Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-02-01
HALF-WITTED GUTTORM:

There may be mauy living yet who
knew half-Wittca Guttorm Ualdorsllan.
he who built himself Il CHURCH, church.
yard, church people, and a clergyman in
the pulpit; he who never harmed any
mortal man, hut only sat nodding to ev
cry one who came along; whom one might
find summer and winter, in fair and foul
weather, busy with his sanctuary, shovel
ing away the snow from the graves. and
putting up new head boards.
Guttorm was not bonn half-witted. He
was once as brisk little fellow as ever
you or l have been. HIS parents were
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 employed outside Of
the parish; the mother went from farm
to farm and helped with Dread making.
Guttorm was therefor 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
1eck and call for flowers and berries and
curious pebbles. He built houses and
boats tor her; he lay on hands and feet
in the sun and barked and growled like
dog while she sat IN the shade laugh
ing at HIM, with nothing on but a little
chemise and pale red hood. Now he
would be horse and creep on all tours
with her on his back: now he would car.
ry her in his arms until the perspiration
rolled down his forehead, if she was tired
anG demanded to be carried. He dragged
her across the brook or up the knoll,
sometimes with the feet up and the head
down, but always with the utmost ten
derness. And Dolly understood very
well. She allowed her brother to handle
her as if she were bundle, and if he
happened to hurt her, then she screamed;
and he kissed her and petted her and
told her about the bear and the fox, until
she was quiet.
Guttorm reaped but little thanks tor
his devotisn When his mother come
home in the evening she always wonder
ed if he had really been good to his lit
tie sister, and then she pressed her to
her bosom and kissed and caressed her.
On Guttorm she never bestowed the
slightest attention; but he took that as
a matter of course and was never in the
least jealous. And the first thing he
would do i'll the morning was to run up
to Dolly's cradle, almost yearning to
have the burden once more laid upon
his shoulders.
Once on 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 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 waving
his cap. Dolly stood with her feet in
the water, lifting up her dress and look
ing longingly at him.
.'Ha!o, Dolly,' he cried. "Now am
king. Come along and I will take you
on my lap and you may be my queen
Dolly needed not to be told twice. She
foreed 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
old of her. she lost her foot hold, fell
on the side and the current 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 tor 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 ard when he looked
at his fingers they were bloody; he must
have hurt himself when he made the leap.
But where was little Dolly? He looked
round about him but she was nowhere to
be seen. Trembling all over, with terror
in his eyes he began to call her. No one
answered. Like hunted deer he ran
down along the stream calling Dolly. He
cut his feet on the sharp stones until
they bled; his clothes caught in the
bushes and were torn, but he did not
feel 1t. He only ran and ran-ever call
ing "Dolly2" Then suddenly he saw
rag hanging on low branch and right
under something light and yellow was
mingling with the current. He broke
through the underbrush; yes, it was Dol
ly. A branch had become entangled in
her dress; her head was under the water.
Her fair yellow hair, tied up with pink
silk ribbon, foated in the stream like
flower.
When the msther came home late in
the evening she did not see the children
playing in the yard as usual. She search
ed for them, she ran up to the neighbors
to inquire, but no one had seen them.
She reused the people from their sleep,
and they went in search together; for at
that time of the year the daylight lasts
throughout the night.
sit was little past midnight when
the mother had come to the place where
Dolly had been found. She bent aside
the bushes; and there she saw Guttorm,
pale and with staring eye, standing waist
deep in the river and holding his little
sister above the water. Her dress still
chung to the branch which had caught
it.
"God have mercy on thee, Guttorm.
What hast thou done?" cried the moth
er. quite beside herself; and she leaped
out into the water and caught the child to
her bosom. The very moment it was