The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-04-10
CHAPTER XVIII

CHAPTER XVIII
Grace, in her goodness Of heart aud
her limited experience. would have
gladly purchased the brown city man
sion amid the apple-trees, with all its
furniture and aPPurteuances, and made
The Snowden family a clear deed to the
whole, bad not her parents, in their su-
perior wisdom, prevented.
"Im so sorry for them" she would
say, repeating over and over the hack
neyed phrase with which the world
contents itself when any one has blum
dered. "Tm so sorry for them; and so
anxious TO do something to prove my
sympathy. It will be a terrible down
fall to those girls to be compelled to
leave their city home just as they are
budding into womanhood."
"Let 'em begin at the bedrock as we
did, wife. It won't hurt 'em. There's
nothing like little wholesome advers-
ity to teach 'em where they belong"
said Captain Emerson, aud the sequel
proved that he was right.
But the improvement in the business
faculties Of Grace was not only marked.
but wonderful. Had it not been for
propriety's sake, she could not have
been induced to decide that her home
aud her sisters should remain separate.
Each bad fallen heir to more real es-
tate than either would ever need, and
both, bad their parents but trusted
them when girls, as they were now
compelled to trust them as wife aud
widow when women, they would doubt
less have been spared the fate for which
their idle fancy was alone responsible.
But, while Grace grew in every fem
iuine accomplishment, Lillian, as the
years rolled on, and she became the
mother Of many children, deteriorated
at painfully accelerated rate.
Essie, the adopted child Of Grace.
was a sort OF rarU ayis; one Of those ex-
quisite products Of lower conditions
which the student Of nature can find in
every stage OF animate growth.
whether bis search be in the duughill
or hovel.
The business tact Of the child's foster
mother was not more wonderful than
her love for the little waif who knew no
other mother than herself.
Time wore on, aud the child was
five years old The thousand
acre tract of virgin soil which
Grace Emerson had received a.
her marriage portion, had fulfilled the
craftiest expectations Of the narrow-vis-
aged little man who had prevailed upon
his ill-starred son to marry the heir ap-
parent aud thereby become possessnr Of
the real estate But the sequel had
long since proved his xpectatiOns vain
The wickedness Of bis son bad indeed
come to naught, while everything the
daughter-in-law had touched had liter
ally turned to gold.
It was near the close Of a brilliant
spring day-one Of those that can
only be described as perfect" Grace, the
beautiful widow, was far more charm
ing in look aud manner than Grace, the
maiden, had been. The thoughtful ap-
pearance that business cares and mental
discipline had written upon Der face
had left their uumisJakable impress. but
the lines were waves and curves Of
beauty that fascinated an who came
wita.a her risfuence. Her hoale was
mode, Of elegance and comfoFt. sun
rounded ly -.ateiss -jllows. TIE hr8oping
pea-Ereeo f3liage o. ssringtime, newly
born lud ,Femuious, grarefaliy ssayed
in Ire baimy breeze, or, cifHeinglo the
c.o8sed -ree-bodies, med % Ser and
the child as mamnotb ia,.y sentineIs
guarding the portals between the float
ing, veil-like clouds ihat hovered In the
ether near them, as though they alone
prevented the heavenly gates from
swinging ajar 10 plainly reveal the but
hai-hiddeu possibilities Of the Infinite.
The litle girl was old beyond her
years. A mild, sensitive, dreamy child
she was, with a far-away look in her
sad, dark eyes, and restless, half.
frightened expression ia her dimpled
face, which seemed in perfect harmony
with shrinking shrug Of her slender
shoulders, as though she were momen.
tarily expecting blow.
Mamma" +" she lisped, in a beautif.
baby voice, accompanied by that inner
tied sinister smile which Grace coul,
never behold without an inward shud
der, 81 saw boy to-day, who called m
naughty names. He said was some
thing wicked. really can't tell wha
it meant, but he said I was nobody
child, and my mamma was a Graz,
fool.U
"You mustn't play with naught.
children, dear, and then you won't hea
such dreadful stories"
"But, mamma, are you not my yer
own mamma? And am not your ow
little Essie ?"
ayes, dear"
"But I don't mean just that. Have
got any other mamma ?"
"My darling, that is very strang
question. Did I ever treat you so badl