The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-12-18
VOLUME TX.

Then sir, you VIII please allow me
the same opinion about her brother"
you'd just as well give it up, Sis"
"But I won't. You're blue to day. /
declare, thought man had more grit.
II I were you, I'd see 'Lize this very
night, il had to wade through blood to
get to her. Catch me backing down like
that if / was a man - aud the saucy
girl shook her pretty head detiantly.
"And what would you do if you were
me and should see her once more, Sis g.?
You know how hard we have always been
oppressed by poverty and debt. Land
has been the bane OF our lives because
We haven't had capital to sustain it,
Look at our mother; look at Mrs Har-
dine do ! want my wife to come 10 a
life like that2"
"If your wife loves you. she'd rather
live with you aud share your lot, if she
had to gather her food from the chiuca-
pin oaks in the forest, than be the wife
Of a man she did not love. even though
he had the combined fortunes Of thou
sand Hardpans."
"Tve COOL mind To- go and see her
once more" said John, musingly "But
I feel so mean over beiug la debt any
how, aud worst of all To her father, that
1 can't look her In the face again. Ny
name is on every one Of fathers notes,
you know"
"Yes, I know, and Pm awful sorry.
You ought never TO have signed EN-"
"I did it 10 please father He thought
IL would make creditors more lenieut,
because I'd be heir il lie should die, yon
know"
"Aud there, John, is where men are
so apt to make mistakes by eutailing
their embarrassmeuts upon others. DO
you know, If I were Indebted 10 auy body
IN any great amount, that, rather than
Je oppressed by creditors, I'd turn over
10 them my last acre, and last hoof, ouly
stipulating that by yielding up every
thing I might be free"
"But suppose you hadn't property
enough to settle the dsmand ?"
$50 much the worse Tor the creditors.
ia risk it anyhow. Anybody can make
a living in this country il they'll keep
their fingers ont Of the trap OF Interest"
"What would you do If you were in
my place, Tirzah ,"
''Td go and see Captain Hardiue like
a man. He can't be so awfully bad as
you Imagine, and yet be the father Of
John and Lie. Tell him you'll sign a
quit-claim deed to your fathers possess
sions if he'll give you up your notes"
"But he wouldn't do it. He'd be
fool if he did, under the circumstances.
"But tell him you'll leave the country
if he'll do it."
"And give up Lie ?''
Didn't you say you was going to
leave the State anyhow 90
"Yes, Tirzah. But it's awful hard.
We've had loads of debt for breakfast,
interest for dinner, aud mortgages for
supper ever since l can remember.
Father means well but he's too timid
to venture, only as he's driven, and
sometimes think too close to prosper
under any circumstances. He always
waits for everything to drive him. I've
known nothing but the curse Of landed
poverty all my life. can't look sue
cessful men in the face because we owe
them money. did think to sell Reu-
ben tomorrow and pay the accrued in
terest and half the principal Of that
first mortgage. But Pm thoroughly
whipped out by poverty. I'm sick to
death OF keeping up false appearances. "
"Why not take Lie with you"
"She wouldn't 60"
"How do you know she wouldu't?"
"I couldn't have the heart to ask her
A pretty figure we'd CUTIE son and
the daughter of the two wealthiest men
in this part of Hoosierdom setting forth
to travel to distant lands, shipping as
deck-hand and she as chambermaid.
I'd despise myself II should ask such a
sacrifice at her hands, and that, too,
when she has an opportunity to marry
Sam Hardpan aud do better. Ugh ~
and the young man turned fairly livid
with rage and disgust.
"What do you propose 10 do. brother ?''
Pm going to Oregon"
"Are you crdzy3"
mo, Sis-but I'm desperate Pm
hounT n 10 a -fob 80, go,,a d,- TfII
make the Hardines and Hardpaus bow
and erlnge before me like the mental
serfs they are. See If / don't. And
then. who knows but PIl be Governor
or United States Senator or Supreme
Judge or some other equally famous
public functIonary Of the Pacific Coast
some day?"
but what Of Lie ?"
"Do you think she could be Induced
10 wait for me?"
Easily enough, if you'd get her tc
promise. She won't 90 back on her
word"
"But getting her to promise-there',
the rub"
John, II you were already married (,
Lie, aud this misfortune had come
would you consider yourself justified il
abandoning her because Of it?"
'Nn; but that would be different"
How or why should it be different -
"She'd belong to me then"
TiTzah did not attempt to reason fur
ther. The generally accepted sophisu
that marriage means the ownership Of