heard the following conversation in the
dining-rOom:
"Lillienthal, you're an idiot"
MAYBE So" was the quiet answer.
"There was no kind of need of your
selling a half interest to that woman.
Why didn't you just keep her as a
chambermaid ?"
81 wanted to give her value received, /"
answered my benefactor.
80 you could, if you'd held on to
your property" was the deep-voiced re-
joinder.
And then suddenly I remembered the
voice. 1t was that of Elder Chalmers.
"Pm not asking your advice" said
Mr.. Lillienthal.
"Well, friend, it isn't best to give
women too much power. know that
little madcap well. She drove as good a
[ husband as ever blest a woman to the
lowest depths Of intemperance by her
villainy. You'd do well to watch her. "
"And you'd DO better to your own af-
fairs" was the gruf reply.
The reader may imagine my feelings.
Young, care-burdened, inexperienced,
and alone. with the only man near me
to whom 1 might have reasonably hoped
to look for at least a kindly word,
boarding and lodging in my own house,
and trying to prejudice my partner
against me in the outset.
/ Oh, how l did wish Mr.. Motley could
see fit to give up his ideas about carry
/ ing the gospel to sin-benighted Indians,
while he might look little more care
fully after my rum-cursed, child-ham-
/ pered self
"My new partner will draw custom
and double the popularity of my enter
prise" said Mr.. Lillienthal. "She'll
take half the burden off my shoulders
too, and make the guests feel at home
The crying Of her babies will be for
tune, of itself"
"Have it your own way" said the
deep-voiced Elder. "But don't forget
the innate wickedness Of woman. II
was Eve that caused the fall Of man
you know"
What the final effect of Elder Chalm'
ers' evil speech might be could no
guess; but my fitful sleep was filed with
dread forebodings, and it seemed tina
day would never come.
Morning at last found me suffering
with a fearful headache, and 1 mOveC
from room to room, or, rather, from
tent to tent, with my head bandaged il
a wet towel, my temples throbbing, an,
my pulse feverish. But my duties
, though constant, were not hard. NJ
partner had conjeetured rightly that thr
8 presence Of a woman and children in th,
house would double the custom, and be
fore night we had planned to double tn
: lodging capacity Of the house, I to d,