Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-01-30


minister was standing there in his long
| black gown, and both within the church
and outside voices were singing. The
coffin was lowered down into the ground
and the minister cast earth upon it..
Then there was more singing, and at
last all went away. Guttorm stared
before him with open mouth, and as
they went still gazed back toward the
church-yard gate.
"Will Dolly never more come back
TO us nowP" he whispered in his faith
er's ear.
40 yes, she will surely come back
some time" answered the father. And
nothing more was said.
For a long time after that Guttorm
never spoke aloud. They saw him
walking about, shaking his head and
talking low to himself. The father h ad
obtained work in the neighborhood,
and was thus able TO look after him.
Both he and the mother treated Gut
torn with forbearance; a great gentle
ness had come over both ofthem of late.
One day, Guttorm had climbed up
on the great bowlder in the river, and
there he stood and talked. This he re-
peated day after day, until at last the
father brought some neighbors with
him and they rolled the bowlder away.
Another time he did not return for his
meals, and the father after q long
search, found him again in the river,
standing under the bush which had
caught Dolly's dress. He had waded
out into the water, and stood as if still
holding her head above the current
AS he caught sight of his father he
, gave a start and cried out:
cit wasn't who got little sister out
into the river"
"I know that well enough" an
swered the father quietly, pulling out
his knife and beginning to cut down
the bush. But all of sudden Guttorm
leaped up and rushed against him like
a wild beast, beating him with clenched
fists. The father had all he could do
to keep him at arms length.
"You surely know that Dolly is
asleep in the earth, so she can no more
be here" he said.
Then Guttorm grew calmer.
"Dolly asleep in the earth-Dolly
asleep in the EARTH" he kept mutter-
ing to himself "But will she then
never returnP" he added after while,
with an anxious glance at his father.
80 yes, she will surely return some
time" answered he, as before, land
then you will take care of her again,
Guttorm."
"Will you let me take care of herP"
asked the boy.
" Yes, you are the one to do it."
Guttorm nodded with his head as if
he were thinking.
dolly asleepin the earth," he whis-
pered. Dolly is coming back-and l
shall take care of her again"
He made somersault and laughed.
The father took him by the hand and
led him home, but he did not cut down
the bush. The next day Guttorm rose
early. All night long he had been
heard talking contentedly with himself.
He ran up toward pine grove close
to the highway, carrying with him a
spade and pickax, and fell to work
with will. He rolled stones together;
he tore up the turf, and piled it
up in small hills. Itseemed Incredible
that such strength could dwell in him,
small as he was. No one had any idea
what he meant to do. If he was asked
he only laughed shrewdly. The grove
was worth very little, so the owner left
him in peace to amuse himself as he
liked. His father was happy because
this new labor took him so far away
from the river. Little by little Gut
torm's intention revealed itself. He
was building q church and church
yard. The church was built as nearly
as possible like the great church where
he had seen Dolly buried, and the
graves round about were similarly
placed and adorned with white and
brown headstones, just as he had seer
them on Sunday. Inside of the wal
just under the great window in the
naive, was Dolly's grave. He hat
adorned it in very fantastic way with
flowers, pine-cones, shells, and small
pieces of boards which he had carved
into figures. There he sat always wher
he rested from his labor or when his
food was brought to him.
One day he went into the huckster''
store and looked about him.
"What is it you want to-day, Gut
tormP" asked the huckster kindly.
Guttorm laughed, and pointed to {
shelf where some colored ribbons were
lying.
Gibbons for Dolly" he said.
The huckster cut off a small piece o.
ribbon and gave it to him. He caught
it up eagerly, flung shilling on the
counter, and ran away as if mad dog
were at his heels. The huckster calleC
after him that he had paid too much
but he only ran the faster. HI
was afraid some one might take hi;
property away from him. The ribbor
he bound around q small cross which
he had made, She had had such rib
bon in her braid when he saw her last
The cross he planted on her grave, anC
watched it as if it had been gold. L
the weather was wet, he wrapped it il
a pillow-case, lest it should be injured
Guttorm had to labor and toll fol
many years before he got his little
church and his church-yard in com
plete order. The parish people pitie(
the poor, good-natured lad, and gavt
him many lift now and then.
houseman had even made him minis
ter with black-painted gown, whC
stood in the pulpit, and gradually h,
also got together congregation, boil
men and women, who sat scattered
about in the pews.
In the course of time this place o
Guttorm's became known far and wide
and all travellers who came through tn,
valley had to stop to see his church
yard. And never was Guttorm happie
than when they praised his church an,
thought it was very fine. Then hi
whole countenanee beamed. But h
never would accept money; if the
urged him, he put his hands behin'
him and shook his head. If, however
some one whispered to him, I" 1t is TO
Dolly, when she comes back" then h
looked long and wonderingly befor
him, took the money and hid it. TIL
drivers from the horse stations 500
were informed of this, and they neve
, / nanlanfah 10 toll ha f.avnIo,o L..