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Now the Special English program American Stories.Today's story is called the Lost Phoebe. It waswritten by Theodore Dricer. Here is Sharp O'Neal totell you the story.

Old Henry Wright sighter? and his wife Phoebe lovedone another the way people do who have lived togethera long long time. They were simple farm people. Theirworld was their fruit trees, corn field and backyardwith its pigs and chickens. The rest of their worldwas faraway like stars in the sky.

Sometimes Henry worried about death. During hisworries, he would raise his old voice and say "Phoebe,where is my corn pipe? You are always taking thingsthat belong to me". "Now you hush, Henry," his wifewould say, "If you keep talking my bad, I will goaway. And then what would you do? There is nobody tolook after you. You can't find it on the table whereyou put it." Old Henry knew his wife would never leavehim. The only leaving he felt was death. He oftenwondered how he could live without Phoebe. In theevening, when he went to the door to see that therewas safely shut-in, it warmed his heart to know Phoebewas there with him. When Henry moved during the night,she always spoke to him "Now, Henry, be quiet. You areas jumpy as a chicken." "Well, I cannot sleep,Phoebe". "If you stop rolling around so much, you willsleep. Then I can get some rest too." Knowing she wasthere, beside him in the dark made Henry quiet again.

When she wanted him to get a pillow or water, Henryliked to say "Do this, do that.Always asking me to dosomething. Women are never satisfied". Phoebe wouldsmile. She could see the inner happiness shining inhis eyes. Henry talked sharply, but he never forgot toget water and wood for the fire. In this way, theylived happily in their simple world.

One day, in the early spring, Phoebe became sick anddied. Old Henry watched them put her body in theearth. Neighbors asked Henry to come and live withthem. But he would not live. He wanted to be near theplace where his Phoebe lay in the earth. He tried towork around the farm, but it was difficult to returnto an empty house at night. At night he read thenewspaper, but most of the time, he just sat, lookingat the floor, wondering where Phoebe was and how soonhe would die.

For five months, he lived like this. Then there was achange. It happened one night after he had gone tobed. There was a bright moon in the sky, its silverlight fell on the old chair and table in the bedroom.The moonlight on the chair and the half open door madea shadow, the shadow looked like Phoebe. She wassitting by the table, the way she had done so manytimes before.

"Phoebe," he called in a weak voice, "have you comeback?" The shadow in the chair did not move. Henrygot up and slowly walked toward it. When he came nearthe table, he saw that there was nothing on the chairbut his old coat. Another night, he thought he saw heragain. He felt a soft wind blow in the room. When thewind blew away, the shadow of Phoebe went away too. Athird night, when he was sleeping, she came to the bedand put her hand on his head. "Oh, my Henry," she saidgently, "I am sorry you are alone". He awoke and wassure he saw her leave the room. Phoebe had come back.

Night after night he waited. Then one morning he awokewith a surpring new thought. Perhaps she was not dead,perhaps Phoebe had just gone away. They had arguedabout the corn in wild and she had left the house.Yes, that was it. She was always making jokes aboutleaving him. This time she had really gone.

That morning, he started to walk to the nearestneighbors. "Why, hello, Henry," said farmer Dodge, hewas taking grain to market. "Where are you going thismorning?" "Have you seen Phoebe?" asked Henry. "Phoebewho?" Farmer Dodge knew Henry's Phoebe was dead.

"My Phoebe", Henry said "Whom do you think I mean?"

"You must be joking", said farmer Dodge. "You cannotbe talking about your Phoebe. She is dead."

"Dead? Not my Phoebe. She left me this morning while Iwas sleeping. We argued about my corn ?fight lastnight, and that is why she left. But I can find her.She went over to Martild Rayce's farm. Yes, that iswhere she is." Henry started to walk fast down theroad.

"The poor old man is sick in his mind", Dodge said tohimself. "He has been leaving alone too long". Henrymet no one until he reached Martild's farm. HisPhoebe and Martihild Rayce had been good friends.Phoebe must be here. He opened the gate and walked tothe house. Martild opened the door. "Why, Henry,?? .What a surprise!"

"Is Phoebe here?", Henry asked.

"Phoebe? Which Phoebe?"

"Why, my Phoebe of course." Henry smiled a little."You do not have to keep it a secret. She is here,isn't she?" he looked inside the house.

"Well," Martild Rayce said "You poor old man, come inand sit down. I like to get you some coffee and food.I will take you to Phoebe. I know where she is. WhileMartild was working in the kitchen, she talked toHenry. But he was not listening. He was thinking aboutPhoebe. He decided she was not there. "I will go now",he said, getting up, "I think she went over to theMary Farm". Then he was out on the road again.

It was like this for many weeks. Every night hereturned to his house to see if Phoebe had come back,soon everyone in the area knew old Henry and answeredhis questions. "I have not seeing her", they wouldsay, or "No, Henry, she has not been here today."

For several years Henry walked in the sun and rain,looking for Phoebe. His white hair grew longer andlonger. His black hat was the brown color of the earthand his clothes were dusty and torn.

It was in the seventh year of looking when Henry cameto ??? . It was late at night and he was tired andsleepy. Years of walking and very little food had madehim thin. Each passing year seemed to bring him closerto Phoebe. Tonight he felt that Phoebe was nearer thanshe had ever been before. After a while, he fellasleep with his head resting on his knees. When heawoke, it was still dark. The moon shone brightlythrough the trees. Henry saw a light move across theroad, it danced through the woods. Was it Phoebe? Hejumped up, he was sure he could see her in that light.Yes, there she was, the young Phoebe he had known manyyears ago. Suddenly he remembered her young beauty,her warm friendly smile, the blue dress she had wornthe day he first met her.

"Phoebe", he called "have you really come? Have youreally answered me?" He began to feel young and strongagain. He went to follow the moving light. Then a softwind blew through the leaves and she was gone."Phoebe", he cried, "Do not leave me, please, pleasestay with me!" He went as fast as his old legs wouldgo. When he came to the top of the hill, he lookeddown into the valley of shadows below. Tears ofhappiness came into his eyes when he saw Phoebe again.Yes, there she was, down in the valley, smiling up athim. She was in the same blue dress. She waved herhand and seemed to say "Come, come with me."

Henry felt the strong pull of the new world where heand Phoebe were always be-together, he gave a happycry "Wait, Phoebe, wait. I am coming".

The next day, some farmer boys found Henry at thebottom of the hill. His body was broken. There was asoft happy smile on his face, the same smile he hadknown when Phoebe was alive.

You have just heard the Lost Phoebe written byTheodore Dricer. It was published by World PublishingCompany in 1947 in the book Best Short Stories ofTheodore Dricer. Your story teller was Sharp O'Neal.This story is copyrighted. All rights reserved for VOASpecial English. This is Shirelly Greefeik.