The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-06-24
CHAPTER XXI.


Night came on apaee, bringing with
its shades a lowering storm. The last
child was snugiy slowed away in its
humble bed, aud there was no danger
that Peter Tubbs would return for at
least a day or two, and Lie was once
more alone. An open FIRE smouldered
oD the blackened hearth, and an omi-
nous death watch worked ceaselessly in
the shattered wall. She took candle
and went from bed to bed aud from
room to room TO view her sleeping
charges. Without, the rain fell in tor
rents, and within, the tumult OF her
feelings was almost overwhelming.
She stopped and kissed each sleeper
with a mothers passion-such a passion
as the despair Of death wrings from the
lone survivor of a cruel fate.
"If I could only take you with me,
darlings miner' she walled, at length,
as, crOuchiDg before the trundle bed
where the two youngest Of her loved
and helpless ones we're slumbering, she
bowed her head before the overshadow-
ing darkness Of an agony that was un-
utterable. She tried to pray, but could
not. She was stupeied with despair
She was dumb before the appalling
prospect Of separation from the helpless
bone Of her bone and flesh Of her flesh
which had tied her fast by her heart
strings through all the weary years Of
her married life TO a union that her very
soul continually spurned with loathing.
For q long time she kuelt thus in
speechless agony. Then she arose and
arrayed herself with a shabby shawl
and battered bonnet, and turned for a
last long lingering look at her sleeping
children. Again she knelt beside the
trundle bed. Again she essayed to pray,
and again her tongue was powerless to
give her longings utterance. She closed
her eyes and cla=ped her hands before
them. She shuddered convulsively.
Her very heart throbs ceased, and she
relapsed into unconsciousness.
How long she remained in this coudi-
tion she did not know; but when she re-
covered her senses the wild wind aud rain
had ceased, and through crevice in the
outer wall the gibbous moon was slim
ing. The candle had burned TO its
socket. The work Of the death-waich
had ceased. She was shivering as if
from an ague fit. Again she bowed her
head and essayed 10 pray. She could
not speak, but a strange calm grew sud
denly up within her heart, and a strange
light, that did not seem to come from
the moon, filed the shabby room with
a peculiar crystalline radiance. She
fixed her eyes upon vacancy, and while
she gazed the gsuzy light took form and
substance, and a pair of kindly eyes
beamed full upon her with a look OF
radiant peace.
"Motber hgletonr she exclaimed,
aloud.
And then it seemed that her great
trials all at once grew less, and she
wondered much at her sudden happi-
ness.
"Do nothing rashIy, precious daugh-
ter. Wait, l0aif, 10auF' exclaimed a
voice, which broke upon the startled ST.
lence Of the hour like the nesr by crack
of doom.
The resolution that Mrs. Tubbs had
nursed so strongly for fortnight for
sock her instantly. She reached forth
her hands to clasp the flmy form from
which the voice had seemed to emanate;
but she clasped instead the empty air.
The dying candle flickered for an in
stant and expired, leaving her alone
with her children, the impression Of
that mysterious presence, and her own
suddenly calm and strangely peaceful
thoughts.
"What all this waiting is for, GER
tainly know not; but there is, there
must be, Overruling wisdom in it, else il
would not be-" she said, aloud. "Iw.u
be obedient 10 the heavenly vision. 1
will do nothing rashly. I will wait,
wait, waitr'
With this resolve she quietly removed
her wraps, and, undressing, crept shiver-
ing into the trundle bed between her
sleeping little ones, aud listened thank
fully to the signing wall Of the diving
night wind, into which she had so nearly
ventured, a childiess, homeless wan.
deFer.
In her dreams that night she stIur.
gled painfully in climbing a long spt
steep and rugged mountain. But, nc
matter how precipitous the way M
matter if huge bow!ders Overhuug t.,
path, or wild beasts 'growle1 defiance a
her approach no matter if the thuudrr
rolled or lightnings flashed, or he
hands grew tired or her feet weary, eve
and always, as she elambored upward
carrying her children with her, thl
beaming face of mother IngletOn ap
peared 10 advance Of Der footsteps, owe
her head bow Of promise, and beneatl
her feet the shadows Of despair.
When Peter Tubbs returned to tn
house after his three days absence ol
jury duty, be found, instead Of the desc
late hearthstone to which he had trem