Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-03-30
THE LITTLE BLUE CAP.
BY Mitchell THIVARS.

l was paying a visit to my friends,
the Durands. They were a simple,
honest couple, who lived near the banks
of the river, in a tiny honse, a mere
birds nest, almost hidden by Wisteria
and Virginia creeper. Durand's hands
bore the marks of honest toll, for he
had been a locksmith in his youth, and
had by industry and economy raised
himself steadily until he became the
proprietor of large business and secur-
ed a competency for his old age. His
wife, quiet, gentle creature, worship
ped her husband, and both of them
wore on their faces an expression of
serenity which betokened ease of con-
science and life of peace. Durand
was past sixty years of age and his wife
must have been fifty, yet in spite of
their wrinkles and gray hairs, these
two treated each other with an affec-
tionate Difference which was pleasure
to behold. They were Philemon and
Baucis resuscitated.
While we were engaged in conversa-
ton just before dinner Durand rose
and opened drawer to take out some
tritie which he wished to show me.
While he was turning over the con-
tents of the drawer it chanced that a
little cap, such might have been worn
by doll or an infant, fell to the floor.
picked it up and noticed that it was
made of coarse blue linen, with two
bolts OF twine instead of ribbons. AS
handed it to him l said, gayly:-
Are you preparing baby basket.
Papa Durand p
had no sooner spoken than regret.
ted it, for recollected at that moment
having heard that the only shadow on
my friends life was the fact of thei1
union being a childless one For a
minute Durand made no reply, but
looked at the little cap affectionately
then as he laid it carefully away again
he said in tone of seriousness =
| That is a souvenir
Then we all three sat down to dinner
and talked of other matters; but az
soon as the repast was finished, and
the little maid of all work had put
cigars and liquors upon the table my
friend said suddenly =
How much that baby cap reminds
me Off 1t was evident that he want
ed to explain his remark and begged
him to do so.
1T was great many years ago. he
said after slight pause, for | was
about twelve years old. Twas working
in large factory and l had com.
panlOn OF the same age as myself
whom, on account of his ugly features
we nicknamed 'Zizi Monkey face He
was a shy, thieving, mischievous ur.
chin, very much given to filching tarts
from the pastry cooks counter, but a
jolly little chap and full of pluck. He
was SO lazy that he would have been
turned out of the factory had it not
been for the indulgence of the over.
seer, who had been friend of his fa-
theirs and who took an interest in the
| boy for the sake of his dead comrade.
Monkey face was an orphan and the
only relative he had ever known was
the woman who brought him up, a
cousin of his mothers. This woman
was a fish pedler, brawling, brutal
creature, whose affection for her young
charge was manifested only by blows
Perhaps if he had known parents
love he would have been less perverse
One afternoon the lad took it into
his head to run away from the factory
and go vagabOnding about with gane
of young ruffians like himself. AS they
were coming slowly home after night
fall they heard to their astonishmen1
the cry of an infant The sound seem
| Co w loouO liOdi q lOIS, hd1IOW3 olItO
alley which opened on the street, an(
at the other end of which hung dimly
Pickering lamp. After short consult
alton the street boys ventured softl.
into the passage, and one of them espi
ed behind the door a little bundle o
rags and the whole party ran into tn
street triumphant, stopping under
lamp to examine their capture. l
proved to be baby girl few week
old, wrapped up in a series of dirt,
cloths, a poor little innocent whom
wretched, perhaps desperate mothe
had abandoned to the charity of stran
gers.
A council was held to decide wha
should be done with the booty, and tn
young captors gave free play to thei
mischievous imaginations. One said t
lput the baby back where they ha