The Press., 1921-09-29
The Cuckoo Clock From Mother
l@ by Meclnre Newspaper syndIeate.l :.
By DORA NOLAN

His bachelor dreams were realized He was married at last to Mabel this was the first day in their own home and they had been arranging their wedding gifts, with delightful Interruptions to explain how wonder full that they two had met and loved and everything.
 "There is only one fly in the oint- ment," remarked Harry Pepper. And that is"
 Pretty Mabel hung on his words ex- pectantly. "What is it, dearest?" she asked.
 "The-the cuckoo clock, honey" "The cuckoo clock" she stammered, "why mother gave me that Il asked her tO-I lowe it, Harry y Tears brimmed her lovely eyes. Harry kissed her and assured her that he, too, had admired those impertinent re- minders of the flight of time, but al- ways at a distance. II never expected to have one in my own home," he ended.
 "But you knew-yOu knew, Harry, that I adore them-they are cunning" 1 "I knew it," he admitted, but l thought after you married me you would not care for such an absurdity. You see, darling, I'm tired at night after a nerve-wracking day at the . office, and then to have silly little bird pop out of ambush and remind me it's time to go to bed-but never mind, I'll get used to 1t after while" " ! You're an old dear," cried Mabel, but while Harry Pepper smiled pa- tiently his was no martyr spirit.
 Came one morning when the neigh borhOOd was rife with tales of burg laries and the Smiths home had es- capped ransacking. Came another morn ing a week later when a frightened maid rushed upstairs and announced that the silver spoons had disappeared from the SidebOard and that the cuckoo clock was missing from its accustomed place.
 "I cannot feel sorry, darling" said innocent Mir. Pepper to his distracted wife; but I will call up the police station right away" and he did. He went to lIl0 CILy IIldI HUI ullS "ltA 1 curious feeling of satisfaction. Some discriminating burglar" he muttered. I'd like to give him a tip about the blue glass vases that Aunt Lucretia dOnated-well, perhaps NOrah will break them some day when she's dust ing! 1 love my hOme-but some Of the wedding presents" :"
 In the meantime Mabel Pepper had called up her sympathetic mother and related the story of the burglary. Il really miss his cheerful little call," she added.
 Never mind, dear" comfOrted her mother-"there are just as good fish in the sea as ever were caught and there are just as charming birdies as ever sang in a cuckoo clock " So her mother told Mabel's sad ex- perience to great-aunt Lucretia and to Harry's Uncle Benjamin, who called on her that day. In the meantime the police searched diligently for the mid night marauder.
 Mir. Harry Pepper lost his cheery bearing. A troubled look came into
 
 ous mistakes in his work. Hang the cuckoo clock" he muttered savagely one night after Mabel had cOntided to him that it was wretchedly lone some all day there without him-aDd that the empty house seemed more cheerful when she could hear the cun- ming little chirp of the clock.
 Hang the cuckoo clock !' he cried. "I never heard such a fuss made over anything in my life"
 Of course Mabel was a sensible young woman, and thought of many other things, and had plenty of alnuse ment to distract her mind, but for the moment her new home was paramount in her thoughts.
 One Sunday morning, couple of weeks after the burglary Mabel came down to breakfast and found the tnble gay with roses, while her chair was heaped with packages.
 Happy birthday, darling" said her husband, as he slipped fl pearl ring on her finger. "I must kiss you how many times-sixteen1
 Mabel told him and then began to open her packages, Such large ones. dear" she exclaimed; you must help me-"
 "A cuckoo cl0ck-fr0m mother. Just like the other one. Isn't it, dear? Do hang It in the old place. Harry-there."
 She squealed again when she found that Aunt Lucretia had remembered her birthday with-a cuckoo clock. And once more when Harry's Uncle Benjamin's gift was unwrapped and disclosed another cuckoo clock.
 "Three !" laughed Mabel hySterically. "Harry, what shall we do with them? ?"
 ''The more the merrier," said Harry gloOmily. Then, to the lowering maid servant, What is it, NOrah?'
 "Please, Mir. Pepper, I found this on the back doorstep this morning." She gave him a large package wrapped in newspapers.
 "What can it be, Harry" asked his wife cautiously.
 "Tm afraid, dearest-yes-anot clock" He held it up and untangled the weights. To one of them was fas- tened a crumpled envelope.
 
 did he bring 1t back?' wondered Ma bel. lie must be an honest burglar v
 Harry opened the letter and read the penciled lines:
 ''Dere mr. Peeper-Hears yore clock, my, wife wont have it in the house, she hates kookoo clocks. It's the wifes house and let her have what she wants. re- sre"fnly-nobudy you TO-"
 The Peppers laughed until they cried. and the laughter and the tears seemed to wash away all the soreness and the bitter feeling caused by the clock. We shall keep them stll," de- clared Mir. Pepper generously. ito re- mind me of my selfishness."
 We shall keep only one and ass~ permission to change the others for something else" declared Mrs. Pepper,