Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-12-11
WHERE WAS CLIFFORD

Little Boys Adventure In Bic riei" o.
aflghtld Wheat. ALI
It was day in July; the Thermometers
ran high in the nineties, and the air
was SO Oppressive that even the birds
ana insects seemed to have entirely dls-
appeared. seex sfdT
20 1t had been an unusually busy morn
ing for Mrs. Holt; she had been up
since three O'clock. for tomorrow the
harvesting would begin, and there w were
great prepare tions going on, as in this
prairie home twas the gala time oil all
the year, when the nearest neighbors
came to help gather the beautiful grain
that waved in the sunlight and covered
4 thousand acres or more of the sur
rounding country. Nothing but a sea
Of yellow in every direction, ~. bs4
Little six-year-old Clifford thought
there never had been such a day since
he could remember Mamma was SO
busy she did not want him, in the kltch- :,
en-, and it was SO hot out Of doors that
he could not play at all. sai +
At lasthe ran to his mother just as
she was making her last tins Of biscuit
and said: mamma, please put me TO-
bed; / an so sleepy and tired. Rover
IS asleep and Kittie and ] will go too. )
s ll,.Run away. Clifford Iamltoo busy II
you are so sleepy go upstairs and -lief
down in your cot; but you had better.
ulay until after dinner, then take anap1
with me- o. Iodjom 1dpno1a a2A4s
aaclHfordodid nov IKE the idea Of Sofng
upstairs alone, so be ran outdoors to
lplay AS his mother told him. But the
Sshaaelwas onlyiinasden dlfttfe place by
the house, and Inc wonld justgoover there
by the wheat; it looked cooler there as
the grain waved in the breeze. So he
trotted over thelroad 10 the edge OF the
grain. and sure enough il really was
cooler: so he sat down in the shadow of
the tops that stood four feet high. hAs
he sat there his attention was attracted
by some little red birds tlrt we're ny
ing back and forth int" the wheat
Suddenly he remembered what his
papa had told him the night before
about these birds, who had built their
nests all through the grain. And Cliff
ford had felt so sorry for the baby birds
II
that would be So cruelty killed by the
big machine. All at once he thought,
~ VIII 20 a little way in and find some
nests, and will put them in my. hat
and carry them out in the orchard; how
glad the poor mamma birds VIII be
when save the'little brides lives, y
Now, Clifford's mamma had often told
him never to go.away from the house
alone, but he had forgotten all else
now, in his wish to save the lives Of the
young birds that were in such peril.
So into the forest of yellow glory he
made his way. On and on he
went, hunting for the nests. Finally,
the poor little man was so tired of
making his way and OF searching in
vain for The birds that, after an hours
|. tramp, he decided to go home TO his
mamma" So he turned around and
started back; hut which way was back9
lie was sosmall that in coming through,
he had not broken single stalk but
had slipped between them, and Sc, had
not left trace behind aaa nas
+, He turned back. expecting. of course,
to come right out in sight,of mamma 3
kitchen-door, and ne wondered If dim
ner would be ready. and il 4 mamma
would be glad to see him new. So he
made his way little farther. and then
he thought, he would sitldewp and rest
just a little while, and perhaps he wonld
hear the dinneg7horns blows then he
would run on home 7adsoo 9HN son
h When Mrs Holt finished the Bisedlt.
1t was time TO prepare the dinner. Once
or twice the thooght of Cliffofd's flushed
face came 70 he. and She thought be
must have gone upstairs otter ak DE
dcause 1t had been such a long timersince
5she7had seem any tiiingo of him. 9aVvHen
noon came a ShrilI blastOf the long tin
horn brought Mr.. siI6ls and his two men
homs to their dinner To Mr.. Hoit's
inqhiryi t-iyhereuds 3 Clifford" Ms.
Holt replied; % Asleep upistairsg's His
dinner was carefully put away IeFihim,
and the men returned to theig1worSu
Late in-the afternoon Mrs. oitawoke
with a start from the long nap she had
taken on The dlnlng-room- sofa, where
gha.l.ad THROWN irr,1.srslf far-aa lirelt rEzs