Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-30
Fiction
A QUIET AMBITIOUS SOUL.

Good morning, miss. Let me draw
that water for you
Lizzie looked up, her hand on the
well rope, and saw Zephas. The
bright midday sun brought out clearly
the sharp lines in their plain faces,
and the fresh colors in the patches of
their faded work-day clothes. but it
brought out even more clearly the
flash Of shy pleasure in Lizzie's face
and the expression of kindly concern
In Zephas's.
Zephas quietly drew the rope from
Lizzie's hand and drew up the water,
emptying it in the pail through the in
clined trough. He measured the dis
lance through the sunny field to the
rear of the LOring farmhouse; then he
looked at her with kind of indignant
amazement on his gentle face. why"
he exclaimed, "do they make you car
ry it all this way?"
"I-I carry it." answered Lizzie,
with childish embarrassment Sud
denly her face frightened and she
said, quite cheerfully, when it rains
the hogsheads get full, and then I
carry only little
He quietly turned away, lifted the
pail and carried it across the field
Lizzie unprotestingly followed, filled
with strange awe at the expression of
a decided judgment in the gentle eyes
Mrs. Loring looked up from her
pan of bread dough in amazement, as
Zephas came into her kitchen and de-
posted the pail on a bench and then
went out without word or look She
turned gaze of impatient inquiry at
Lizzie. Il didn't ask him to, Mis- Lor-
ing" said Lizzie. He took it right
up" Lizzie looked quite childish now
in contrast with Mrs. Loring's plump
form and pink cheeks.
oh" said Mrs. Loring, 81 didn't
know but he thought we was working
you too hard to make you carry the
water. But what else can we do
when the we'll is so far away? And |
guess Zephas GLADDEN. had better look
at home. I guess Deacon Gorham
works him hard enough. I've heard
the neighbors talk about it. Well,
now, Lizzie, I've been planning your
work for tomorrow. l guess you'd
better wash the downstairs windows
for one thing. They don't really need
it just now, but they will soon, and it
amt hard work to wash windows"
80 no, indeed"' cried Lizzie warm
ly, ashamed of the disloyal pleasure
she had taken in Zephas's words, and
determined to atone by working hard
er this afternoon than she otherwise
would have done.
But it was Sunday afternoon and
she was not expected to 10 patch.
work in her leisure moments. So
when the necessary work Was done
she had three precious hours all her
own. She slipped cautiously to her
little attic room, took a small, worn
book that had been hidden back of one
of the beams, then slipped noiselessIy
down the stairs. In the dining room
, on lounge lay Mrs. Lor1ng's simple
minded husband, staring ut picture
on the wall. do you know, Lizzie
he said, as she passed through, 81
never look at that picture without
wanting to cry Lizzie glanced al
the old print of the boy Lincoln trying
to read the Life of Washington by the
light from the kitchen fireplace HE
| didn't have much show, did he, Liz
zie?"
mo" said Lizzie sympathetically.
AS she was fastening across the
| field a little girl in a white dress anG
, Leghorn hat ran out after her and put
| her arm around Lizzie's waist. She
could do it quite easily because she
was large child, and Lizzie was lit
! tie woman. Lizzie" she said, plead
ingly, "can I sit down beside yor
while you do your problems? I've
brought my 'rithmetic too. I've got &
very hard problem Of my own. DE-
you care?"
No said Lizzie, gently. Lets ST
down under the big elm. But BIZ
careful not to soil your dress, Ida"
Ida looked thoughtfully from hel
| dress to Lizzie's faded wrapper. "Yo1
never had a white dress, did you, Liz
zie? And you're only in long divi
sion and I'm most there already. {
dear, I wish l was grown up and mar
ried, so could have you work for me
You should have a white dress anC
plenty of time for study. Grandma
can't seem to think that you want
pretty dress and to learn 'rithmetic,,
Hush, deari" exclaimed Lizzie
looking cautiously around. you
grandma is very good to me. She i.
the best friend 1 ever had. She tool
me out of the asylum when l was lit
tie"
The two students worked silentl-
for some time. Ida made childish
movements Of Impotence and cover