The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-03-20
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

sceptre is slowly departing, and in his
stead King Sol comes steadily marching
to the mid-heaven, his heralds the low
ing kline and springing grass and sing
ing birds and rOmping children, his
maids Of honor, the yellow daliodils,
the modest blue bottle, aud timid yet
presumiug eroeus.
AS the train went courslng through
the valley on its way to Salem, il was
everywhere apparent that the water
god had not been baked in his deter
mination to "die game" From East
Portland to Aurora, from Aurora to Ger
vais, from Gervais to Salem, the valley
was inundated. The Willamette, the
I Claekamas, the Molalla aud Mill Creek
were all "high," by which expression
we beg to he understood TO mean, on a
spree. And in a sad plight they were,
too. Bedraggled and muddy aud slab
/ bering, quite unlike the tasty, well-kept
clear-eyed beauties they were last sum-
mer, when the hens Of their green and
trailing robes were scalloped with peb-
bles and embroidered with ferns and
I flowers, and caught up here and there
with dOgwood sprays and snowy brier
blooms, displaying underskirts Of gray,
trimmed with moss and lichens. As we
watched their swollen torrents as they
went moaning through the sodden
wales, we could not but liken them to
the poor human sots we sometimes
meet, who, having reveled to repletion
in Baechanalian riots, can only endure
the evil consequences of their over-in-
diligence when the Orgie has reached its
climax. And the valleys upon which
they have intruded remind US, too, Of
the long suffering families Of these hu-
man sots, who are always made the in
nocent victims Of runs high carnival.
And then, we muse aud wonder much
at the analogy between things ami
mate and inaniDate. Is any living
thing inanimate And can anything
be animate and be devoid OF sensation {?
Reason only answers, "Who can tell ?r
We are cut short in these reveries, first
by a dinner at Aurora, and afterward
by conversation with friends, upon top
les so widely at variance with our writ
ten cogiiations that these same friends
will marvel when they read these pages.
We are surprised when Salem is
reached. The way has seemed short, so
mentally busy have We been; but that
Chemeketa bus will startle the poesy
out Of the most astute theorizer extant
/ if he embarks in il in the darkness and
goes humping over the gravel roads, in
/ hearing Of the roaring waters, toward the
distant settlements. We think par
row-gauge railroad from the station to
Salem would be a paying investment
for somebody, and We hereby modeslly
petition the present extra session OF
Congress to make an appropriation for the
purpose, and thereby DO some good for
their country.
Found our good friend Matthews, Of
the justly-famous Chemeketa hotel,
confined to his rooms by rheumatism,
but the capable landlady and we'll
trained help keep everything going like
clock-work. Here we encounter many
friends, and spend few days in a busy
round Of receiving and returning calls,
in which business and pleasure are
agreeably intermingled. Bright Mrs
Mallory, earnest Mrs. Roork, logical
Mrs. Strong, practical Mrs. Ream, geniaI
Mrs. Reed, business-like Mrs. Ramp
poetieal Mrs. Cooke, aud witty Mrs
Mimic are among the foremost Of the
many cO-workers whom we are enabled
10 meet in the short time at our dis
posal. How much the kindly sympa
thy Of noble women and their evident
appreciation of our humble endeavOr;
cheer Us on our arduous mission
they may never know, but the angeli
know and will reward them bye-aud
bye. Not that we would underrate tn,
assistance and friendship Of grand anC
noble men. Very many Of our best an'
stanchest friends are gentlemen. with
out whose aid and countenance the pros
ecution Of our public work would ueye
have been possible. II we did not re
we're and honor noble manhood, vi
, should feel abashed IN the presence o
honorable men. But Il Is woman
> work we are doing, and women wit
, ought to have known better have so OF
ten disparsged our efforts, and are evel
n yet sometimes guilty Of attempting II
I that we are especially glad when ladie
brave the odium Of all the Grundys II
. the land and stand proudly by the ban
. uer Of liberty that was planted on tn
o great Northwest amid so much opposi
: tion and has been held aloft for so man.
q years through so much difficulty.
D Women throughout the State ar
s considering their property rights witt
D a great deal Of awakened and growini
e interest. They are just beginning &
} comprehend the importance OF the uey
school law, and thousands who neve
: before cared to consider themselve
property-holders are eagerly asking tn
2 way 10 be financially saved. Although
) comparatively small number o
avowed Woman Suffragists voted at tn
z late school meetings, many who ha'
e never expressed favorable opinion or
the subject availed themselves Of tn,
franchise. And this spirit will grow
aud its votaries will multiply quite rap
/. idly enough for the public good. Man