The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-03-11
"I don't believe l clearly understand

soon as he could speak. "No man oI
your age, under the training which boys
/ get at home, can comprehend this most
important domestic problem"
"But, when Liza becomes my wife,
don't you suppose she'll be resdy to set
tie down and allow her wishes, in every
important public problem at least, to be
held in abeyance TO her husbands law?'
mot If her womauhood confirms the
promises OF her girlhood, boy. Why,
that girl has brains enough, and bravery
enough, TO command a great army or
conduct greater government. She's a
born statesman, or staieswoman, il the
term is better one, which ! doubt"
"But I've known several talented
women in my time who have subsidsd
into quiet, obedient, domestic wives,
whose husbands we're pigmies as COM
pared to themselves intellectually"
"No doubt Of that. Pve often seen
the same thing myself and I'll hazard a
guess that you've stated the truth about
the Hardine family"
Il believe have"
"Well, there's only one style Of a man
vino is able TO crush back the intellect
Of a grand woman into obscurity aud
hopeiessness, aud that's the intellectual
pigmy you've been talking about. no
grandly intellectual man could be
tyrannieal enough to DO it,"
"Theu, what would you, as my good
friend aud my more than father, advise
me to do"
"Either put your foot on your false
pride and stamp il out, as you're 10 duty
bound to do, and marry The girl aod be
man enough TO sustain her in any en-
nobIing career to which her talents may
call her, or leave her to be chosen by
some mentally weaker husband, while
you decide upon q mentally weaker
wife"
John Ingle;on gszsd dreamiiy into
the glowing fire aud listened to the hi-
larious roaring Of the mad March wind.
10 was nineteen months since he had
met Lie Hardine, or exchanged with
her one word OF love. Aside from the
tidings he had once received from Dave,
the oracle, he had not heard from her
and, but for that information, he would
now believe her 10 be the lawful xifs OF
the junior Hardpan.
ewing had she not answered his letter?
Would be ever meet her again? Aud,
If so, would the old relations remain un-
changed? ? What had become Of Dave,
the oracle? and would he ever hear
from him again? Were John Harliue
and TiEzah married2 aud what pros
poets were-before his parsuis?"
To all OF these queries there was but
one answer. The wind rsvel as before .
around the outer walls and sighed among
the gulches, aud at Intervals sent bsck /
wailiug reverberation from some adja- /.
cent mountain gorge, that somehow
smote upon his senses like the &c pair
ing echo Of a blasted life. Never before, .
during all Of his experiences, had he felt
30 miserable, and never before had he
felt that he had less reason for such de-
preston Of spirits.
There are moments in the life
Of every highly attuned nature " hen
every chord becomes unstrung, and tie
veTiest harmOuies form discords.
Colonel Bateman leaned back in his
comfortable camp chair and eyed the
young man curiously.
"When I was young, like you," he
said, at length, 81 was wildly ia love
with just such a glorious young woman
rs Miss Harline. She was uncultivated, I
wild, restless, ambitious, but grand. /.
She loved me. / could have married .
her, but / was not ready. ! was sent 10 T.
West Point, where / became in due T.
course Of time a commissioned officer /
The early scenes and associations Of my
life we're all changed. / was promoted I
to a Capiaincy, given command Of a
company, and stationed in the vicinity .
of Washington. became a society .
man, and in a little while I grew
OF my old, crude fancy. 1 |
Tilted her. Who do you think she be-
came %
al don't know, sir. Il is now my
turn to be deucedly interested. Please
go on"
"She became the languid wife Of
seedy Professor Of Systematic Theology,
OF some other exploded nonsense, who
could hardly get bread for her children.
Her beauty vanished, her teeth fell out,
her jaws fell in, aud her hair grew pre-
maturely gray. saw her occasionally,
but never sought an interview. And
now, after the lapse of years, when my
own hair is gray, when have reaped
the fruits OF many golden opportunity.
aud permitted many another one 10 fail
to the ground unheeded, find myself a
branehless trunk, while she"
He paused and gazed into the fire.
musingly.
"What Of her?" asked the young
Lieutenant.
"Why' she, in these later years, has
blazed upon the world as an autboress
Of the purest water She is known
wherever the English tongue is spoken
as the Honorable Mrs. -, and the
erewhile seedy Professor revels amid
stately halls or lounges beneath orange
groves at his leisure, and is known only
as the husband Of the gifted Mrs. -.
while I, a creature Of the Government. a
mere machine, to be tossed about like a
jumping-jack AZ the will OF the mower