Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-05-16
Independent in all things.
|.. AsHTABULA, OHIO, FRIDAY MAY 16, 1879.
could have done by running erranda

1 HAV6 UI
for people or doing small jobs.
A happier boy than Guttorm was one
could hardly imagine. He went about
busying himself among his graves; if
he was tired he sat down in pew next
to some wooden doll, took off his cap,
and gszed with devotion at his painted
minister; or he sat at Dolly's grave,
waiting for her return. One would be
sure to find him there early and late,
rain or shine, and even in snoWstorm.
The parish folk would often stop to have
q chat with him, and ask him If Dolly
had not come vet Then Guttorm would
place his fingers on his mouth, and
look about him with an anxious gaze,
and whisper, pointing to the grave:
"Dolly is asleep-she will come
back-I must take care of Dolly, father
says"
This was always his answer, when
ever he was asked.
One sunny day when the summer
was far advanced, Guttorm had run
home to get his dinner, and on return
ing, remained standing at the church
yard gate, quite beWildered. There
sat Dolly, large as life, on her grave.
She had still the pink silk ribbon in
her braids, and the same yellow hair.
He stood for awhile staring, with open
mouth; then he laid himself down, like
q cat which sees bird it would like to
catch, and crept warily forward, hid
ing behind the hillocks. Dolly did not
see him; she sat playing with some
shells and snail-hOuses which she had
picked up on the grave. All of sud-
den, the half-Witted lad rose up in
front of her with five outstretched fin
gers resting on each knee, staring into
her eyes and laughing nightly.
The child gave scream, dropped its
playthings, and hurried out through
the gate. Guttorm looked crest-fallen
after her; then fonowedher down upon
the highway. The girl was too small
to get along very fast; but Guttorm
had clumsy wooden shoes on, and it
took some time before he caught up
with her. When she saw the simple
ton pursuing her, she gave a shrek;
man upon the meadow threw away his
scythe and came running down He
caught the child in his arms, and with
one hand grasped Guttorm's coat and
shook him. "You nearly frightened
the child to DEATH" he said, fercely,
fiinging Guttorm straight against the
wooden fence with such force that ev-
cry bone in him seemed on the point of
breaking. Then he walked with the
little girl up the hill, toward the red
painted farm. The child was trem-
bling, and laid its arms close about his
neck.
Guttorm remained for while stand
ing on the road, and gazed about him.
Presently he went up to the fine, white
painted gateway, pressed his face
against it, and stared up toward the
farm. As he did not come home to-
ward evening, his father began to
grow anxious. Such thing had not
happened for many year. He went
out to look for him, seeking him first at
the churchyard, but without finding
him. He then fastened to the neigh
boring farm, where he found the boy
still standing with his face pressed
against the gate.
" Are you here, GuttormP" asked
has father.
Guttorn looked at him timidly. The
father saw that there was something
which he did not wish to tell, and
therefore did not ask further. The boy
followed him willingly homeward.
The nextmorning, as the father arose,
Guttorm had already gone. The IA
ther hurried out, and, after some
search, again found him standing at
the gate of the farm, exactly as on the
night before.
'What does this mean, GuttormP''
inquired the father.
Guttorm beckoned to him to come
nearer, then whispered in his ear:
"Dolly has come. She is up there
on the farm. She did not know me-"
He smiled as he said this, but his
eyes were large and full of tears.
"They have little girl up there on
the farm who has yellow hair" an
swered the father. "But your Dolly,
you know. is asleep in the church
yard. You must 60 and keep watch
over her, or she might come while you
are gone"
So saying, the father took hold of
him and dragged him along; but Gut
torn struggled, turning his eyes ever
toward the red-painted farmhouse.
"Dolly is no more in the grave" he
stammered. "The ribbon is gone. The
ribbon was in her hair"
That day Guttorm sat sadly and si-
lently in his church-yard; he was una
bic to do anything, and Dolly no more
returned to him. The next day, how
ever, he ventured out through the
turnstile and walked half way up to-
ward the farm. There he stood peep
ing into the yard until the harvest men
came from the fields, and among them
the man who had shaken him.
"What is it you are lying in wait for
heref' he cried to him. "YOu had bet
ter take to your heels, or l might be
after you.'
Guttorm bounded down the hill and
the harVesters laughed.
For two DAYS he only ventured to
stroll timidly about in the neighbor-
hood; but the third day he walked fear
lessly up the highway. He carried a
saucer filed with blueberries in his
hands. The housewife met him in the
hall.
"We don't want to buy berries here,
to-day" she said.
Don't want to SELL" answered
Guttorm. "Want to give them to
Dolly"
"There is no Dolly here. " replied the
housewife.
Just then some one opened the door,
and through the opening GuttOrm saw
Dolly standing in the middle Of the
room
"There is Dollyr' he cried, beaming
with delight and rushing toward the
door.
"Wait a while," said the woman,
taking the saucer with the berries, and
going in ahead.
"Some one has come here with ber-
riss for you," she said to her little
daughter. "Here, go out and give
two cents to the little boy and thank
him."
The little girl hid herself with a
scared look behind her mothers petit
coat, while GuttOrm stood with flash
ing eyes on the threshold; he dared not
advance any further.
"Shall go with youg asked her
| mother, as she emptied the saucer and
took out couple of pennies from her
pocket. "Give the pennies to the boy"
she said.
The little girl did as she was hidden,
but Guttorm put his hands behind him
and refused to take the money.
"No pennies" he said, and, tax
ing suddenly hold of the little hand,
patted it and gave a joyful shout.
The girl began to scream and buried
| bop foRn in hal. mot haric draoq