Year: 1877

CHAPTER y.


Edna had so thoroughly disciplined
her mind to the idea that she must be-
lieve in her husband under all circum-
stances that it was long before she took
real alarm from his idle habits.


John was not at heart vicious man,
and when half tipsy he was always su-
premely good natured. Edna's con-
tempt for him in no way diminished as
she saw him regularly appropriate her
hard earnings to his own individual in
dulgencies, but she only strove the
harder to supply the fuel for the con-
slant drain upon their resources, till at
last she fell sick, and then the trouble
came in earnest.


Aunt Judy, with whom the change in
climate and surroundings had gone
hard, was excessively rheumatic, and
became utterly unable to supply the
market with pastry, after Edna fell i'll,
and the family exchequer grew alarm
ingly empty.


"John," said Edna, one day, after a
vain effort to arise from her bed to at
tend to the demands Of her business had
resulted in a relapse, couldn't you
learn to make the pies and doughnuts,
and carry on the business till 1 get well
again ?"


"Do you take me for a woman?" John
replied, with a maudlin laugh.


Innhov, hot ~ fr, II Tnhn Q II ya
worn out my strength in your service,
+, and am no longer able to carry on the
work. Do you intend to let us starve?"
John could not comprehend the situa-
ahead he was as happy as the day.


"We'll be compelled TO sell the team,''
said Aunt Judy, at last, though this
conclusion was arrived at through many
tears and misgivings, for the teamwas her
only possession, and while she retained
it she was not without hope that when
the spring should come and the roads be
again passable, she might get away
from the mountain businesses and reach
the settlements with Edna and the child.
In her own mind John had been given
up as lost from the first hour that his
drinking habits became apparent.


"John," and Aunt Judy tried hard to
speak cheerfully, "there was a miner
here to-day who intends to engage ex-
tensively in fiume making in the spring.
1 agreed to sell him our wagon and
oxen. It will be q great trial, for while
we had the team we had the means Oi
getting out of this, you know. But
Well starve unless we do something
Edna is like to be down for all time, for
what I know-thanks to your kindly
care for her comfort Pm rheumatic
and used up, and with the snow al
around US, the mines frozen up for the
winter, and the only able-bodied mem
Der of the firm so dignified that he isn't
willing to work at making pies because
he's of the sex that's able to plume
itself upon dignity, I'll be compelled tC
close the bargain and part with the oxer
right away. Now, want you to g
down to the bottom and get 'em up
Four hundred dollars will keep the vol
from the door till spring, if L have tht
handling of the cash."


But John did not go for the cattle tina
day, nor the next. He was alway
ready with some trivial excuse, and al
ways promising to go tomorrow; bu
tomorrow never came, and at last tn
last loaf of bread was gone and the las
mouthful of food of any description ha,
disappeared.


John was not hungry. He was toler
ably clever at draw poker, and the fire.
lunches Of the low groggery where h
spent his hours of leisure, and they wer
not limited, seeing he was wholly with
out occupation, were regularly forth
coming; so, blunted as he was in hi
sensibilities by drink, he was incapabl
of an adequate conception of the res
needs of his household.


II there is one place superior to al
others in genuine liberality, that plac
is a mining camp. The little Idaho, til
only child in the diggings, was an OF
ject Of positive alteration among tb
bronzed and bearded men who had wan
dered far from the abodes of their love
ones, with whom was an ever-abidin
and tender memory. Many of thes
men had left their homes to WOO th
tickle god of fortune, expecting soon t
return: but with hopes long deferred b
constant failure to secure the much
coveted wealth they had come in ques
Of, they yet fingered in Idaho Flat, ear
ing and drinking, through the lon
winters necessarily spent in idleness i
the mountains, the proceeds of ever
summers toll. 49,


ful quarrel. A q seasons of in
pOrtunity, in good woma