About the author

Helga Sandburg was born in Maywood, Illinois, spent most of her early years in Harbert, Michigan, around the lake bend, ninety miles from Chicago. As a youngster, she was curious about the ways of the semi-wild country surrounding her isolated home. She mounted butterfly and leaf collections, kept a bird-watcher’s notebook, taught her five dogs to pull a sled over the snow-covered sand dunes of Lake Michigan’s shore, and trained her own horses. In her father’s house, she saw pass the great literary figures of the midwest. She served as secretary to the poet for many years and became steeped in the tradition of American folkway and song. The Wheel of Earth casts a glance back to the vanishing lore of the prairie farmlands.

In 1946 Miss Sandburg’s family moved to the Great Smokies of western Carolina. There she renewed her childhood interest in animals, raising calves, colts, dogs, goats, cats, varieties of rabbits, Peruvian cavies, parakeets, and hooded rats. Her animal collection was reduced to two Siamese cats and one Doberman Pinscher when she took up residence six years ago in Falls Church, Virginia. For two years she was employed nearby at the Library of Congress. Currently she is at work on her second novel. She has a son of sixteen and a daughter of fourteen. She is the wife of Arthur D. Golby, Assistant Professor of English at The American University in Washington, D. C.

Transcriber’s Notes

New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.

The original spelling was mostly preserved. All other changes are shown here (before/after):

• ... love-lies-bleeding, marigolds and sunflowers, cranebills ...
  ... love-lies-bleeding, marigolds and sunflowers, cranesbills ...
  
• ... dead like old man Moses Hedrick with a pitchfolk tucked between ...
  ... dead like old man Moses Hedrick with a pitchfork tucked between ...
  
• ... “I will.” In a swift flood Ellen was homestick for the old ...
  ... “I will.” In a swift flood Ellen was homesick for the old ...
  
• ... To wish her lover goodspeed ...
  ... To wish her lover godspeed ...