The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-01-21
TOLEDO, rAMA COUNTY IOWA.

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Lnankt ~ yo1 I'd - RI
! better h00j6 Keeper tk16 = -
| I have mot friend Who does - 1v5
me the exquisite order q ny hotse - =
| ny dainty table. /" ss.'
" Herbert, 7on surprise ne. Only -
| terday heard you say you did vii
| there was ecOr anythInx ht 70 eat on III
ltsbie."
Zone don't expect every word to r
taken literalIy.p snid Herbert ra11
suIkilv. But not u hour later. =
! ! streak Of {lnst Is ~ sisting.f -
declared emphasicaily il was ~ III fo1
| 4 pie TO live I'M
/ Coming into II the next noohing h
found the curtains torn down. - cazpeta
taken mp, the door Uttered wlkh pstls,
soap and brushes, apd Lima ia dismal
dress, her hair tied up ia tovl4 direct
ing two women scrubbing vigordnsly.
Good gracious! Lima" he cried
what are you doing!"
Cleaning this room"
Why, Essie had the whole house
cleaned till II shone in the fall. and
didn't make half this muss," ne added
contemptuousIy. II
"Well,n said Lima, slowly, 6 thought
this room marvel Of neatness myself.
but when you said Il was cot fit for The
pigs l supposed you wanted it cleaned y
"The room was well enough z was the
curt reply. For mercy's sake, don't
turn any more Of the house upside
down."
At breakfast tiny tear in Louie'a
apron caught her fathers eye, and, BY
his own angry statement, "she never had
a decent stitch Of clothes, and he did
wish somebody would see to her."
Two davs after Formidable dry goods
bill was presented at the store, and Lima
explained it in this wise:
You said, Herbert, that Louie hadn't
decent stitch and you wished some
body would see to her, 80 ] bought her q
complete outfit. I could not see any
fault myself, but of course ! got more
expensive articles, as you did not like
those already provided. ! am glad you
called my attention to the poor neglected
child"
Poor neglected child" echoed as
tonished Herbert. Why, Lima, Essie
fairly slaves her life out over those chill
dren. I am sure never see any better
dressed or neater."
Lima merely shrugged her shoulders.
A month passed. Essie gained strength
in the genial atmosphere surrounding
Louie and her mother, while Lima ruled
Herbert's house with rod of iron.
Herbert began to experience sick long
ing for Essie's gentle presence. Lima
took him SO very literally in all he said,
and yet he could not robuke her for do
ing exactiy wnat ne openiy wisneu'
Achair with tiny spot OF dirt being
declared absolutely nithy was uphol
stored and vanished at cost OF eight
dollars. A dozen new shirts, Essie's last
LABOR OF love, Deing said 10 set ike
meal-bags," were bestowed upon the
gardener, and new set sent from fur.
nishing store. Harry's blocks were burned
at the kitchen fire when Herbert, step.
ping upon one, said he "would not have
such rubbish in the house." Every win
dow was opened after q pettish declara-
tion that the "roem was as hot as an
oven" and an hour later the stove was
fired up to smothering heat because he
declared It cold enough to freeze polar
bear"
In short, with apparently an energetic
attempt to correc. all shortcomings and
put the housekeeping upon q perfect
basis, Lima IN one month nearly douDieo
ner Drotnefs expenses anu efose MN "
the verge OF distraction Keeping accu-
rate account OF every complaint
But Essie, we'll and strong again, was
coming home. On the day Of her ex.
pected arrival Lima, with solemn face,
invited her brother into the sitting-room
for few moments OF private converse
tion.
Herbert" she said, very gravely, II
have proposition to make to you. You
are my only brother, and need not tell
you l love you very dearly II mas
really grieved me to the heart to see how
much there is to find fault with in your
beautiful home" Herbert twisted him
self uneasily in his chair, but Lima con-
tinued:
You know tnat mosner 10 very uePenu.
ent upon me, Louie having the house and
children to care for, but ! think she
would sacrince ner own com.ors Io, 2,
yours. 90 II you Wisn, nerDsl., WI
come mere permanently 20 Keep 'n'nss ~
oroef ior you.
Here Lima was Obliged 70 pause ano
strangle laugh at HerDert's expression
Of utter horror and dismay
You are very kind" nc Iaitered' tne
instincts of gentleman battling with the
strong desire to tell Lima shc would Ger
tainly drive him into . lanstac asylum Dy
six months more OF her model mousse
keeping.
Not at all. 4 man VINO mas maoe g
unfortunate marriage certainly needs al
the aid and sympathy his family can
give him.
The last straw was iald upon tne cam
els back. Herbert spoke hotly 10Y
n~o nnfsro1u vrNsatA hon 3maV III hnvQ H04