Year: 1875

ml i al toh utto hOI oCSCi tCh
me; is willing to live with me and
let me help him support himself.
How kind it is all right fol Par
ton. that is evident. l will consult
a lawyer" thought she, and she
did.


Run away! that is the best
thing you can do" was his advice.


- would go home were it not


for shame. He would be my hus-


band, l suppose. What shall l
.do?"


"Go home certainly if you
wish, but you are very good look
ing, what should You go home for?"


John Nicholson over again l
suppose. Is there decent, honor
able man in this community, l
wonder" thought she. But the
lawyer was cunning.


Il will get you divorce if You
will marry me" said he. There
is to be bill before the Legislature
in December. 1t will pass, as there
is considerable money to beat it,
and have influence enough to help
get the thing through. i don't like
to see you waiting. l knew your
father when l wasa young man, and
don't mind helping you. My wife
is infirm, she can't come to this
country. I'll get her to say she
will not come, and we will be mar
ried as soon as your bill and mine
have both been gotten through.
What do you say to it?"


Hoary old sinner, thought Hetty.
Knew my father, indeed. If was
a man I'd throw him out of the
window. But Hetty was wise and
wary.


I'll think of this, and let you
know in time for the marriage, if
possible; however, don't build too
many hopes upon it; women, you
know, are tickle" l won't refuse
him till after the divorce, she
thought. 1t will be time enough
then, if he can get the bill through
it will serve him right to pay him
in his own coin. He can't compel
me to marry him if / am divorced.
But then that old woman. He'll do
something devilish, as far as she is
concerned any way, so l might as
well try and get myself out and
trust her to the care of something
better than Lam. .


Hetty returned to find Mrs.
Marston gone. h'


Where can she be, Mrs. Par
ton?" said the wife, as the afternoon
passed with no return,


"Gone to the devil, / hope"
said he. "She has no right to be
burden upon your hands. I'd bet
my life she isn't what she pretends
to be, and holds out under false
colors just to get her way. l hope
Nicholson is gone off with her, l
4 saw them walking down town to-
gether."


MRS. Parton, 1 despise you.
An honest woman has no right to
be mated to such man. You
would sell your soul. give it away
ifyou found you could make any
thing by it. To think of your let
ting poor, demented creature like
that go off with John Nicholson
you ought to be ashamed of your
self. 1 am fast finding out what
men are in this place, and don't
believe that Sodom compared with
it in iniquity. I wish it had been
swallowed up before 1 came here.


"The place is good enough, it is
only necessary to make the best of
it. o! yes, Mrs. Parton, l mean
what say, you need not look so
i scornful. You are fine specimeh
: of woman, and ] am proud to be
your proprietor, 1 only want you to
: do your duty, and every woman's
! duty is obedience to her husband.
who wishes to earn an honest living,
and expects you to help him but if
you go killing off by yourself to do
so, l must assert my right and
come after you.


Mr.. Parton, you have been a
lackey-an English lackey at that
d. and you expect me now to become
your lackey9 Perhaps shall; but
when an Englishman marries an
American, he has got to take the con-
4 sequences. l shant support you, nor
help to do so. am going to have a
home OF my own, and live like IA lady
: so long as | have a husband who
( cares to acknowledge me. If you
don't wish to support me, | have
shown you already | can support
myself. When YOU are ready to
leave | will rpsuma nusinaSs hut t;l