The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-01
MRS. HARDNESS WILL.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
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For two momentOUs years the Natior
hsd been convuised by the awful throei
Of interneclne war.
John IngleLon, OF whom none Of th,
characters connected with my story had
heard for fifteen years, had spent hI.
time In study aud toll and travel, and
had at last become a wealthy and infiu-
entail public man. And yet, in spite OF
his success in business, a success which
had been crowned with Senatorial hon.
ors, he felt that his life was a failure.
He was lonely in the midst Of listening
multitudes, aud sad in the midst Of gay
companions, to whom be was a constan,
enigma.
Colonel-nOw General-Bateman,w who
had remained with bis regiment at a
frontier post during the long interval
wherein my reader has not heard from
him, became deeply interested in the re-
suits of the rebellion; and, because OF
certain valiant deeds 10 times of great
emergency, he had suddenly become
famous as a successful military hero.
John Ingleton had been one Of the
first TO enlist as a private soldier, and
by bis reckless daring he had soon at
tracted the attention of General Bate
man, who, remembering his former con-
nection as commissary clerk with the
Utah garrison, lost no time in renewing
the acquaintance and endeavoring to re-
store the old Intimacy by attaching
him, If possible, as in bygone days, to
bis staff. But John Ingleton was as
reckless and daring as be was restless
and impatient
81 am very grateful to you, General,
but really I can take no easy position
In this great struggle" be said, ear
nestly. 81 have much means at my
command, aud such aid aud influence as
wealth can give L have freely staked
upon the issues Of the war, but care
nothing whatever for life. I enlisted as
common soldier for. no other reason,
Asiia rom q strong desire to quell the
re-, lion, than the impulse to lay down
my life, that 1 might rid myself OF an
unhappy existence"
'Fie, IDgleton For shame! Surely
you don't lay the death Of poor Miss
Arburton SO heavily to heart as all that,
after al these years. Been crossed In
love Of late, eh ?'i
"hes, General crossed ia love. Not
lately, but all the time, and by my own
false hand. was a fool to marry as
did. But / thought was pleasing you,
felt sure that ] was gratifying Miss
ArburtOD, and was quite certain that l
was, 10 degree, satisfying myself in
making her my wife. Poor lady! She
didn't live long; and, had I been heart
whole and fancy-free from first 20 last,
should not regret our short, unhappy
union. But that marriage broke two
hearts and stranded two lives upon bar
ren rocks, far, far apart, with angry
waves and impossible gulfs between
them. I was a fool, General, and I real !
lied the enormity OF my sin of omission I
when ! saw the woman who should |
have been my wife helplessly enslayed
in the bonds Of loveless wedlock, her
feet on an endless treadmill, which she
had mistaken for the path of duty, and
her hands tied to an unceasing round Of
toll, where no recompeuse Of love could
be their only possible reward"
"WhO the deuce are you talking
about, sir ?" asked the General, dryIy.
81 bali believe you've taken leave Of
your senses"
General Bateman, have you forgot
ten Lie Hsrdlne?p
The General laughed loudly.
''MOon-struck, by thunderV' he roared.
as soon as be could speak. "Wby. man.
that girl is the mistress OF a third-rate
boarding house, away out 10 Portland.
Oregon. She has a great house full Of
Obstreperous young ones, and lazy lout
Of husband that she drudges for daily.
She's a fine specimen OF womanhood for
you to be going into rhapsodies over, TO
be sure %
"Have you heard from her, General?n
"Why, certaiulyl A mau-Sapping-
ton by name-who used to be connected
with my regiment in California, writes
]
But she gave rare promise Of making a
name 10 the world when saw her AT
Chincapin Oaks In AS. What a pity
,le su't born boy"
"Arl that glorious woman has come
down o the thankless task Of support
f-r azy husband that she never loved,
alI troup Of children that she never
Hsu..dg 90 cried the old-time lover, d.s-
da llly.
ell, wouldn't make myself mis-
over it. old boy" said the Gen
"Irll do her 10 good. She has a
l-l protector whose business it is to
iOoA after her welfare, and, II be fails in
his duty, it isn't any business Of yours
or mine. met my old-time flame, the
famous autboress, last Fall Her bus
band - poor simple soul! - doesn't
amount 10 q row Of pins But he thinks
he's the head Of the family, and be bows
in obedience to her every behest, and