As Grandma Lu Returns Her Book She Is Talked About...

 Grandma Lu had decided to finish the book called Heidi out on the patio with her morning coffee. She thought about the story; a small orphaned child, taken to her grandfather who lived on a mountain. Just a little girl that loved the goats, her grandfather, fresh goat's milk, a friend named Peter, and his grandmother whom was blind and dirt poor. She seemed to have loved everything that nature provided on that mountain. The fir trees and those beautiful wild flowers. She also loved the kittens in the city. She did love Clara, but almost died of homesickness living with her in the city.

She learned to read by imagining the ABC's as pictures that spelled out a story. That was thanks to Clara's grandmother and the children's Bible that she gave to Heidi. She learned to pray there and accept the Lord's time and ways of answering her prayers.

Clara's doctor recognized the seriousness of Heidi's homesickness by her sleepwalking and loss of appetite. He ordered the servants to get her returned to the mountain as soon as possible by train.

Clara did not want her to leave for years and years, but her father promised Clara that if she ate her vegetables and did her studies that they would all visit Heidi and her grandfather on the mountain. And that they did. Heidi's grandfather insisted that Clara do all kinds of exercises. It was lots of work and pain of her muscles. After several weeks and lots of work she succeeded.! She surprised her father by walking to meet him when he visited the mountain. He was so surprised. So was the doctor. 

Heidi learned not to listen to other people (even friends like Peter) that said that reading was a waste of time. No, reading is a way to learn new things and travel to far away places. It is the very thing that can make you aware of things that you never in the whole world knew about. Reading can make you laugh and make you cry. Reading can help you cook because you read a recipe.  It can make you try to figure out a mystery and it can help you keep up with the news. In Heidi's case, she learned the Bible stories and eventually was able to read to the blind grandmother which made her so very happy. Of course, when you make other folks happy you in turn get so very happy.

Heidi's grandfather finally said that Heidi could go to school in the village and at long last they moved down from the mountain in the winter time. He even let Heidi go to church. The village found out that Grandfather was not a mean man at all, but a very sad and lonely man having lost his son and daughter-in-law years ago. Heidi was the only family that he had left. He loved her so very much.

Grandma Lu decided that it was time to return her book to the library. The library wasn't that far away and she looked forward to looking for a new book. She wondered if she should look for another book that she had read as a child or if she should get something new. She missed telling stories to the children at Marleewood. The children were almost grown now. Some were moms and some were in college. Some were still in school like Marlee and her sister, Whitlee. How she missed them and their adventures. Oh and the tea parties and the treasure hunts. 

As she found a book that she might like she settled herself in an easy chair by the window to read a little of it. A little boy walked up to her and said, "Are you still reading a book with no pictures? What fun is that?"

"Why yes I am young man. What is your name?"

"You must be old. I told you that my name was Joey the last time I talked to you." Grandma Lu laughed and said, "Yes, you did. I remember now. Did you find a book today?"

Across the room Joey's mother was talking to the librarian. "Who is that older lady that Joey is talking to? She seems like a nice lady. Joey seems like he knows her."

The librarian smiled. "Yes, that's Grandma Lu. I would have to look up her name on her card, but everyone calls her Grandma Lu. She used to tell stories at Marleewood. That's that big old building down the street. It's been empty for a long time since the mayor insisted that it be auctioned off. He was a piece of work, that one."

"Hmm, tell me more about that place. Who owns it?  That must have happened long before we moved here. Surely more happened than a story hour place. What made it so special?"

Homesick + Sleepwalking=Going Back Home

Grandma Lu was so glad to pick up the book called Heidi. It had been a very busy two weeks with company coming and going for her husband's birthday. She loved company, but she also missed her quiet time of reading. "Well now. Where was I at? Oh yes, here is a chapter that I remember. The poor little girl was so homesick for the mountain, the goats, and her grandfather that she quit eating. The mean housekeeper had told her that she couldn't cry. The mean old woman. She deserved to think there was a ghost in the house." Grandma Lu laughed. When she had picked up the book she had read that Clara's father and his friend the doctor had waited up to see what the staff was scared of. Sure enough late in the night there was little Heidi in her little white nightgown at the door. The mystery was solved. It was not a robber, but only a little girl sleepwalking.

The doctor determined that she was wasting away because she wasn't eating and was so sad that she might never recover if she wasn't sent home the very next day. Of course, Clara was upset because she loved her little friend, but her father promised her that she could go visit her in the spring if she minded the doctor's orders and did her school work.

Clara insisted that Heidi's trunk be packed in her room. Guess what was packed in the trunk. Her very special picture book that Clara's grandmother had given her, and twelve soft white rolls for the blind grandmother who lived at the village at the bottom of the mountain. Heidi ran back to her room and gathered up her little belongings like her red shawl and her little straw hat.

The butler was given strict instructions on caring for Heidi because he not only had to watch and care for her on the train, but they had to stay overnight at a hotel half way there. He had to make sure that Heidi didn't sleep walk again. Sebastion, the butler, managed for a man to take Heidi and her trunk to the village. He handed Heidi the basket of rolls a letter for her grandfather and a huge roll of money for him. The butler was going to  miss Heidi. He had become very fond of her in the months that she had lived in the big house.

Heidi caused quite the stir when people in the village saw her. They thought for sure that she would never return.  And Heidi thought for sure that the blind grandmother was dead it had been so long since she had seen her. She went running into the little cabin and surprised the grandmother with the soft white rolls. The grandmother thanked God for the return of the little girl who she had come to love so very much. The grandmother cried many happy tears.

Heidi left her fancy dress and hat with Peter's mother. She remembered what Grandfather had said when her aunt had left with her. She told the blind grandmother that she would return the next day, but that she must go see her grandfather now.

The climb up the mountain was beautiful. She saw her fir trees and the beautiful rosy clouds. The grass looked like gold and she started to cry she was so happy. Then she saw her grandfather sitting on the bench outside his cabin. She called his name over and over as she ran to him. Being grandfather he asked if Clara's father had sent her away. She said, "No. I think the doctor said I needed to come back to you. Here is a letter from Clara's father and a roll of money. He told Heidi that the money belonged to her and after he read the letter he put it in his pocket.

The first thing Heidi did was to climb the ladder to see her bed it was gone! Grandfather told her that he wasn't sure that she would be back, but her would get her another one. But first she must drink some milk! It was the very best that she had ever tasted. She told him that she was sure that it was the best milk in the entire world.

Grandma Lu grinned and thought. "There really is nowhere as good as being home with the people that you love. I'm sure her little goatherder, Peter will be glad to see her. If I remember right, Heidi has some things to share with him. Grandma Lu put the book down, said goodnight to her husband, and laid down happily on her nice soft mattress. As she got her soft pillows and blanket gathered around her she wondered what a bed of straw felt like as she drifted off to sleep.

Clara's Grandmother Visits

 When the housekeeper learned that Clara's grandmother was to come for a visit everything had to be cleaned and polished twice before she was satisfied. The day finally arrived and all the staff met Grandmother at the door with starched and clean as a whistle uniforms. Miss Rottenmeier sent Heidi to her room which did not please Clara's grandmother one little bit. She sent for her and showed her beautiful books she had brought along for Heidi to read. Well, Heidi loved the beautiful pictures but told the older lady that she could not read. It was just a waste of time for the teacher to try to teach her. Clara's grandmother did not accept that and asked Heidi why she thought that learning her ABC's was a waste of time. Heidi told the nice lady because Peter, her friend on the mountain, told her that it was. He said that he had tried and tried and never could figure it out. 

Grandmother said very kindly, "Heidi, you haven't learned to read because you believed what your friend told you. I just know that you will learn how to read. If you do I will give you this book to keep." Grandmother told Heidi the book was about a shepherd and his sheep and his goats. Heidi got so excited to read she couldn't wait for the teacher to come so she could learn her ABC's.

Since the day awhile ago that Heidi had tried to run away and go back to her grandfather, Heidi realized that she would hurt her friend, Clara and Clara's father as well as Clara's grandmother if she ran away again. Clara told her that she couldn't leave for years and years. But when she thought of never returning to the mountain top she completely lost her appetite. She found that she just couldn't eat and got so very homesick that she often cried herself to sleep. 

Clara's grandmother noticed that Heidi was so very sad and asked her to tell her what the trouble was. Heidi told her that she couldn't tell a soul; not even Clara. So the grandmother asked Heidi if she ever prayed. Heidi said she had not. She had forgotten how. Grandmother explained that when we need somebody to talk to praying really helps. She told her that the Lord comforts us and can even give us  joy. You can tell him anything and He will listen. Immediately Heidi wanted to go pray.

The teacher noticed a big difference in Heidi's reading skills in just a week's time. Grandmother was so pleased that she gave Heidi the big beautiful book. Grandmother promised Heidi that they would read the book together the very next day. Heidi loved the book and especially loved the story of the Prodigal Son. Ever since she had learned to read the days passed by quickly.

Clara's grandmother taught her how to make doll clothes and she also started reading aloud to the older woman. The more she read the stories the easier it was to read the words.

Heidi was very happy that she could read, but she was so very sad. Even though she prayed every night, God didn't seem to hear her prayers. She explained this to the Grandmother before she left. That is when Grandmother told Heidi that God decides what is best for us so sometimes it seems our prayers aren't answered. So Heidi immediately prayed for forgiveness and promised never to forget Him again.

One day as she was reading a book to Clara she read that a grandmother had died. She took it to mean that the old blind grandmother had died and began to cry and sob util the housekeeper told her that if she didn't quit that she would take her book away from her and never give it back.

After that Heidi never cried again, but this had a poor effect on Heidi. She had no interest in food at all. She would just sit at the table quietly and then go to bed. Time passed for her without really knowing how the seasons were passing. She realized that it probably was time for Peter to go up the mountain with his goats and all those beautiful wildflowers were blooming. She became so sad she would go to her room and cover her eyes with her hands until Clara called for her.

The Young Organ Grinder Demanded His Forty Pennies!

 In the story Grandma Lu noticed that Clara was being homeschooled by a man that was called a tutor. Grandma Lu's daughter had homeschooled all of her children because she chose to, however, Clara was probably being taught at home because of two reasons. Her father was very wealthy, but Clara was also confined to a wheel chair making it very difficult to go outside other than on the porch attached to the house.

As Grandma Lu read on the tutor had already arrived for the day when the door bell rang very loudly. There stood the young organ grinder. Well, the butler saw this young dirty boy at the door and started yelling at him to not ring the bell so loud. Sure enough he was there to collect his forty pennies that Clara owed him. (If you remember Heidi had told him that Clara would pay him) Well come to find out he thought that Heidi was Clara. After the boy described the girl to the butler he grinned. He pulled him into the house and told him to follow him to the study. Grandma Lu grinned too when she thought about what was going to happen. "I really like that butler. I think he is a good guy."

"There is a boy here to play a tune for Miss Clara." Clara was so excited to have something so fun to happen during her usually dull school time. After Miss Rottenmeier heard the noise (music) she ordered him away much to Clara's disappointment as well as Heidi's. But the butler gave the organ grinder his forty pennies and sent him on his way.

Suddenly there was another ring of the door bell and there stood a man with a basket full of kittens! One of them even climbed up Miss Rottenmeier's dress and crawled over her feet. Clara loved them! The classes that day were anything but boring. But poor Heidi. Miss Rottenmeier threatened to send Heidi to the basement with the rats. But Heidi wasn't afraid. Her grandfather's basement or cellar as they called it was full of cheese and fresh milk. Clara put a stop to Heidi's punishment and told the housekeeper that her papa would soon be home and let him decide if Heidi was to be punished.

Heidi wasn't doing well with he ABC"s. It seemed to her that she was just like Peter her friend on the mountain. He wasn't able to read either and thought that school was a waste of time.

Heidi was so very homesick for the mountain that one day she packed up the white rolls that she had been hiding for the old grandmother, put on her shawl and old hat and had planned on going home. She got as far as the door when the housekeeper stopped her. Heidi cried and cried and the housekeeper called her crazy and that she was unlucky for the household.

Heidi didn't know it until this day, but the butler, Sebastion was indeed her friend. He could see that the young girl was shaking and had red eyes from her crying. He told her that she should go play with all the kittens. Even that didn't cheer Heidi. That night she didn't eat her supper.

Heidi had been in need of some new clothes so Miss Rottenmeier had been going through Heidi's clothes and had found all of the spoiled rolls in her closet. She told the maid to through away the bread and Heidi's old straw hat.

Heidi sobbed and sobbed and pleaded with the housekeeper not to throw away the bread because it was for the old blind grandmother. Clara heard and saw how very upset Heidi was and promised her that when she went home she would give her a lot of fresh white rolls for the grandmother.

That night when Heidi went to bed she found her old straw hat that the butler had hidden under her covers. She quickly wrapped it up in a handkerchief and hid it in the furthest part of her closet.

When Clara's father came home from his business the housekeeper told him that the Swiss child was a great disappointment. She didn't think that she was right in the head. He tried to talk to the teacher, but he caried on and on about everything but Heidi, but did point out that Heidi had poor education and didn't seem to be able to learn easily. He finally left the teacher and went to the room where Clara and Heidi were. He asked Heidi to go fetch him a glass of fresh water.

At this point of the book Grandma Lu thought that this was a strange request because in order for Heidi to get him fresh water she would have to walk down the street for several blocks to find a fountain that had fresh water. But as she continued to read, at the fountain there was a nice older man there that told Heidi to give his regards to Mr. Sesemann, which was Clara's father. When Heidi described the man Clara's father knew immediately who he was. He was his doctor!

That evening after Clara's father heard all the real facts about the kittens and even a turtle that made him laugh he told the housekeeper that from now one Heidi was to be treated kindly and that Clara loved her and wanted her to remain her companion. Heidi was not to be punished for just being different. Clara's father could only stay at home for two weeks before he had to go back to Paris for his business. He made sure, however, that his mother would soon be visiting. He knew that she loved children and would make Heidi happy and probably even help her with her reading.