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


"He does. But be is old and rheu-
matte and gouty and cannot travel, so
he sends me abroad on his errands. 1
came to America on purpose to ascer-
tain the whereabouts of my cousin"
"And you have found that she is
buried in the deep, deep sea-"
81 have found one to whom will be
a friend, stanch and true, if she will
but permit me-" he said, feelingly.
"Alas cousin. Your friendship
comes too late to do me any good. am
the wife Of Gerald Grey, and my destiny
is in his hands"
"Do you regret that you are his wife ?"
'T regret that he is a drunkard."
"But that reply does not answer my
question. You should say yes, or no."
''Then, no."
Good reader, told a lie. did re-
gret, under all the circumstances, that
was anybody's wife. had tasted Of
the sweets Of liberty and self-ownership
in the several times when l had been
compelled to earn my own livelihood
while hiding myself from my husband
to do it, and 1 had drank the cup Of
physical and mental suffering to its
dregs upon every occasion when my le-
gal lord had re-appeared upon the
scene; and was false, as are thousands
Of other women, to every sense Of wom-
anly integrity when pronounced my
self satisfied with my situation as Ger
AIDS wife. 4 man thus conditioned,
who would pronounce himself contented
with such a lot, would be justly stigma
tized as fool. And yet, l know there
is such a thing as happiness for married
women, even in humble life; for my
own daughters are now happily married
to husbands who, being honorable men,
understand and acknowledge the indi-
viduality Of womanhood, and my girls
fairly worship their worthy consorts,
thanks to the instructions 1 have given
them-the husbands, 1 mean-who, 1
am proud to say, respect and honor
their mother-in-law. But again 1 d.
gress. / really believe l am getting old
and garrulous.
My husband had been absent an hour,
and the time was drawing near for his
return. 1 still loved him at times, al
most to madness, but oh how 1 did
dread his coming. knew it boded me
trouble. And yet, while he was sober
he was, or always had been, kind and
tender with me. But it was evident
that his nature was changing. There is
no truer maxim than the very trite one
that strong drink will debase a man.
/ Whisky fills the blood and brains with
real hobgoblins. Like insanity, it per-
verts the better senses, and renders its
victim the converse of his former self.
i When Gerald returned he affected to
be jealous of the friendship between
myself and my kinsman; and he acted
the donkey so completely that, for the
first time in my life, felt fear that /
would ultimately despise him utterly,
even while wearing his fetters. was
mortified and humiliated beyond con-
ception. My wifely honor was, in my
own estimation, equal to that Of Caesars
wife. 1 held myself above suspicion,
and, of course, reproach, but / could not
rise above the feeling of self-deprecia-
tion that naturally comes to woman OF
delicate sensibilities who finds herself
unjustly suspected. Had the offender
been another than my husband, 1 should
have been furiously indignant. AS II
was, was ashamed
Sometimes think the women are al
fools. Judging my husband by what
had known of his past, what right haC
to submit in meekness to his assump
tion of censorship, even if had been il
= ever so slight a degree deserving il
But did not ask myself this question
3 It did not even occur to me. felt tina
) l must have been 10 some degree impru
dent; and, woman-like, 1 exerted my
self to the utmost to make what amend
, might by wifely assiduity. And, hus
band-like, the more made concessions
the more exacting and hard to pleas
did Gerald grow. He would absen
5 himself all day long from the cabin, ant
sulk at meal times, saying he was no
: hungry. He would buffet and scold tb
> children, and treat his guest with sucl
incivility that, taking all together,
was absolutely wretched. And yet h
e would not attempt to work. He fel
: himself born TO a station beyond hi
surroundings, and he seemed content +
g see me dig and delve as his body servant
:, To my great relief our guest at las
= departed, and then hoped for retur
of happier days with my husband
v Vain hope Delusive expectation /!
s One OF our neighbors had prepared th
I logs for a much larger house than an
of US possessed, or had yet aspired L
e and at the "raising," bee to which a
the neighborhood was invited, he ha
u brought keg of rum as treat to hi
friends.
How my heart sank when / saw tbs
,, keg of DEVILS elixir, and how l longe
to attack il with an ak When l sa'
Is that demons bait well knew what wa
y coming.
n Ah, mel
rs Gerald had no command Of his apps
Of tite. almost believe he did not try
exercise shadow Of self-denial. Ce
n tain 1t is that when night came he WI
u In such condition that, if 1 had NJ
ie' been his wife, the community woul
by have had no more thought Of trusting a