Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-10-07

idlS0u q perpetual barrier between MIN
and his daughter. He knew it and be
could not help it. The greater efforts
he made to be kind, the more disas-
tTous were the results.
1t was a lost cause. Let her go, -
said Lawyer MiIIet to himself, per
haps the only cure is in her going"
I wish you success, and happiness, -
he said next day when he babe Lima
good-by.
when you wish me success, you
have wished me happiness she said.
-
A pretty attic studio, an easel with
an oil-painting on it; a rather crude
and an ambitious painting; a dropping
figure, a woman's figure, with its arm
Oh the back of the chair, and its
head on its arm, before the easel. In
the woman's hand is a letter she has
evidently been reading.
Kindly shadows steal into the room
and noiseless1y drive out the garish
day with its searching light Silently
they glide from chair corners and
hover about her like wreaths of absent
loved ones
The woman does not heed the knock
d. the door. There are so many knocks
at doors and so many feet always 60
ing and coming.
The latch is turned and some one
enters. But not until a voice calls
her name does the figure start up and
lCok about her.
"Lina!"
''Mr. Millet. This-is-unexpecte )"
Yes; as I was in the city, and so
near you [ thought I would look in. I
would not dare present myself to the
Powers family without recommended
lions from you"
Was it the shadows gave Linas face
that wistful look?
She turned to the picture on the
easel and faced it to the wall. my
latest failure she said quite COM
pCsedly, then looked into her visitors
face with sad attempt at a smile
I'm convinced after these two years
of hard work that [ am not an artist"
You are an artist, Lima, a house
hold artist. [ think it is being what
we are meant to be, and not what we
are not meant to be that brings sue
cess"
Lina's head dropped little, but she
did not speak.
rs it a grander thine and happier
thing to paint pictures for the world
than for home? The world that pauses
a moment, smiles and praises and
passes on, while the home pictures
are a perpetual delight to the dear
ones there. There's not a room there
that you have not made a picture of
and every bit of work you put your
hand to is made to seem beautiful.
Lima, come home!"
Still no answer came. Was it the
twilight shadows that stole over Lin
coin Millet's face as he watched the
dropping head?
"They need you," he said gently,
moving step nearer and resting a
hand lightly on her shoulder. 1--WE all
need you; home is not home without
YOU"
Lima raised her head and looked
about the room. ooh, can't go," she
said with an indrawn breath please
don't talk to me-
"Lina-can it be there is so much
more happiness in working for things
tran for loved ones? Is there more
satisfaction in living for pretty gowns
and amusenents than in living for
father and sister and brothers?"
Little difference it makes to
father" said Lima with a dash of bit
terness in her voice
eff you could see how he has aged
since you went away you might think
it made a difference"
There was another silence.
"You will come back to US, Lina?"
''No, not YETI
Lincoln Millet went away then and
left her there in the shadows. He was
more disappointed in her tonight than
ever he had been in all their acquain-
lance. How could he know that he
owed it all to q bit of crumpled paper
in Lina's hand?
1t was letter from Aldena, and il
was the closing sentence that had
made Lina's decision: Lima, if you are
so happy with some one that nothing
else in the world is so happy as being
with that one-is it lover"
No she would rot 90 home yet.
Let her CO." said Lincoln MiIlet.
She is welded to vanity"
Aldena was at the gate to meet him.
He thought she had never looked so
lovely as now, standing there in the
with her dark eyes raised
to his.
Us she coming?"
No. he answered, smiling down at
her, "but you are growing to be such
an excellent housekeeper we shall do
nicely without her"
II shall never to like Lima she said.
mo, but you will be like Aldena,
and that is just what we wish you to
BEL"
Not very long after that a very i'm
perative letter came to Lima.
Lima, my dearest, you positively
must come home now and attend to
NE. l have something very important
to tell you. l can't get along without
you another day You can go hack of
course. 1t would be wicked to take
you away from your precious work and
your gay life there. Aunt Mercy will
keep house after there, I almost
told. Come quick"
The hour Lima Powers had been
shrinking from ever since she left
home had come. And there was no de-