The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-11-04

sleeves torn at the elbows, and wristbands frayed
at the edges; jackets, with Innings torn and pock-
cts worn into shreds; more trousers, torn mitten,
two school-boos to cover, and a lunch-bag to sup
plv with a new strap. 1t was almost supper time,
too and this was Saturday.
Mrs. Harcourt was far too conscientious to do
any work on sunday that could be avoided, and
AZ t,i. r,ptr:r "o, =, Irresponsible work.
must be finished before she could sleep. Monday
would bring another school day, and it would also
bring about the inevitable washing. The children
must "look like other children" if their mother
lost her life in the effort to keep them scrubbed
and fed and whole and clean.
Mrs. Harcourt tiptoed softly out of the room.
The baby was nervous like herself-no wonder,
poor thing-and was easily awakened from its fit
ful sumbers.
There was no kndling wood ready for the
kitchen stoye, but Mrs. Harcourt was used to that
She split piece Of pitch pine into splinters and
soon had a roaring fire and red-hot oven. In
her haste to prepare the meal before the baby
should awake and cry, she burnt her meat and
scorched her potatoes and burned heavy crust OF
her biscuit.
/ SO the supper was indgestible-an unusual
thing-but Harry Harcourt ate heartily as usual
and usual retired early TO rest, leaving his pale
faced wife to wash the dishes and scrub the chill
dren and, after they were safe in bed apply her
self to finishing the huge basket of mending befor
the mantel clock should chime the hour Of mid
night.
Harry Harcourt felt little anxious and trih,
mean as he watched her furtivcy and saw how
very pale and weary she was; but he was not tn,
man to unbend from his fancied dignity, nor di,
he really believe that his wife deserved his sym
pathy. He lay upon his back in the bedroolnad
joining, leaving the door sl' -htly ajar.
Stitch, stitch. stitch, went the weary fingers o
his pale-faced wife, the hours went on. her Zee
/ in the meantime keeping upa ceaseles- rock rock
rock, with the swaying cradle
Harry Harcourt was uneasy. Perhaps 10 wa
/ his supper perhaps it was his conscience But hi
stomach and his conscience Were alike impervi
Gus to ordinary disturbances and I leave th
reader 70 guess the cause of his mea.Gne-s IL
raised up his elbow and gazcd out into the room
where his wife was sewing
Stitch, stitch, stitch; rock rock, rock Woul,
the stitching and the rocking never stop?
"But pshaw - thought Harry Harcourt .'NNha
right have I TO be uneasy? y woman's work
nothing. Let her stitch and let her rock IT.
what women made for"
Still, be could not help reclining there am
watching her.
The clock struck eleven, and still her silent
weary work went on; and, as Harry Harcour
gazed he fancied that her entire brain and body be
came transparent, and he could see himself re
fected in her thoughts as he had never seen him
/ self before.
eyes, yes" she soliloquized and her menta
words thrilled him like electricity, "Harry think
he is the head of this family and it, only povidei
stay and support. But, bless him. he doesn'
know. / guess I'll retire from the firm and Civ
him a much-needed lesson"
And she bent low over the cradle and kisse
the sleeping baby, and even while he gazed at he
she disappeared.
What had become of her?
Harry Harcourt arose from his couch and pu
on his clothes and appro. ched the cradle revel
emily and cautiously. Near it was her low rock
ing-chair, and by its side the heaped up work
basket, and her scissors, spOols and thimble o.
the floor, which yet damp from the after-suppe
moppng it had received when the children an
himself were in bed, lay promiscuous array q
old clothes, washed, ironed, patched and mende
by her patient fingers He gathered up the wor
garments one by one, ami, as he touched them feI
that they were warm with the wasted life force
, OF his pale-faced wife.
The night passed away, and morning, roseat
and radiant, beamed in at the uncurtained win
dow where Harry Harcourt sat watching Tn
baby awoke and began its usual waiing cry. III
tried hard to pacify it with the nursing-botte hi
wife had provided the night before but it refuse,
to be cOmforted. He remembered seeing il
mother shake it into a few extra screams, folowe
by season of quietude, but when he tried the ex
pertinent it did not succeed
What was he to do?
The older children were up by this time, clamor
ing and hungry and cold. He knocked them t
the right and the left with his open hands ant
scolded them into trembling silence.
"Where's my mammal"
The unanswerable question was repeated owe