The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-08-06
MANS MISSION.

II was generally acknowledged by
those who knew them that Jack New
lyn and his pretty wife had solved the
much-discussed problem Of how to be
happy though married. True, they had
only been united six months. and per-
haps it was a little premature to speak
definitely on the subject, but to all ap-
pearances 1t did not seem possible that
the sunshine of their lives could ever
be darkened by cloud. Their affec-
tion for each other disgusted the cynic-
al and delighted the romantic.
1t was as ardent and enduring now
as it had been the day they were made
man and wife, and their intimate
friends were wont to declare that exist
ence for them was one long, continual
honeymoon.
Old philosophers, however, shook
their heads and said it was not to be
expected that such a state Of unalloy-
ed bliss could continue forever, and
these philosophers were right. Que
day hawk swooped down on the New
lyn dovecote and put an end to the bill
ing and cooling.
1t was in this way: Jack Newlyn.
who was a barrister of some repute,
left his home in st. Johns Wood one
fine morning, leaving his little wife in
her usual state of happiness, returning
a few minutes after to find her al
most as solemn as the great judge in
whose presence he had been propOund-
ing the intricacies of an entangled will
suit all the afternoon.
Anything wrong, dearestT" he in
quired as they sat down to dinner.
Mrs. Newlyn gave start.
80, no." she murmured, "only-only
have had visit from Miss Blake this
afternoon"
"Who's Miss Blake?" the embryo
Q. G. asked carelessly.
30, you must have heard of her,
Jack; she's the President of the Mod
ern Woman's Pioneer Rescue League :"
Mr.. Newlyn gasped.
"And-and what did she want, a sub
scription"
''N-o, I'll tell you. l don't think l
ever mentioned it, but before l met you
1 was a Pioneer Now, one of the
rules of the society orders that when a
member becomes engaged or married
she forfeits her place; in fact, she Is
compelled to resign"
Mr.. NewIyn muttered something
about good job"
"Well, it seems" his wife went on,
"that quite lot of the members have
left lately owing to this cause. There's
Lucy Johnson, she's engaged to Mr..
Stone. and last week Kate Brown was
married, and now there are several
more on the point Of leaving"
"Quite an epidemic" the barrister
remarked, irreverently.
so" his wife continued with a
slight frown, Miss Blake fears that
soon she will be the only one who has
remained true to the ship"
"Why doesn't she get spliced?" Jack
asked, "aDd then the ship would sink"
''She has no desire to get 'spliced,' as
you call it. She is a woman of firm
principles. and she has devoted her life
to doing good. But to return to what 1
was saying. AS the society had suffer
ed such losses she has decided to strike
out the rule which declares engaged
girls and married women ineligible,
and she is now going round to all the
old members asking them to rejoin."
The young husbands face bore a
look of the liveliest CONSERVATION.
And" his wife resumed, 81 have
promised to do So"
Mr.. Newlyn's CONSERVATION deepen
ed to direst dismay.
"But-but what does she want you
to dor he asked. "And what are the
'Pioneers'?"
They are a little band Of women
who are engaged in the noble work of
rescuing their unhappy fellow-crea-
lures from sin and wickedness."
'.But what are they required to do?
Not-not to dive into filthy dens in the
East End, visiting housebreakersT
"N-o, not exactly that. We hold
meetings for cabdrivers, sandwich
men, and matchboys. Social evenings
they are, with light refreshment, such
as coffee and buns"
Coffee and b-u-n-s," Mr.. Newlyn
murmured blankly.
"Yes, and a little music, and we take
them aside and talk seriously to them
and try to bring them to better frame
of mind. 1t Is a noble work. Jack.
Miss Blake says 1t is wicked for Us to
lead life Of luxury and ease when