The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-12-30
CLIFFORD'S CAP.
By FRANCIS LEE.

B1 fRANNlS LEE
"WILI.Y and | are going out to grandma
Denise's to-day but / suppose you can't
go with us, General?
Clifford looked up quickly from the ship
he was drawing,
"Why notg You knOao l have been
wanting to go out there for month, said
he Why can't l go?"
Goa, we are going in about five min
untes, and it isn't likely you can find your
cap in that time Peter Shangle is here
with his old donkey, and we are going to
ride over, but he won't wait, answered
Fred
"My cap :" cried Clifford, starting up
in great confusion. Ma, where is my
cap?"
Il don't know, my son. replied Mrs.
Gabriel, with discouraged sigh.
She had been asked that same question
so many, many times !
"Where do you think it is? Where do
you guess m0ybe it is, perhaps" persisted
Clifford, looking helplessly around the
room.
"Clitford, dear, don't you remember l
told you this morning you must find your
things for yourself hereafter: " returned
his mother.
"But just only for this once, ma! The
BOYS won't wait; thcre is Peter now
Begin to morrow with me, and then I'll
put my things in their places, and know
just where they are every time, Clifford
pleaded
But Mrs. Gabriel shook her head, with
that little quick shake she never took back.
"All aboard, General Disorder called
out Fred from the doorstep.
"Lucy, don't g0a know where my cap
isl" cried Clifford, half distracted
Boys, DO wait one minute"
"You must not go away leaving your
paints and paper scattered over the table,
said Mrs Gabriel, looking very indiifer
ent, but wishing with her whole heart 1t
was best to help him, but just only for
this once"
Times up" shouted Fred from the
tail of Peters old cart.
CO. cried Peter, tapping the bits of
rope he used for rcins, and touching up
the donkey with grapevine branch.
Clifford rushed in "A dark closet under
the hall stairs, and lying down on a trunk
cried out his disappointment; and when
he came from the closet the first thing he
saw was his cap on the floor behind the
hall door, that, standing open, had hidden
ii before.
Here is my cap, ma; | hadn't lost 1t,
said he, going in the sitting room looking
pink and subducd like rose after II
shower. But his tone suddenly changed
to one Of horror. why, baby Gabriel.
Ma, lust see what she has done he
cried
.Hmm-m :" answered the baby, shut
ting her eyes tight and shaking her curly
head.
"Grandpa's beautiful ship, ma. 1t was
almost finished, and now see herel Baby
has wrinkled it and spit on it and torn it
and spoiled it. Why didn't somebody see
to her and take it away: can't possibly
do another before grandpa's birth day.
"She couldn't have got the picture if it
had been in its place" replied Mrs. Ga-
briel. calmly at was nothing To me-
Clifford felt very unhappy, but he had
cried out his tears; SO he sat down by the
window and looked So sorry that his
mothers heart ached for him. But she
did not say anything for talking had not
cured him and she thought IL best To try
another way, and let him see what would
happen if nobody did the work that be-
lOnged to him To do.
81 suppose Fred and Willy are out to
grandmas by this time, pretty near L
shouldn't wonder if they are under the
peach tree eating peaches this very min
ute-like enough, perhaps" thought Cliff
ford, mournfuly. And grandma always,
most. makes me "A little pie and gives me
some maple sugar when | go there, and all
the milk can drink possibly.
Then he took out his watch to see if
there had been time enough for his broth
ers to be really enjoying these delights
already. Mother cried he, when he
looked at it, my watch has stopped
didn't wind it this morning What shall
| dos Now Aunt Elizabeth won't give
me the chain :!
IL suppose not am sorry said his
mother, quietly.
Poor Cltfordl lie felt as though every
misfortune was happening at once, Tor
vixen Aunt Elizabeth gave him the watch
OH his birth day, she had promised him a
chain for it if he would not let IL run
down for three months. Two months had
passed, and this was the first time he had
forgotten it; but he knew very well it
was also the first time his mother had not
asked if he had wound II.
Presently Lucy broke in upon hls mel
anchOly thoughts
"CIfford !" she cried from the garden,
"some out here, quick Hurry"
Clifford jumped through the low, open
window upon the piazza.
"What is it, Lucyg Where ~ he
asked.
"Willy's rabbits They are gone
Somebody left the door open" answered
Lucy, land we can't find them Benny
and |. We've been looking every place.
We s'posed you he'd gone TO grandma
Denise
Cifford's heart choke6 him lie re
membered leaving the door OF the pen un-
| fastened while he went for cabbage leal'
and then the oysterman came, ana running
| i'm To see if his mother wished any, he Tor
| got to go back.
at is the fault of that lazy oysterman
this time" thought he, trying, like his
grandfather Adam, to excuse himself eli
| he had gone to the kitchen door, as the
wav was for him, and not called me,
shouldn't have forgotten the rabbits. And
Willy might have stayed home and
| seen to them himself"
But these excuses did not satisfy his
conscience as he looked behind every
shrub and clump of flowers in vain search
| for the lost pets. At last he gave them
up. and went back toward the house.
"Who broke Fred's shovely" said he
suddenly stopping short.
Il" answered Benny, ,eomplacently.
was pounding for my cdtgtdlo'c TO come
and il broked. Ii wa good for nothing
"Yes, Benny broke it trying To make a
caterpillar come out from under the door
STEP" said Lucy.