Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-27
Finding Grandfather



"Tell me again, daddy, the story OF
the little girl who lost her way In the
wheat, and slept out Of doors all night
without her mudder."
The speaker was little girl herself,
swinging a much soihed and begrimed
sunbonnet by one string, while the 9TH
er hand grasped the fingers of taii'
ungainly man walking by her side
And the little girl" continued the
man obedlently, walked round and
round the wheat field but could not find
her way out, for all the wheat was
taller than she, and however much she
stood on tip toe, she couldn't see over.
And by and by, she lay down TO rest
where a harvest mouse had built It's
nest. She was tired and hungry, and
oh, so lonely. But the winds Die"
through the grain, humming a lullaby
and the little girl grew sleeper and
sleeper" And sleeper" added the
child. "Three times. Tell 1t right,
daddy"
"And so when the reapers came In
the morning." continued the man, and
the dreaded knives crept nearer and
nearer to the little girl, every thing
tried to save her. The Dummies nibbled
her toes. the little harvest mouse pulled
her hair. and the little birds flew on
top of one of the flowers and sang and
sang and sang"
And then" said Birdie-girl with
much excitement-"Let me finish IT,
daddy. The man who drove the reaper
got down from his seat to find the birds
nest. and found the little baby girl fast
asleep, and carried her TO her mudder
erwin" said the child suddenly, look
ING ND in her fathers face. "Of course
her mudder did cry, daddy, and the lit
tie girls daddy must have cried too,
YOU know. Wouldn't you cry If Birdie
girl was lost in the wheat|
The man and child had left the wheat
field far behind and entered on the
grassy knoll upon which the old farm
house stood.
1t was veritable tumble-down with
q .leanto" at the end but it had been
tho home of the little girls grandfather
and her great grandfather, and David
Chadwick loved it as few men loved
anything.
Here he had brought his young wife,
and lived a perfect dream ofshappiness
untjl she died, leaving her husband the
legacy of a puny baby girl.
Poor David" the neighbors said
..What will be do nowT"
He had always been poor David" to
them. for he was unlike most men,
practical. wide awake for their own In
forests. and business like Instead he
vas a dreamer, unused TO the worlds
vovs. a man awkward with clumsy
manners. but with poets heart, ten
der gentle and true. His face was
saved from positive plainness by pair
Of wonderful eyes, large, dark and
dreamy.
David seemed to be born under an
unlucky star. for nothing prospered In
his hands. II there were poor crops
his were poorer than his neighbors. II
SICKNESS came among the stock. David
chadwick lost more than any one else
Spece,s never seemed to come neal
him
~. Give years passed away. Birdie
Girl had long ago dropped her pc
name. and was known as Phebe Chad
wick. Through the generosity of rel
,,,ve she had been sent to school, ans
now her education finished, she was he
own mistress ut the old home, and tn,
idol of her father. She in return was
devoted to him. and could see no fauli
in him. \ litGe slow perhaps. but tina
was all.
Phebe was too young to remed,
things at the farm. but not too youn!
70 realize that ruin was slowly comm:
upon them.
She knew that her father was losin!
money year by year, and that sooner o.
later the dear old homestead must 80
She tried in vain 10 make her fathel
see 1t, but he would not. or shall W,
say could not.
Then the day came when Phebe me
John Putnam. handsome Young fel
low. and summer boartler in tn
neighborhood
David had no faith in him, and OF
posed the rapidly growing friendship
How it came about, one cannot tell. bu
John persuaded Phebe 70 90 to the cit
with him and be married. assuring he
that after their marriage, her fathe
should have a home with them. Pheb
loved her father and John so mucl
that she felt she was doing the best 70
all parties.
II anything was wanted to brea
David's heart it was this.
From the day he learned the new
ne never mentioned Phebe's name. lie