The Delta independent., 1915-02-19
HER FAMILY RELIC
Story of Coonskin Cap With
Three Striped Tails Behind.
BY MARTHA M'cULLocH-WlL-
LlAMS.
Copyright, 1914. by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicatel

| Copyright, 1914 by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate,
T am not your Baby Bunting, but
do wish, dad, you'd catch me a lit
tie rabbit skim Prue coaxed. Sew
eral rabbit skins, indeed. Mrs. Jessy
tans them beautiful-and says she'll
show me how"
What are they good for?" dad
questioned, wonderingly. Nobody
wears skin caps any more. l doubt
if you could even give away your
grandpap's coonskin, though It's per-
fectly good. I've kept it packed in
tobacco because he wore it through
the log cabin campaign back in 1840."
"Oh! Please give it to me! Then
won't bother you about the rabbit
SKINS" Prue cried, excitedly.
Her father looked at her over the
tops of his glasses, smiling shrewdly.
Il hardly think you'll try to wear it
when you see it," he said. Even
though it has three mighty fine tails
at the back and is lined with cop
peras homespun."
Get it, I'm wild for it, Prue all
but commanded.
Squire Hazen got up sighing-he
had settled himself for a half hours
ease with the weekly paper, while
the men and teams rested. Now.
where did l put it? In the cowhide
trunk? Or the big chest? Or some
of them plunder-barrels out in the
lumber house? Blamed If l recollect.
But it certainly is somewhere. l
don't believe, though, you'll find it
worth the trouble of hunting up"
81 know l shan't-not for me my
SELF" Prue admitted. But say,
daddy-do you know about antiques?
And heirlooms? Some folks are wild
for them Oh, do make hasty haste!
can hardly stand it-waiting to
see."
"Oh, l remember now-it's in the
new hatbox-the last one l got-with
the bellcrowned hat, you know-the
year your mother died." the squire
said briskly.
He mounted the stairs alertly, and
after bit of rummaging came down
! with a shapeless clump of something
in loaf-sugar purple paper that gave
out scent of tobacco, red pepper
and camphor SO pungent 1t made him.
sneeze violently.
Indeed l won't sun it," she pro-
tested; won't even air it, after one
good look The smell is a certificate
of character-proving we've had the
cap since the year one"
mo. Only 1910. thought l told
you," the squire explained carefully.
Il Dr1,o did MT opouor-cbo woo ton
busy mining for the cap, as she mined
noting each fold Of the enveloping
papers, SO she could put them back
just as she found them. Presently
she drew out something splendidly
clumsy, a home-sewn fur cap. with,
sure enough, three ringed tails PEN
dant behind. The lining was as brill
liant as ever, marked family in the
center with the bear-grease which
had subdued the too abundant locks
of the original wearer. There was no
visor-only roll of rich fur for brow
shade. It had not lost a hair, albeit
the skin beneath was fiinty. Prue
danced about, the cap high on her
right hand. crying between steps:
Don't say I'm an extortioner,
daddy-but it is going to cost the
Dunton family just 500 to take back
home with them this relic of revo-
lutionary ancestor You know they're
here especially to hunt relics. Can't
you remember, please, that this went
to some of those tiresome Indian
wars?"
1T might" the squire admitted.
But I don't know any farther back
than the og-cabin-and hard-cider time.
Still. you surely are joking about the
price. Why two dollars would be lit
tie short Of highway robbery"
Your commercial education Is very
deficient, SIR" Prue said, pursuing her
lips. Where God goes and gives
money like wool. I at least feel it
my duty to do little shearing."
You ask the Duntons for it, they
ought to know what things are worth
to them" the squire said, going to
the lot where the men were getting
the mules.
Prue ran. to the phone the minute
the door shut on him, did some very
diplomatic but energetic talking. then
rushed upstairs. flung on her fall suit,
looked at her image with sparkling
eyes, seeing in imagination how she
would look when the cap had been
transmitted into stole and mum; then
ran down, picked up the hatbox in
which she had carefully replaced the
cap, loaded it into the blackboard
! which stood ready at the stile and
drove triumphantly away, sitting very
straight, chin in air.
Day Molly, fat, fresh and speedy,
was pining for exercise. She had had
only one scant jog in two days. So