The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-02
That Crooked Seven. &"

per, however small, was suffered 20 pass
uuchallenged into the waste paper
basket No matter how crumpled or
soiled, every one was compelled TO un-
dergo the most careful inspection from
those sharp, specialized eyes, until at
length my curiosity overcame my ha-
bitual reverence for the stately aud
rather formal old lady with whom
was at that time stopping for few
weeks as a guest, and I asked rather ir-
reverently, / am afraid:
"What are you looking for, Aunt
Bah ."
"My fortune, perhaps
Both tone and look were as Unruflied
as the bands Of white hair that lay
smooth and shining as satin above the
placid forehead; and 1 was really too
abashed % 30 more than look the ques-
tion that / was longing 20 ask, or seek
20 pry any further into the meaning Of
her enigmatical words, 70 which, how
ever, she presently c0udescended to add
Of her own accord, some slight eXplaua-
tion:
''AIy grandmother found hers upon
n scrap Of paper not more than an inch
square. And ever since the time when
a little child, and listened TO the story
from her own lips, I have never de-
stroyed "a bit Of paper with writing on
10 without first examining it TO make
sure If there are any hidden possibili-
ties for myself or others i'm 10.
/ smiled in spite of myself. What n
strange whim! But aloud I asked:
"What was the story, auntie ~
Aunt Barbara brushed the last speck
Of lint into her dust-pan with deliberate
precision, drew of her sweeping-gloves
and deposited them in a drawer of her
workable, unfolded her knitting work,
slowly counting the grounds" since her
last narrowing" drew sigh that was
probably retrospective, and remarked;
"Aou know, / suppose, that there was
time when your great-graudtather was
sadly embarrassed in his business, when
ne was-weil, in short, when be was ut
terly ruined, financially
/ didn't know anything Of the kind,
but ! did know that it would never do
% confess my Ignorance on such an i'm
pOrtaut matter, so | made cowardly
compromise with my conscience, aud
nodded an impressive assent; whereat
mv aunt went on with her story;
He gave up everything. his beauti-
FOL house, that was considered one OF
the ornaments Ot New York, at that
time; his fine carriage and horses, mis-
elegant country-seat on the Hudson
everything, iu fact, that could he sold,
went tn satisfy the claims OF his cred
itors. Then, ami not tin then. did De
f tgrn bis thoughts To- the future OF bim-
self and family.
Your grandmother was a woman o
great strength of character, and sh.
stood hravely 10y her husbands side
/ encouraging him In their Ieverses los
her cheerful, hopeful spirit; and wher
De announced his determination % try
his fortunes iu the then almost unknown
West, she shed no weak, womauisf
tear. over tine inevitable parting. bu
taking her little children and the smal
remnant OF household goods Vet re
manning 10 them, she sought a HON,
TAR away, 30 little. old country farm
house. that had belonged 90 her father
who had died some twenty years before
in this same old house, where he had
drawn bis first breath, and IN which Do
as peacefully drew his last.
10 was a great chauge-aud cos-ipiug
Tongues found enough 90 keep them busy
over the beautiful, stately woman
whose slender, white hands disiaiuei
mo- task, however mental, If by 10 she
might add 10 the comfort aud happiues.
OF her dear ones; and whose pleasant
smile and word of welcome were as cor.
dial aud graceful here iu her little, low,
ceiled, diugy sittiug-room, as they hac
been IN the splendid drawiuE-r0oms o.
her city home.
With her own hands she planted anC
tended the little garden, nor did the
bright, cheerful letters that contributed
so much 20 cheer aud encourage hel
husband in exile. afford even q hint o
the blistered palms and toil-stitienec
fingers that made writing such a labori
Gus task 90 her in those days.
And vet there was a charm about Oh,
old home that soothed aud comfoTter
her many a time when the cares aug
perplexities OF her new life pressed mos
heavily upon her. 10 was the remem
brance Of her father that every room
every article of tIe quaint Old-fashioueC
furniture continually called mp iu he
mind, and made it seem 10 her 10 time
that his step was really close besidl
her, aud his low, dreamy voice in he
ear, as she moved through the room
= FOR so many years familiar with hi
presence.
a kind, but thoroughly selfabsorbe,
man, he had never made q companion
: much less a pet Of his only child; an,
, her rec6llections Of him were pleasau
rather than tender-as a child, she ha,
3 reverenced more than she had love,
, him. His whole life was spent in writ
D ing, from which he derived little q
profit and less Of fame.
81 am ahead of ftheage,n he would say
sadly, rs publisher after publisher de
clined introducing his works 10 th
. world-but he still wrote on.
People laughed at the strange persis
5 teucy. Cant the man sec that he wa
: never meant for a writer ?' sneered th
o. ignorant country people about him
r while the better educated pUrsed a.
their woriGiy-wise lips and Intimate
that % was great pity that man wh
: might have made "a very fair school
r master or bOokkeep-r, should waste OFF
d life in scriObuugs that nobody ever 90
or rJWd read; and even his wife-p
tieut, trusting soul-lOst faith and hoo
? at last, aud laid her tired head dow
under the buttercups and clovers in th
old graveyard, with a prayer TO Go
upon her wan lips that he would TAX
her baby, too.
10 was dreadful blow 10 the shy, 81
: lent mantle heavier because IN
. shared. His hair grew white and thi
e as the lonely weeks aud months slippe
- by; and tile shoulders bowed them
{ selves more and more, as fto accommC
% date an ever-inereasing burden. Pe0pl
. said that he grew more aud more unsC
I cial as the years went by-that b
shrauk from even a friendly touch {
voice. Still he wrote on, day after day
a and often far into the night the flicke
b ing light from his window served as
T. beacon 10 the belated traveller upo
those lonely roads.
A magazine article now and then:
u Bit Of review work nnnnrfnnaIv faIIin