The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-10-07

But she ulQ not KNOW now 10 lildllage itii
it was too late to do so successfully.
"I think it would be WELL dear, for you to build
the house and barn and make the fences and plant
the orchards on my half of our claim" she said
when they first moved on to the claim "For you
know, dear, that in case anything should happen
to you, like debt, for instance we would then be
sure of home for our old age to say nothing of a
support for our children, if we should have any"
Adonis Lovelady, who had been thinking favor
ably OF the same thing, instantly changed his
mind.
"Tn have nobody saying that l live with my
wife - he said testify. "The improvements shall
go on my own donation claim"
And they did.
Things went on very well for half a dozen years.
Mrs. Lovelady had an excellent lot of cows, and
her butter brought a good price. Her vegetable
garden was "A success, and her chickens proved a
toerable source of revenue. But after while her
health failed. Too many babies and too much
aborious drudgery will in time break down the
health Of the strongest supported and protected
farmers wife in America.
Mrs Lovelady could no longer cultivate her
kitchen garden, and Adonis never had time To do
it, He was always hurried and always tired His
wife could never make him understand that a
days hunting i'm planting time, even if successful
was not to be compared, in profits, to a potato
crop or "a cabbage patch in the Fall.
The little Loveladys became more and more
camerous for food they grew Older, and Mrs
Lovelady was compelled to part with a COW from
time to time to purchase the groceries and cloth
ing which she had always, while i'm health, pro
cured in exchange for butter.
at is like killing the goose that lays the colder
egg" she once ventured to say in mild remon
STRANGE, when the sale of a favorite cow was pend
ing.
But Adonis Lovelady was offended at what h,
called her 'neddling," and she did not attempt t.
interfere again.
The years rolled on, and a mortgage htn.
heavily over the donation claim of the head on th
family. Mrs Loyelady recovered her healts IN
sufficient degree to resume her abors, but the in
terest on the mortgage ate up the proceeds of he
toll and while the tenth child was an infant o
tender age, and her own feeble strength was well
nigh exhausted, the hall-section Of land whicl
her husband had so prided himself upon po sess
ing. was sold under the SherifIrs hammer FOR
sum barely sufficient to cover the debt that huns
over IT,
/ Adonis Loveady had no heart to begin again
ne said, especially if compelled to live with hi
/ wife upon her own acres in order TO have a home
Mrs Lovelady was sorely peplexed. Her ode
children were clamorous for books and dress, am
her younger ones required all her feeble strengt
to provide for their daily wants.
MAKE me "A deed to your claim, Oracle" sal
Adonis at last, 'and then I'll go to work and i'm
prove it,"
''If you had put the Improvements my clar
i'm the first place, | could always have kept roc
over your head, you know dear" the hes
tating reply.
Adonis Lovelady whimpered and shed tears an
bewaied his hard fate and fretted over his lac
Of appreciation by the worn-out mother of his te
children, and in every conceivable way made he
life burdensome, until, to get rid Of his importr
mites, and in spite of her better judgment, sh
affixed her name to a document assigning to hir
the ownership control and custody of her ow
homestead.
agree with you, good lady reader, that in :
doing she acted very unwisely but wait unit
you, under like circumstances, are subjected to
like temptation, and you will see that you will d
no better.
Adonis Lovelady had other debts of which n
wife was not aware One of them was a doctor
bill of four years standing, which had been ru
when the twins were born, and which someho
made Mrs. Lovelady feel very culpable when
came to her notice, as though she ought to apol
gize to the doctor for the temerity that had Ii,
, scrupled to burden her husband with so many
sponsbilities when he was "A bad manager an
unable to meet the expense.
''Why didn't you keep your donation claim
your own name and compel your shiftless lout
husband to chop cord-wood to pay the bill =?
bluntly asked the practical doctor
Mrs Lovelady shed tears of bitter humilatiC
and did not answer. How could she?
The rckety cabin which Adonis Lovelady erec
ed on his wife's former property served for a tin
as a shelter but the family could not eat or we
, il, nor would creditors grant the perplexed hu
band and father another year of grace