The Grit-advocate., 1905-10-13
Bertie's Red Cap

Bertle mad new cap-a beautiful
cap of the very brightest red. He
was so very proud of it that he almost
forgot his manners and left it on in
the house. but it helped him to remem-
Der them when he met mamma and
Aunt Nellie on the street, for then he
lifted it as politely as a grownup gen
tleman.
But there came day when mamma
and papa were more proud of that
little red cap than BERTHE himself.
That is why there, is story about
BERTHE and his cap.
Right past the back yard ran a
railroad track. BERTHE had been for
bidden to climb the fence and he had
never disObeyed. One afternoon he
was playing near the fence with the
new red cap on the side of his head,
Just as he had seen big cousin Char
lie, who was high school boy, wear
his. He was building a play track on
his side of the fence. Every once in
while he climbed 10 the top of tn,
fence to look at the real track ansl
see just how it was built Then dowI
he would climb and lay a few moro
ties and rails.
The last time he climbed up his
eye caught sight of something big and
black lying in the middle of the track
some distance away. All his little life
he had been watching the trains run
ming up and down. He knew at Just
what time every train should pass and
he knew now that the three o'clock
"fier' might go by at any minute
He was quite sure of another thing.
If that big black something" down
there on the middle of the track did
not move off the fier might jump the
track and many people be hurt or
killed.
He watched anxiously, but 1t did not
move. Perhaps some one had placed
1t there purposely to wreck the
"flier." Some one must attend to it
and Berthe knew that he was the only
one to do it. Mam@a had forbidden
him ever to cross the fence, and he
was always careful to mind her, but
he knew that just now a moment had
come when he could not stop to ask
mamma, for one minutes delay might
mean the wreck of the fast train.
Quickly he climbed the fence and
sped down the track. The black
something seemed to grow bigger as
he drew nearer and then he saw that
is was big draft horse which had
died upon the track. Stretched across
the track it lay resting on both rails.
BERTHE pulled at the big animal, but
he could not move it an inch. There
IVES no one to call upon for help and
already he could hear the rumble of
train in the distance. Then like a
nal. The only bit OF red he had bout
him was the little new cap, but that
was such a gay red, and the sun
shining upon 1t made it cash SO bright
ly that he took hope.
Climbing upon the body of the
dead horse to make himself taller he
waved the cap high above his head
the moment he caught sight of the
train far away. Nearer and nearer
it came. He kept his place though
he was right in the track of the en-
gine. Still 1t did not slow up and in
a moment more it would be upon him.
He wondered if when mamma found
his crushed little body she would
think he had wilfully disobeyed her
and gone upon the track. He was
sure the signal had not been noticed,
and closing his eyes very tight he
waved harder than ever while he
thought of mamma and papa and dear
baby. , |!
But just then the big engine gave
snort and a grind and then all was
still! except the voices of a great many
people, as they poured out of the
train to see what the trouble was.
And this is what they saw Right
across the middle of the track, mount
ed upon the dead body of the big
horse stood a very little boy, with a
white, white face and black damp
curls clinging to his forehead. and
with his right hand he still waved
with all his might tiny red cap high
in the air.
The conductor lifted him up like
baby and kissed the little fellow. Ber-
ne itteINed d iShdiu HAl'l seelleu
very big indeed from the passengers.
But best of all was the happiness of
mamma and papa over their boys
bravery. Mamma took the little red
cap from him ver" gently and said:
Il shall get you another. dear, but
mamma wants TO keep this one al
ways because of the good work her
little boy has done with it,"
Katherine Harriet