Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-10-13
Adopting Grandpa.

An old man-not ragged, but clad III
old and faded and time-worn garments,
and moving with feeble steps and weary
air-sat down under a tree on John K.
street the other day to rest a bit. Three
Or four children were playing In the
yard atrhis back, and directly a mite OF
d girl looked through the fence and
asked
Would you hurt a little girl?'
"Bless me, MOI" be replied. "Why
I'd even step aside to pass a bug or a
worm! No, child, l wouldn't hurt a
hair OF your head for all tile money Ill
the world"
Are you anybody grandpa? she in
quired, as the other children crowded
up.
"No-not now, child. There was a
time dear me ! but it hurts my oldheart
to remember it-when children called
me grandpa. 1t was years ago-years
and years, but l can almost hear theIr
voices yet"
'Be you crying?"
"N-no. The tears will spring up as |
recall the past, but I'm not crying.
There are days when / can't keep them
back-nights when am a child, but I'm
trying to he strong Just now"
II guess Iii come out and see you.
My dolls broke her neck and is most
dead"
"Come right along, child I used to
mend legs and arms, and necks when the
| children brought their dolls to me-"
The little one passed through the gate
and sat Town beside the poor old man,
and while he sought to- save the life Of
| the "most dead doll by means Of a stick
and string the child Observed:
"You must be Onite old, grandpa:
Won are all skin and ZONE"
odd? Bless you, yes ! / was 81 only
a week or two ago. Yes, I'm poor III
flesh AS we'll as in purse"
your grandchildren had dolls, ell 2"
eyes, d%ear-dolls and toys and fine
clothes and books, and everything they
wanted. | was rich then"
'And did they comb your hair"
ooh, yes"
"And sing to you?"
YES"
"Wcll, I guess I'll sing you a song,
for I'm going to ask ma if l can't adopt
yon rs my grandpa. You must excuse
my voice, for l swallowed d pin the other
day and ma expects it to work ont of my
shoulder this fall l guess I'll sing
about the three little graves. Don't look
at me or I shall forget"
And in q voice full OF childish quayers,
and frequently stopping AS if to swallow
some of the words she sung:
Under an elm three little graves
Under the sod my children three
I1,c a ~ ma ma G = INIT my heart will prIpyn
And sorrow will ever rest with me.
"Under the elm | walked to-day,
looked
"Why, grandpa, the tears are jus
running down your cheeks !"
yves. child can't help it ! M,
poor old life is full OF graves and griefs !.
"Is YOU wife dead? q
"Long ago. child
"And all the c%hildrenP'
dead or scattered. I am alone"
well, that's funny. You can wir,
your eyes on my apron, if you want to-.
Here's your doll good as new
"That's nice. y If l should adopt yo,
Id keep you mending dolls all the time
Have you got over crying"
eyes, child"
DWELL, then, you must be hungry
I'm always hungry after a good cry
Wait a minute"
She ran into the house to- retur" Wit
n generous slice of bread and butter an
| a piece of meat, and rs she handed til
| food to the old man, she said:
) i've got to go in now, but we'll 1t
member that I've adopted you as M
grandpa. Don't cry any more, an
, come back tomorrow. Good bye
l grandpa !"
: "Good-bye !"
And men who passed by saw M oil
r man with his face in his hands to hid
r his tears, and when they asked tn
matter, a child who stood by explained
why, sir, he's crying because he
2 all alone in the world, and a little gil
, has adopted him.'-Detroi Free Pres
r,