Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-10-04
Finding Grandfather

>o~-~~.~~.
"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 much soiled and begrimed
sunbonnet by one string, while the 9TH
er hand grasped the fingers of a TALL
ungalnly 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 10 rest
where a harvest mouse had built its
nest She was tired and hungry, and
oh, 80 lonely. But the winds blew
through the grain, hummlng lullaby,
and the little girl grew sleepier and
sleepier." "And sleepier," added the
child. "Thtee times. Tell 1t right,
daddy"
"And 80 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 bunnies nlbbled
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 Blrdle-girl with
much excltement-"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
'cryln'," said the child suddenly look
Ing up 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 IL 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
a "leanto" at the end, but 1t had been
the home Of the little girls grandfather
and her great grandfather, and David
Chadwick loved 1t 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 puny baby girl.
Poor David" the nelghbors 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 worlds
ways; a man awkward with clumsy
manners, but with a poets heart, ten
der, gentle and true. His face was
saved from positive plalnness by a pair
of wonderful eyes. large, dark and
dreamy.
David seemed to be born under an
unlucky star, for nothing prospered in
hls hands. If there were poor crops,
his were poorer than his nelghbors. II
sickness came among the stock, David
Chadwick lost more than any one else.
Success never seemed to come near
him.
Twelve years passed away. Birdie
girl had long ago dropped her pet
name, and was known as Phebe Chad
wick. Through the generosity Of a rel
ative, 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 little slow perhaps, but that
was all.
Phebe was too young to remedy
thlngs at the farm, but not too young