The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-29

lived sneak thief as yourself and Judge
Hardpan aud John Hardine, I'd say
them! But they'd blister you all over
with eompunctious blntehes, and turn
you wrong side out With the force Of
their meaning, and then wouldn't tell
you half the truth You have entered
into a conspiracy with John Hardine
aud Judge Hardpan TO rob me Of my
honest inheritance John Hardiue has
given you a thousand dollars for your
decision, and I know il As Admins
traitor, ne can manage the estate to suit
himself. My mother knew how grasp
ing he was, and how much ! had done
for her, aud how little my father had
done for me- You knew that John
Hardine had gold. You made bar
gain with him, through Judge Hardpan,
you know you did You conspired with
them to rob me, and your pockets are
this minute lined with ill-gotten gains
But I'll get even! I'll carry the suit to
the Circuit Court. Happily we have an
honorable man on that bench this term,
and this iniquitOus decision will be re-
versed. / never mentioned my moth
ers will to her. ] never saw her after
IL was made ill saw her in her death
sleep, aud | had not seen her for two
years prior to the date of the legacy.
All this was testified before you, sir,
and not a word was refuted. But what
was honor to you when money was at
stake or what was principle when
your contingent fee was a thousand dol
lars? Judge Orlando, have women a
countIy?"
Certainly, madam. Aud, il you
could but know how beautiful you Look
when you grow eloquent, you'd never
relapse into tameness of expression
never. What born orator you would
have been if you'd only been a man 81
as there gentleman in this room ?"
she asked, glancing hurriedly from one
startled visage TO another. "If there is,
call upon him to protect me from this
reptiles insults I"
"When lady keeps her place,
ma'am, there's no man ia the laud who
has more sympathy for her than |
have" said the Judge, chokingly; "but
when a woman steps outside OF her
sphere to take the place Of a man, / say
let her take the consequences like a
man"
"Aud what, pray, do you call the
sphere Of woman ?''
"Her place, ma'am, is at home, at
tending to her husbands interests. II
she steps outside of that charmed circle,
she must expect that men will not re-
spect her"
"And you claim that men protect
women, eh ?"
"Yes; in their place"
Beautiful protectors you are, to be
sure You will shelter your own, II
you're in the mood for it; but you make
laws to suit yourselves aud interpret
them accordingly. And when il suits
your pockets to make unjust decisions,
you do not hesitate 10 rob both the liv-
ing aud the dead %
"My wife has bntter opinion Of men
than that, ma'am."
Then it's because she has had diff
ferent experience"
"May | ask, ma'am, the cause Of your
appearance among us Tonight? IL is
rather an unusual thing for a prudent
woman to be out, travelling alone ON
such a night as this"
81 came, sir, to see a lawyer and take
I the necessary steps to carry my mothers
will case before the Circhit Court"
"Then may as well tell you. once for
all, that you've come on a fools errand.
A married woman cannot proceed 10 q
/ legal case without the corporation OF
her husband. You see, in Law, the hus-
band and wife are one, and the husbal
is that one. Your identity was merged
into your husband at marriage, and
anything that belongs to you is bis
property. You are, yourself, his prop
erty."
"Aud yet, sir, you have the audacity
to tell me that women have a coGutryr'
Certainly, ma'am. They are pro-
tected and supported 10y their hue
bands"
"And il husbands fail, what then?"
Don't get angry when ! answer your
question civilly. A handsome woman
eau always find admirers. It's a shame
for a beautiful creature like you to be
battering your hands with hard work
when there are so many gentlemen
ready to protect and shield you il you
will only let them"
The insulted woman stepped back.
ward a few PAGES aud looked anxiously
around the room.
"Is there no one here who will pro-
tect me from this man ?" she asked, Ia
piteous way.
An honest farmer who had silently
witnessed the interview arose, and, com
ing forward, stopped short aud con-
fronted the protector Of women.
Have you a mother, sir ?'' he asked
abruptly.
"I have"
"Was she 3 wOman?"
, The Judge looked abashed.
"If you have no respect for yourself
= sir, pray remember that we have all hat
mothers Landlord, give this lady
room. Let it he dry aud warm, and se'
. that uphnfiu