The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-08-11
Lost Lima,
THE BITTER AND THE SWEET.
A Tale Of Two Continents.
BY MRS. NINA LAWSON.
CHAPTER |.

County, Illinois.
The low tinkle Of the cow-bell and
the gentle bleating of the lambs In the
forest could be heard, while In the
waters of the valley creek could be
seen the tiny fish swimming about in
and out of their many little hiding
places.
Lima, Lima! Where in the name Of
common sense are you going now?"
The voice rang loud and clear through
the air to stop the flight of little girl
ish figure, clad in a short, neat, pink
calico dress, with her long, pale-gold
silken curls bobbing up and down as
she lightly tripped over the gravel
walk to the front gate of Farmer Rice's
neat little country home.
yes, Auntie June, here / am. What
is it you want2"
you are od-for-nothing, lazy
girl, Lima, and you know well enough
what | want l think you might try
and be little useful while you are
here in the short vacation. You know
you haven't done one single thing this
morning, and here / have been fussin'
and fumin' over this old dress of yours
for the last hour, and l have been a
fussin' and fumin' for the last fourteen
or fifteen years to make a lady of you
and get something decent for you to
wear; but, gracious on me, you are not
worth the salt that / put in your bread
that | have to make with my own
hands. And your poor Uncle Cristo
has to work day and night to get the
means to keep You on"
But, Auntie-"
ayes, yes, but Just stop right there,
now; for I'll hear none O your excuses
at all. You might just as well 90 out
IN the fields and talk to an old stump
as to me, for it'll do just as much good.
You know You are a lazy good-for-
nothing, and always layin' round in some
corner, or off in the woods someplace
with an old book in your hands, or
agatherin' some of those nasty old
weeds What did / send you off to
that old convent school at Cairo for, If
/ did not expect you to be of some lit
tie help to me some of these days?"
"Autie, auutie, please listen, just one
moment, only to me. You know / love
You as much as you could wish, and
that it is my only will to obey and please
you. | was not aware that / was doing
wrong when / started out, or, most as
suredly, | should not have gone You
know that | go to the grove for flowers
every morning, and was not aware that
i had forgotten anything"
"Ohl fiddle-sticks Your memory is
fainter than cats; there. / told you,
not more than thirty minutes ago, tc
hunt up the eggs.
Your uncle was going to town, and
thought that You might find dozen ol
so, and Cristo might get some sugar foi
the tea; but, no, there you We're,
iurnpin' along over the woods, like the
regular tom-boy that you are, gather
ing them old weeds to make some dirt
in the place of your bein here when You
was needed"
Lima, in her maiden rustic beauty, sc
pure, so lovely, and all guiltless as an
angel, stood there with the violets and
lockwood blossoms in her white, deli
cate, plump little hands, looking pen
sive, perfect picture Of sorrow and
remorse. She stood there by the old
east window, looking at her, with he1
large, beautiful, expressive blue eyes,
so rich, so dark, they We're almost the
color of the violets in her hands; the
dark brows, and long, dark lashes only
added deeper hue of beauty and rich
ness to those great, peerless orbs.
Yet the face, plump, round, and
youthful, was as white as the dogwood
blossoms in her hands, while her cheeks
were like the wild roses of the woods
This lovely little face was surrounded
by ringlets OF pale gold silken hair.
while the long, heavy curls flowed ovel
her shoulders down to her waist
Lima, like all other girls, did not
enjoy those little private lectures, and
thinking that perhaps her aunt had one
OF her bad spells" as she called t.
didn't resume the conversation, but
gathering up the flowers carefully, as il
they had been her rarest Jewels sci
with diamonds, and as if with the
slightest jar the diamonds would fall
from their settings and be lost forever
The flowers were placed in some neat
little vases and set upon the mantel in
the sitting room. While this little but.
tertiy was busy IN arranging and dust
ing the rooms, her bright mind was
busy, also. She was wandering from
her present surroundings and wonder.
ing whether this would always be hel
home and whore her parents early
home was and how her mamma had
looked. And, too, whether ali she had
read IN books was true or not. As the
many strange thoughts crowded he,
mind she was fitting from one piece OF
furniture to the other, and by the auick k
motions of the large, heavy buster the
dust was again set in motion. only r.
settle IN the very same place. Amerry
little song rang through the airy coun.
try home, while little Lina's mind was
building bright castles for the future
little dreaming of the great change that
day would make in her life. Oh peer.
less future, bliss or sorrow, far better
remain IN the distance than to disturb
tins happy, innocent little beauty be-
fore Won.
Had little Lima knew aught of this
wicked world, and had she not been
ignorant of its many pitfalls. or the
great danger that was so near. and that
would sadden her whole life. tears q.
sorrow and not JOY would have trickIed
down her delicate pink cheek.
Lima"
Yes, auntie-"
Come here" And Immediately
Lima emerged from the little old.
fashioned sitting with a book
and buster IN hand, while her face was
flushed slightly with exercise. and 4
quiet little smile played about be,
d1mpled little rosebud mouth. The
lecture had been entirely forgotten.
Well, here l am, auntie: what * II
you want ?"
y tell You, Lima, YOU must 90 This
very minute and gather every egg ON
this farm; and then you must 90 down
TO the cellar and get that little roll OF