Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-05-16
HALF-WITTED GUTTORM.

4AdhLt allNC lCG wiz
knew half-witted GuttOrm Haldorslia
he who built himself q church, q
chureh-yard, church people and q
clergyman in the pulpit he who never
harmed any mortal man, but only sal
nodding at every one who came along
whom one might find, summer and
winter, in fair and foul weather, busy
with his sanctuary, shoveling away the
snow from the graves and putting up
new head-boards.
GuStOrm was not born half-witted.
He was oEce as brisk little fellow as
ever you or have been. His parents
we're rarely at home, as they were poor
and had to maintain themselves BY
hiring out, both man and wife. The
father was carpenter and was often
employed outside Of the parish the
mother went from farm to farm, and
helped with bread-making. Guttorm
was therefore obliged to stay at home
and take care Of his little sister, who
was the apple of the parents eyes and
very dear to Guttorm, too. He thought
nothing too good for her, and ran at
her beck for flowers and berries and
curious pebbles. He built houses and
boats for her he lay on hands and
feet in the sun and barked and growled
like dog while she sat in the shade
laughing at him, with nothing on but a
little chemise and pale-red hood.
Now he would be horse and creep on
all fOurs with her on his back; now he
would carry her in his arms until the
perspiration poured down his forehead,
if she was tired and demanded to be
carried. He dragged her across the
brook or up the knoll, sometimes with
the feet up and the head down, but al
ways with the utmost tenderness. And
Dolly understood this very well. She
allowed her brother to handle her as if
she had been a bundle, and if he hap
pened to hurt her then she screamed,
and he kissed her and patted her and
made queer faces for her and told her
about the bear and the fox, until she
was quiet.
Guttorm reaped but little thanks for
all his devotion. When his mother
came home in the evening she always
wondered whether he had really been
good to his little sister, and then she
pressed her against her bosom and
kissed and caressed her.
On Guttorm she never bestowed the
slightest attention; but he took that as
matter of course, and was never in
the least jealous. And the first thing
he would do in the morning was to run
up to Dolly's cradle, almost yearning
to have the burden once more laid upon
his shoulders.
Once, on a fine, sunny day, they were
on the banks of the river. Dolly was
then large enough to run about by her.
self. In the river there was a long,
smooth sand bottom at the end of which
lay huge stone, where the current ran
swift and strong. Guttorm had climbed
up on this stone and stood there Wav-
ing with his cap. Dolly stood with her
feet in the water, lifting up her dress
ard looking longingly at him.
"Hallo, Dolly" he cried. "Now,
am King. Come elong and l will
take you on my lap and you may be
my Queen" d"
Dolly needed not to be told twice.
She forded boldly out upon the sand
while the current foamed about her
knees. When she was close up to the
stone and Guttorm stretched himself
out to catch hold of her, she lost her
foot-hold, fell on the side and the cur
rent swept her away.
Guttorm stood as if spell-bound, with
wide-dilated eyes. But when he saw
her speeding down through the rapids,
he gave a heart-rending shrek and
plunged into the water after her.
Then for a while he knew of nothing
until he found himself lying on the
river bank with half his body in the
water. He touched his head and wher
he looked at his fingers they were
bloody; he must have hurt himself wheI
he made the leap. But where wa'
little DollyP He looked round abou
him but she was nowhere to be seen
Trembling ali over and with terror IL
his eyes he began to call her. No one
answered. Like q hunted deer he raj
down along the stream calling Dolly
He cut his feet on the sharp stones
until they bledj his clothes caught IL
the bushes and were torn, but he die
not feel it. He only ran and ran
ever calling Dollyr' Then suddenly
he saw rag hanging on a low branch
and right under something light anC
yellow was mingling with the current
He broke through the underbrush; yes
it was Dolly. A branch had becom'
entangled in her dress; her head wa
under the water. Her fair yellow hair
tied up with a pink silk ribbon, foateC
in the stream like flower.
When the mother came home lat
in the evening she did not see tn
children playing in the yard a
usual. She searched for them, sh
ran up to the neighbours to in
uuire, but no one had seen them. Sh
reused the people from their sleep, AM
they went in search together; for q
that time of the year the daylight last
throughout the night.
1t was a little past midnight whel
the mother came to the place wher
Dolly had been found. She bent asid
the bushes; there she saw Guttorm, pal
and with staring eyes, standing WaisI
deep In the river and holding the hea
Of his little sister above the water. he
dress still clung to the branch whic
had caught it.
"God have mercy on thee, Guttorn
What hast thou doneP' cried the motl