The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-28
A McGuffex Story.


A McGuffey Story.
BY request the Eagle publishes this
piece from McGuffey's old Fourth Read
er. 1t is by Grace Greenwood and en-
titled The Rainbow Pilgrimage"
/. One summer afternoon, when l was
about eight years of age, / was stand
ing at an eastern window looking at a
beautiful rainbow, that bending from the
sky seemed to be losing itself in thick.
swampy wood quarter of a mile dis
tant.
?. 1t happened that no one was in the
room with me then but my brother Rufus.
who was just recovering from severe
illness and was sitting. propped up with
pillows, in an easy chair. looking out,
with me. at the rainbow.
8. See. brother" | said. lit drops right
down among the cedars. where we go In
the spring to find winter-greens
4. do you know. Oracle" said my
brother, with very serious face. THAT if
you should go to the end OF the rain
bow, you would find there purses filled
with money, and great pots of gold and
silver"
B. rs it truly sou l asked.
g. Truly So answered my brother with
a smile. Now. / was simple hearted
child and believed everything that was
told me. although l was again ard again
imposed on; so without another word
l darted out of the door, and set forth
toward the wood. Ny brother called
after me as loudly as he was able, but l
did not heed him.
:. cared nothing for the wet grass,
which was sadly drabling my clean frock.
on and on | ran: l was so sure that 1
knew just where that rainbow ended I
remembered how glad and proud / was
in my thoughts, and what fine presents I
promised TO all my friends out of my
great riches.
s. So thinking and laying delightful
plans, almost before l knew il / had
reached the cedar grove, and the end
of the rainbow was not there. But l saw
ii shining down among the trees little
farther off; so on and or / struggled.
through the thick brushes and over logs.
TIL ! came within the sound of a stream
which ran through the swamp Then 1
thought, What If the rainbow should
come right down in the NEEDLE of the
deep, muddy brook
9. An. but l was frightened for my heavy
pots of gold and silver and my purses
OF money. How should ! ever find them
there, and what time should have
getting them out. reached the bank OF
the stream and the end was not yet"
But ] could see il little way of on the
other side. ! crossed the creek on q fallen
tree and still ran on. though my limbs
seemed 10 give way. and my side aohed
with fatigue.
10. The woods grew thicker and darker
the ground more vet and swsmpy, and
! found. as many grown people had found
before me. that there was rather hard
travelling in \ journey after riches. Sud
denly I met in my way a large porcupine.
who made himself still larger when he
saw me. as a cross cat rises itS back and
makes tails at a dos. Fearing that he
would shoot his sharp quilts at me. ran
from him as fast as my tired feet would
carry me.
II. In NY fright and hurry forgot %
keep my eve on the rainbow. as I had
done before: aud when. at last. I rcTnera-
bercd and looked a; f.. II was nowhere
in sight. II had quite faded away. When
] saw that il was indeed gone. burst
into tears; for had lost all my treasures.
and had nothing 20 Show for my pa
gramage out muddy feet and a vet ard
torn frock. 50 ! set out for home
- But I soon found tina, ny trouble.
had only begun. could no, snd my zay.
east or west. north or south. out vardsr-
ed about here and there. crying ard call
ing. though I knew 70 orc ccg.- hear M.
IS All az once heard voices shouting;
hut instead Of being rstoic~d a, this. Vas
frightened. fearing that tire mans were
upon me ! orzvied under some bushes.
by the SIDE Of q lSrCs fo1. and lay per-
fec;iy still ] ~2s vet cod. rca-ed-slfo-
sethsr very miserable indeed: yet when
IRE voices came rc>r ga no. stsss CD
show myself
e A. last heard nv own name ezlet:
bat I -~m=-h<r~si that Indians acre very
cunning ard though; they rni<h, have
found = ozt scr1e vs- sa al 70; an
swer. Ther care roscs near ne shst
sounded ilks that Of ms eldest bro:s@-
who lived zzsY from hc-ne. ard ~ss--
I had ~, $500 for -ss-y -scoths. nj,
dared 10; h-ise-c tia, Tire volcs vs< hi.
= Some ore s7rs-E ID 81 tn ioE ~
which I las and stood there calling
cogld not SO his fare. cczIt oriy So N.
.irs Of hAs tees hzs sv fh.-r I sz~ tbs:
he sore nice pair cf boooL a,t -. .
Yet I re-rr-aSsr>t that eorne /.