Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-08-22
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 soiled and begrlmed
sunbonnet by one string, while the oth-
er hand grasped the fingers of tall,
ungainly man walking by her side.
And the little girl" continued the
man obediently, walked round and
round the wheat field but could not ind
her way out, for all the wheat was
taller than she, and however much she
stood or 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 blew
through the grain, humming lullaby,
and the little girl grew sleeper and
sleeper" And sleeper" added the
child. Three times. Tell it 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
ton Of one of the flowers and sang and
sang and sang"
And Them said Birdie-girl with
much excitement-"Let me finish 1t,
daddy. The man who drove the reaper
got down from his seat to find the bird S
nest, and found the little baby girl fast
asleep, and carried her to her mudder
erwin" said the child suddenly, look
ing I'D In her fathers face. of course
her mudder did cry, daddy, and the lit
tle girls daddy must have cried too,
YOU know. Wouldn't you cry II Birdie
girl was lost in the wheatY'
The man and child had left the wheat
field far behind and entered on the
grassy knoll upon which the old farm
house stood.
It was a veritable tumble-down with
q "leanto" at the end, but it had been
the 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 perfect dream OF happiness
until she died, leaving her husband the
legacy of a puny baby girl.
Poor David" the neighbors said.
what will he do now?"
He had always been poor David" to
them. for he was unlike most men,
practical. wide awake for their own in
terests. and business like. Instead he
was a dreamer, unused to the world S
vavs. q man awkward with clumsy
manners. but with poets heart, tent
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 prcspered in
bis hands. If there were poor crops,
his we're poorer than his neighbors. If
SICKNESS came among the stock, David
Chadwick lost more than any one else.
Success never seemed to come near
him.
Twelve wears passed away. Birdie
qirI had long ago dropped her pet
name. and was known as Phebe Chad
wick. Through the generosity of a rel
atiye she had been sent to school, and
now her education finished. she was her
own mistress at the old home, and the
idol of her father. She in return was
devoted to him. and could see no fault
in him. A litle slow perhaps, but that
was all.
Phebe was too young to remedy
things at the farm, but not too young
to realize that ruin was slowly coming
upon them.
She knew that her father was losing
money year by year, and that sooner or
later the dear old homestead must go.
She tried in vain to make her father
see it, but he would not, or shall we
say could not.
Then the day came when Phebe met
john Putnam, handsome young 1el-
low, and a summer boarder in the
neighborhood.
David had no faith in him, and OPP
posed the rapidly growing friendship.
How it came about, one cannot tell, but
John persuaded Phebe to go to the city
with him and be married, assuring her
that after their marriage, her father
should have home with them. Phebe
loved her father and John so much,
that she felt she was doing the best for
all parties.
If anything was wanted to break
DaviG1's heart it was this.
From the day he learned the news,
he never mentioned Phebe's name. Let