The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-09-23

Road" lived Mrs. Patience Leigh, a widow with
two children who had been left by an absconding
husband as a widow without dover, but who had
since her divorce, been the recipient of a two
hundred-acre farm a gift or devise from her
father, the Hon. Jacob Boon, lately deceased.
Bill Simmer, who was strong an advocate of
masculine supremacy as Petroleum v. Nasby is
of negro inferiorty, and who felt the same interest
in Mrs. Leigh that Nasty feels i'm BascOm or the
post office, mounted the semi-weekly stage and
rode out to Mrs. Leigh's, in search of country
board. The widow was glad of his company, for
it was lonely on the farm, and her two little
daughters were away at school.
Bill Simmer was an excellent Summer boarder.
He arrayed himself in the decamped husbands
Over-clOthes, and cleaned up the chicken-house,
and mended the pg-trough, and made
windlass for the well, and patched the broken
doorstep. He could sing, too; and Mrs. Leigh,
who could play accompaniment in tolerable fash
ion, sang with him, often till the hour was late.
In short the widow and the bachelor fell in love,
and contrary to the formers intention, he was
soon desperately in earnest about the widow her
self, though he had only intended TO become en-
amored of her property.
OF course, Bill Simmer grew sentimental
Lovers always do. OF course, he regaled the will
/ ing widow with gushing rhapsodies in the shape
of promises to Glove, cherish and protect all Of
which met a capital climax in the marriage cere-
mony, in which he placed the ring upon her finger
with the hackneyed and often meaningless accom-
paniment, "With all my worldly goods l thee
endow."
And Bill Simmer became a farmer ! do not
mean that he handled the axe or followed the
plow. Not bit of it. He bossed things.
The seasons sped on, and Bill Simmer became
a father. This interesting event happened three
times in as many consecutive years. Expenses
increased, and his income grew alarmingly less.
Something had to he done to keep the wolf from
the door. Bossing things is poor business on d
Northumberland farm, when two-thirds Of it is
/ timber without a market.
Bill Simmer mounted a neighbor's wagon and
came to Portland to look around The little shop
formerly owned by Aunt Prudence was vacant
and the little tin sign, 'NIiss p. Simmer Tai
loress" which had been used by its last tenant to
mend a,broken window-pane, was still doing duty
in that Opaque capacity.
4 bright idea struck Bill Simmer lie would
rent the little shop for Mrs. p Simmer, and put
little lot Of fulled cloths and notions i'm it, and lei
Mrs. p. Simmer support him, a. Miss p. Simmer
had done before her The word Miss on tn,
sign was Of no consequence, even if it was inap
proprate.
1t was not hard to convince Mrs. Simmer thai
change was necessary. Bill Simmer was
good talker-a capital taIker i'm fact-and her OWL
judgment combined with his eloquence to Undue,
her to sell her farm and turn the money over t.
him for investment in fulled cloths and furnitur,
for the store.
A purchaser was found for the farm, who pai,
the little sum of two thousand dollars, cash il
hand.
"Its your money, you see, dear" said.the con
sideate Simmer, "and of course you'll invest i
| to suit yourself. I don't approve of women
rights and kindred nonsense but I think it wei
for them to look after the property they get b!
gift, devise or Inheritance that the will Of tn
testator may he respected, you know"
If Mrs. Simmer thought the will of the rightfui
legatee ought also TO have something to do witt
it, she didn't say so; but she did catch hersel
wondering, sometimes, she worried CONSTANT,
with the numerous added responsibilities of he
Simmer state of coverture, why it was that he
legal representative and head had never eXhibite
| a little enterprise on his own account. She ais
wondered if she should be able to manage store
But she dismissed her forebodings, and tried har
to look upon the brighter side of her domesti
zenith-if there were one.
And Bill Simmer went Off to town to deposi
his wife's two thousand dollars in a safe till sh
should be able to be removed with the little Slim
mers, including the babe month DID, and fit u
the defunct Miss p. SINNERS former habitatiol
for business 1t had been long since Bill had beer
permitted by tickle Fortune to carry money, am
il was not wonderful that he little vain owe
the golden twenties that Mrs Simmer had care
fully tied i'm little salt-sack, with blue letters o
, the side, and consigned to his keeping.
In fortnight the move was made, and Mrs
Simmer, though languid and feeble, felt that sh
had more need of making an effort than was eve