Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-11-27

up. Levi had been aiming to take
away the boards, and put in sash and
glass, ever since he had married Lor-
india
That which made it all the harder for
Lorinda to bear was the fact that Levi
was really very skillful with tools of
every kind. Lorinda, seeking with true
wifely devotion to find something to
praise in Levi, was not a little proud
of the fact that Levi had the reputa-
ton of being the "handieSt' man in
the neighborhoOd. He could turn
his hand to anything'' and was in de-
mand by all the neighbors when there
was any kind of ''tinkering" to be
/ done, and no man worked more
steadily at task than he when Levi
| was working for others.
Il declare, LOrinda, l wouldn't stand
it if l were you," said Mrs. Hollis
outspoken sister, Mrs. Emmeline
Taft one day, when she had come over
to spend the day with Lorinda and
had found her carrying water from the
well Of a neighbOr quarter of
mile distant, because the Holt pump
had been out of repair for a week, and
Levi had not yet got around" to re-
pairing it.
He draws the water up with a pail
and a rope when he is here; but it
makes me so dizzy to lean over a we'll
that l don't dare draw water that
way" Lorinda had explained to her
sister He aims to fix the pump in
a day or two"
Yes, and like enough he'll keep on
aiming to fix it for the next month"
said EmmeIine, thoroughly out Of pa
tience. Her own husband was one
of the most energetic and methodical
of men. Everything was in spicl1-
and-span order, and as complete as it
could be made.
Il think that see JEdson Taft al
lowing pump to go unrepaired for a
week or even a day." said EmmeIfne.
And Levi Holt wouldn't be so careless
if you were not so easy your own self,
Lorinda. Do you know what I would
do if l were in your shoes, LorInda
Holt?"
81 don't know as do, Emmelfne."
well, III tell you just what I
would do. l would pack up and leave
this old place, and tell Levi Holt that
when he had finished it up complete
Tde come home, and not before; that's
what I'd do. And I would keep my
word. l wouldn't come back until the
last nail was driven that is needed,
and the last bit of work done that
needs to be done to finish up this
house and barn"
"Oh, Emmel1ne!"
Il just would, Lorinda!"
And do you think that that would
make Levi finish things up?"
well, I guess it would. Anyhow,
I'd give it try. I'll own up that he
thinks sight of you-more than most
husbands think of their wives when
they have been married 20 years"
81 never was away from Levi more
than three days since we were mar
ried, and that was when you and me
went over to Zoar to Aunt Lyddy Pea
body's funeral"
Eyes. and Levi acted as if you had
been away three years when We got
home" said Emmeline.
There was a suggestion Of bitterness
in Emmeline's voice, for she was a
wife who had endured the sorrow Of
seeing her own husbands love for her
grow less from year to year, until
she sometimes doubted if he loved
her at all.
You do as I say, Lorinda,," con-
tinued Emmeline. Il firmly believe
that such a move on your part would
be a good thing for both you and Lew.
wouldn't suggest it, only | know
how Levi is all wrapped up in you,
and how helpless he is without you.
He'd do anything in the world to have
you come back again if you went away
for awhile
1t was day in October when EN-
incline visited her sister. The days
following her visit were peculiarly
tryingdays for Lorinda. Never had
she suffered so many annoyances
from Lewis fatal habit Of leaving
tasks unfinished and of postponing
them altogether The last straw"
came on blue Monday" Levi had for
weeks promised Lorinda that he would
put new clothes line posts in the places
of the old ones that had almost rotted
away at the base. He had gone SO far
as to bring the posts to the drying
yard, and there they had lain for
weeks when an hours work would