The San Francisco call., 1908-10-24
By Lucretia Burnham

T. AID was Pole. Now please. my
lively American boy reader. don't
say ''Oh. then he must have been
tadpole." No, he wasn't: he
was just a bright eyed. honest, brave
little Pole, named Thaddeus. who lived
with his father. Count Paznotski.
Their home was a fine castle in
northern Poland. on big estate, miles
and miles from any city or large town;
and at the time my story begins, in
the winter OF Is. Tad was years old.
Although his mother was dead. and
he had no brothers nor sisters. he
was happy little fellow, and seldom
lonely. for he had the almost constant
companionship of his father. who loved
him very dearly and was always glad
TO have him near TO comfort and cheer
him. The boy had also an old nurse,
who had taken care Of him ever since
he was horn, and who, after his
mothers death, had taken him TO her
heart as II he had been her own child.
Besides there was Kadro. dear. faith
ful old Kadro. who had been brought
as a puppy to Rozhna the very day
that Taddie was born
And so the first six years of life
passed pleasantly for our small hero;
but now he began to be troubled and
grieved by the frequent absence of
his father on some journey which he
would tell him nothing about. neither
where he went nor why. But he often
talked TO his boy AT this time about the
duty that every man owed his country;
how love of ones native land should
III the heart and how every honorable
man should be glad TO give time, for
tune and life itself II need be, in his
countrys service.
Ataught TO honor his flag; bat now his
Father talked more earnestly than ever
about the dear, loved banner. Dur
ing the long winter evenings, as they
sat together in the big hall before the
great fire Of oak logs, Tad listened 10
his fathers stories Of the American
revolution-of its cause. and the brave
deeds Of George Washington and all
the other great heroes; the battles they
fought. the sacrifices they made, the
sufferings they patiently endured for
their country's sake. and how X had
al ended in a wonderful victory, and
a nation formed that was TO be the
greatest and happiest on earth-tllt
little Tad's cheeks famed and his eyes
grew large with the wonder OF II All.
One night his father said: you
know. Tad, I was a soldier before 1
married your mamma and my country
may need me again before long.
why. father. what do you mean?
What is going TO happen2 Are we
going 10 be free. too, and be a big
nation2"
I cannot tell you more now, dear
answered his father, because the peo-
pie are only talking yet. and nothing
has been decided upon, but the Rus
sian rule is growing harder and harder
FOR us to bear. and In the end there
may be something besides talk"
The castle in which our little friend
lived stood Just at the edge of great
forest Of pine and fir, and on cold WIN
ter nights. as he lay tucked warmly in
bed. he could often hear the distant
bowling Of wolves as they scented
some prey and started in pursuit.
During the spring the count was
away from home very often and seemed
more and more serious and thoughtful
~ talked no more 20 Tad about what
Hss going TO happen. Then the sum
r1er came and the forest floor was
carpeted with the loveliest blue flowers
all blue as far as the eye could reach.
A month later the blue carpet would
be replaced by a white one, and after
that by yellow At this time. early
summer the nightingales and thrushes
filled the air with music. the faverite
haunt OF the former being the lilac
hedges. of which there was nearly half
a
OF mileD. bordering two sides Of the
apple orchard
Tad and his father used TO rise early
these bright summer mornings and
take long walks together through the
woods, the little fellow chattering
gayly about all the beautiful things
they saw as they walked. He often
noticed that HIS father seemed more
grave and serious than he used to be,
and sometimes did not answer his child
fish questions until he had spoken two
or three times Then he would start
suddenly and say, Yes, dear, what is
It? Papa was thinking" One day Tad
die said. Papa, why do YOU think so
much? There aren't so many thinky
things out here in the woods. are there
and j love our woods. don't yous'
All. yes. dear little son. 1 do indeed
love our woods and our whole dear
country Of Poland
AS they reached the farther edge of
the forest Count Paznotski stood still
and gazed long and earnestly at the
wide expanse of country before him-so
level that he could see seven different
from where he stood-then, with
a deep sigh, he turned toward home.
That evening the count stayedo
longer time than usual with his boy
when he went TO the nursery TO say
good night" and to feel the loving lit
tie arms about his neck and the sweet
child kisses on his cheek. After Civ
ing the last stroke to the golden eurls
and the last tender kiss on the rosy
lips, he turned away and wandered
from room TO room of the great, lonely
old castle. looking at the family por-
traits and the many quaint and interest
ing treasures that had belonged to his
ancestors
The castle was Of red stone. with a
pillared porte cOehere in front and
slender towers; behind it flowed the
Dazfooda river at the foot OF the steep
embankment It was not a beautiful
building. for the Poles have never been
an architectural people. but il contained
rich furniture, and many fine statues
and paintings and other works of art
Tad's grandmother was a highly edu-