The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-27
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE

the country. The host aud hostess and
their sons and daughters combined to
make the lecture aud the visit a success.
And then, after the lecture, we had
cider fresh that day from the press, and
agreeable chit-chat aud jesis and laugh
ter without stint, aud all were sorry
when the evening came Ia a close. The
next day, after our work was finished,
aud while we were awaiting the arrival
Of the Silverton stage, Mr. Clinereceived
an invitation for US To z , to North How
ell prairie and meet the people in the NJ.
+. Church on the following Saturday
evening and Sunday This we accepted,
and our appointment was well published
during our intervening absence in Sill
vertOn.
The ride Of six miles from Cline's to
SiIverton was made without accident,
though it sometimes seemed that little
short OF a miracle kept the stage from
upsetting. Jupiter P!uvius aud sun
ny-faced old Sol bad had a quarrel since
last we wrote you, aud the latter had
gotten the worst of it, and gone sulking
behind the raging clouds, leaving the
rain-god master Of the situation. a
victor invariably rushes into eXcesses
over his spoils. Such torrents OF rain
as have never been excellel at any
time this winter again baptized the sod
den earth, laying low her springlng
grasses, and flooding her fields with
muddy slush.
SilvertOn, little gem OF mountain
town concerning which we had read
much, but had never before beheld,
peeped at US in the gathering twilight,
dimly revealing its rural loveliness by
the cleaning glare Of kerosene lamps
at the cottage windows. The post
Office, and the usual quok Of stores,
harness-shops, furniture ware rooms,
tin-shOps, blacksmith-shops and drug
stores on the main streets were guarded
on the foreground by a solitary inn,
kept on the genuine Dutch plan, the
women doing the work, and the men
/ getting the money. To this hotel we
bent our benumbed footsteps, aud found
refuge in the kitchen until q fire was
built in the only spare room. The
seven-by-nine sleeping apartment to
which we were assigned, resisted the
combined efforts Of ourself and landlady
to open its one window, so we wrestled
till morning with our own labored
respiration, the discomfort aggravated
by sufficient knowledge Of the laws Of
hygiene to make Us know that We were
slowly committing suicide. But morn
ing came at last, and found US still
alive. \ hurried towel bath aud yet
more hurried toilet was followed by a
sudden search for fresh air, which was
at last found on the back porch, the sit
ting-room doors being locked and
calked to keep them close aud Dutchy.
But the house and beds were as
scrupulously clean as peut-up air
would possibly permit, and tie food was
plentiful aud well-cooked, uotwithstand-
ing the landlady, who keeps the house
herself, could not retain the fare FOR our
accommodation but hurriedly sought
her lord and delivered the cash over to
him.
Mrs. Flora Mckinney, who is well
known in the Temperance aud Woman
Suffrage work, sent her children to in
vite US to her house, and we were soon
enseonsed beside her bed. where q new
boy baby weighing thirteen pounds was
nesting in her bosom, totally oblivious to
the fact that strong minded mother is
supposed to be incapable OF caring for
her children. Just over the bridge lived
another advocate of Woman Suffrage
whom we called upon, whose new baby
was hcinS, and fine, healthy boys at
that. After visiting with Mrs. McKin-
ney, we next accepted an invitation TO
visit in the family Of DIR. Davis, our old
/ friend Of more than twenty years ago,
with whom aud bis estimable wife we
held glad converse in their weIl-ordered
home, and slept at night like a brick in
their airy guest chamber. DR.. Davis
has lived for a quarter Of a century in
Silverton; and his success as a physi-
clan is attested by hundreds who have
tested his skill. A good doctor, like a
good editor, orator or teacher, is born
and not made, and DR.. Davis belongs to
the class that could not fail in medicine
if they should try.
Our old friend, J. c. Hayes, druggist,
formerly of Gervais, is also here, and
joins with his good wife 10 upholding
human rights. With one exception, we
were treated courteoUsly by every one
we met. We were out canvassing for
subscribers, aud meeting with very fair
success, when we knocked at tue door of
a forlorn-looking shanty, which We
would have passed without notice, only
We knew that verybody on the street
was watching, aud we didn't want the
wife OF the proprietor Of the dlngy
den to feel that we had sighted her be-
cause Of her evident destitution. In an
swer to our knock, the wife partly
opened the door, aud proved dirty,
ragged, unkempt specimen Of destitu-
tiOn; and she forbade US to enter. She
said "Woman's rights was d5gfal; the
worst thing under the sun" We asked
If she knew anything OF our mission.
She replied that her husband had heard
our lecture the night before, and bad
told her that our language was bad, and
she mustn't let US iD the house. We