Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-09
'Father, George has come" she whis-

"Father, George has come" she whis-
pers huskily.
Sonething of this feeling, I fancy,
| chung to grandma and clings still, thong b
| she has pressed down other lids, and
knows the truth.
But grandma, in spite of her age, in
spite of her hard years of labor and
sickness, in spite of children and grand
children is romantic. There is no ques-
| ton about it.
Do you know what / am going TO say
next An! yes. You are waiting for
me to tell of the letter in the strange
handwriting that the postman brought.
| 1t 'oIn of shOrt illness In new country,
thInly settled; of death, with but one
| friend near; of grave in a rough ceme-
terry wherein hardly any yet slept. The
date-three weeks back!
"Three weeks! And We have laughed
and smiled and ioked and worked every
das, and nothing told me [ was being
hopelessly oereft of my dearest and
Uruest. What was I doing three weeks
ago to-day? God help me! but it was
the busiest day of all, and my heart
never told me that my love lay dying.
The boys will never realize that their
father is never to come home to them as
other boys fathers d."
The following Sabbath the minister
prayed for the bereaved ones and said
some comforting words. There were
no dry eyes as the old fashioned choir,
Why do we mourn departed friends :
and the big bass-viol prolonged the
mournful strains of "China" until no
further dirge was needed.
Y.
Around another home the birds sang,
the breezes played, but the times were
more recent. The loom had long been
silent in the farmhouse. Little grand
mas no longer sang "My Little Herrin'"
as they sprinkIed the linen, tripping
amor the rows, The ma pies are larger
and oder. The blue iax-fower is no
longer seen.
1t is still country afternoon. in grand
mas new home are gathered friends of
other days; relatives; the minister whe
said che words of comfort years ago; the
son grown to manhood, looking so like
his father.
What occasion is thisf
The son, unwilling that his fathers
bones should rest SO far from his friends
and his kin, has tenderly and reverently
sought them out and brought them back.
SloWl up the isle OF the Old church in
the waning afternoon, vent the weeping
okes, living over time almost forgotten
By some.
At the head walked grandma, en- the
other husbands arm, then the son and
his little sister. Strangely mixed "chief
nOurners," these! Ahl Che .ssrangese
procession of which / ever was a part.
Tenderly they laid the lost and found
rest with his kindred. Grandmacould do
no less than read over her letters. She
read them all through.
VI.
Grandma is still with as; still loves US
anG tells us OF things she used to 90 and
| see. SHE has little feoe nov under a
little cap. She he's little smile, little
tear for every one in trouble, a.iittle sigh
for the past, little appetite for break
fast and dinner, 6 still smaller one for
supper. She h6s a littZe stoop and lit
| tie limp. There are many green willows
on the scroll nov. She has a,great heart
aud en undyins hope that pretty soon she
shall know just exactly how the aceo4nt
stands that she has been taking for grant
edso long.
II you search the Connecticut valley
| you wilt find hGtle dint where nestles
| the Gods Acre which holds ell those
for whom grandma longs and sighs,
AS the days go by she little smile growa
clearer, and she wonders how people can
think calmly of dying who have not so
many bright faees waiting at the ga6es-
iG7er the river we'veeressesiS at last,
Over the river, our danger is past.
Safe in the harOOr our bark is-InooreG fast.
Meier from its haven to roam
There will weBing with the glorified thToag
:
PFaising the Power that has brought us along
Over the riveF-at holFsl