Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-08-21
Finding Grandfather
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s'Tell me again, daddy, the story OF
the little girl who lost her way in the
wheat, and slep.. out Of doors all night
without her mudder."
The speaker was a little girl herself,
swinging much solled and begrimed
sunbonnet by one string, while the 9TH
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 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 harvest mouse had built its
nest. She was tired and hungry, and
oh, 80 lonely. But the winds blew
through the grain, humming lullaby,
and the little girl grew sleeper and
sleepier." And sleepier," added the
child. 'sThree times. Tell 1t right,
daddy"
"And 80 when the reapers came in
the morning." continued the man, land
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 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 birds
nest, and found the little baby girl fast
asleep, and carried her to her mudder
cryin',n 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 II 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
"leanto" at the end, but It 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 neighbors said.
"Vhat 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 dreamer, unused to the worlds
ways; 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. If there were poor crops,
his were 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 years passed away. Birdie
girl had long ago dropped her pet
name, and was known as Phebe Chad
wick. Through the generosity Of rel
alive, 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
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 1t, but he would not. or shall we
say could not.
Then the day came when Phebe met
John Putnam. a handsome young fell
low, and summer boarder in the
'neighborhood.
David had no faith in him, and op.
posed the rapidly growing friendship.
How 1t 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.
II anything was wanted to break
Dayid's heart 1t was this.
/ From the day he learned the news,
he never mentioned Phebe's name. Let