The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-12-06
Adopting Grandpa.

An old man not ragged, but clad in
old and faded and time-worn garments,
and moving with feeble steps and weary
air-sat down under tree to rest
bit. Three or four children were play
ing in the yard at his back, and directly
a mite of girl looked through the
fence and asked:
Would you hurt little girl ?"
"Bless me- no." he replied. why,
I'd even step aside to pass bug or a
worm No, child, / wouldn't hurt
hair of your head for all the money i'll
the world"
"Are you anybody's grandpa" she
inquired, as the other children crowded
up.
"No-not now. child There was
time-dear me! but it hurts my old
heart to remember it-when children
called me grandpa. 1t was years ago
years and years, but can almost hear
their voices yet"
BE You crying?"
"N-no. The tears will spring up as
I recall the past, but I'm not crying.
There are days when L can't keep 'em
back-nights when / am child, but
I'm trying to be strong just now"
Il guess ri come out and see you.
My dolls broke her neck and is most
dead !"
Come right along, child l 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 down beside the poor old
man, and while he sought to save the
! life of the "most dead" doll by means
of stick and string the child OBJ
served:
You must be quite old, grandpa;
you are all skin and bone"
old? Bless you, yes 1 was 81 only
week or two ago. Yes, I'm poor iii
flesh as well as in purse
so your grandchildren had dolls,
,eh?"
Yes, dear-dolls and toys and fine
clothes and books and everything they
wanted. was rich then"
"And did they comb your hair?"
"Oh, yes"
And sing to you?'
"Yes.
well, / guess I'll sing you a song,
for I'm going to ask ma if can't adopt
you as my grandpa. You must excuse
my voice. for l swallowed pin the
other day and ma expects it to work
out of my shoulder this fall. l guess
I'll sing about the three little graves.
Don't look at me or shall forget
And in voice full of childish
quavers, 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;
The years may pass, but my heart will grieye
And soITow will ever rest with me.
Under the elm walked to-day,
! looked -.
Why, grandpa, the tears are just
running down your cheeks!
Yves, child can't help it Ny
poor old life is full of graves and
griefs."
rs your wife dead?"
Long ago, child"
"And all the children
Dead or scattered. l am all alone"
"Well, that's funny. You can wipe
your eyes on my apron, if you want to. !"
Here's your doll good as new"
"That's nice. If L should adopt you
I'd have you mending dolls all the time.
Have you got over CRYING?
Yes. child"
"Well, then, you must be hungry.
I'm always hungry after good cry.
Wait minute.
She ran into the house to return
with generous slice of bread and but
ter and piece of meat, and as she
handed the food to the old man she
said: "Tve got to go in now, but well
remember that i have adopted you as
my grandpa" Don't cry any more,
and come back tomorrow. Good-by,
grandpa" Good-by."
And men who passed 10y saw an old
man with his face in his hands to hide
his tears, and when they asked the mat
ter, a child who stood by explained:
Why, sir, he's crying because he's
all alone in the world. and little girl
has adopted him. - Detroit Free Press.