The True Story of Oh My Darling Clementine

Lost and Gone Forever

When the morning came, Neil woke Clementine up bright and early.

"Come on Clem! Let's go find some gold!" Neil said shaking her awake in excitement. "Come on Cali, Goldy, and Lucky. Let's go play by the water in the mines!" Clementine told to the ducklings, which she'd named after the hopes of finding gold. Clementine followed Neil and the ducklings followed Clementine.

The ducklings and Clementine played by the mine's foamy water. The ducklings loved splashing about in the bubbles and Clementine loved seeing them so happy. While the ducklings and Clementine played, Neil searched and sifted for gold. They did this every day for a week and a half. But one day when Neil looked over he saw Mary-Ann playing with those ducklings. Of course it was Clementine but Neil was blinded by anger. He put down his pick-ax and stormed to Clementine. "Mary-Ann this is for deserting us!" Neil yelled and pushed Clementine into the foaming brine. Clementine screamed, she didn't know how to swim. Neil snapped out of his trance.

"No! Clementine!" Neil yelled. Clementine was barely above the water, blowing the bubbles away so she could breathe. He searched frantically around for a rope, floating object, anything to save his beloved daughter, as he couldn't swim either. But there was nothing and Clementine's ruby lips disappeared under the water. Neil fell to the rocky ground.

"Clementine! Oh Clementine!" Neil sobbed. What had he done? Neil stayed there all day, by the water. When it got dark Neil trudged to the tent he used to share with her and cried himself to sleep.

When Neil went to find gold the next day he was singing. All the other miners heard his mournful song. They all looked at their own wives and daughters, grateful that it wasn't their family that drowned.

"Oh my darling. Oh my darling. Oh my darling, Clementine. You are lost and gone forever. Dreadful sorry Clementine."