The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-07-14
The Little Shoes.

drops aC last INTO suitable SOIL, ana Dy
and by, grows up into a stately tree. A
little spring leaps out of the side ofa hill
and the child, who stoops to drink of it,
can span its breadth but it flows on down
to the valley, and winds along the plain,
and gathers strength and volume in It's
course, till it rolls a stately river, bearing
the commerce of cities in the ships that
navigate its waters.
And so it is with human life. A look,
q word, has changed the whole career of
many an immortal being.
The writer once lived opposite a beer
shop called the Fox and Geese" and
with panied attention often watched the
doings, and, alas heard the sayings of the
customers. One winter evening a shoe
makers boy came with an assortment of
children's shoes, and the land-lady of the
" Fox and Geese" who had most mar
vellous shril! voice, began calling to a lit
tic, dirty slave of nurse girl to bring
" Addleeead'-as she pronounced Ade-
lalde-to have her new shoes tried on.
could sec the little creature, who was at
once fine and filthy, sitting under the gas
light in the bar, and kicking and scream
ing as the shoes were coaxed on her feet.
At last pair fitted, and the spoiled pet
was lifted up triumphantly in her moth
ers arms.
Here, do look al her! The darling has
let me get pair of the very best ones on
Look, Dad, do!' said the mother, calling
to her husband. Just then a tall man,
very thinly clad, came out of the tap room,
passed the bar, and saw the child stretch
ing out her feet for her father to see.
Now, poor woman had been lowering
about at the corner peeping now and then
timidly into the bar-window, and then
creeping to the door; she had child in
her arms, and looked ready to drop dead
with cold and weariness.
| had seen that woman on many a Sat-
urday night waiting and watching for her
husband TO come ont. All ! there he is,
ri7eted for a moment looking at the child
showing her shoes with a start he rouses
himself and rushes out What, Bill, go
ing so soon ? bawls the landIady. Bill
pulls his hat down over his eyes with one
hand. clutches his jacket tight over his
chest, and answers the words with a sort
of grunt He is outside there is his wife
and little one. For a moment the woman
looks at him timoro usly, and half swerves
aside, as If she feared-what I will not
write lest the manhood of my readers
should be wounded Something IN Bil's
look treasures her, and she goes up close
to him, feebly but yet coaxingly. He
took the child from her tired arms-the
little creature gave short, quick cry of
highland, as he lifted it, | saw that its
little feet were bare. 1t drew them swift
ly up under its poor frock, but not before
the father saw them. | wish his hat had
been off that might have seen his face
as those little blue, chilled feet met his
eyes | noticed that he put them in his
bosom, and buttoned his jacket over them
and held the child close, and went on his
way with heavy stamp, as if he beat his
feet down on the ground his wife, slip
shod and tottering, had hard work to keep
up with him.
[ had faint suspicion of what was
passing in the mans mind. From that
night | was glad that l saw him no more
among the frequenters of the "Fox and
Gcese." He and his wife and child for
veal or woe, had dropped out of my ken,
and almost out of my mind.
Some months after, there was a meet
ing at the Temperance Hall of the dis
trict, and many working men were pres
ent, and gave their testimony to the good
effects of perfect sobriety; now and then
they told little bits of their history, about
the reasons that led them to give up the
public house. One tall, well dressed, re-
spectacle looking man listened earnestly,
ill one, who sat quite near him said ::
"Say word, William Turner: you've
known as much about the mischief as any
one here or anywhere; come tell US, for
never heard how it was you changed right
about face, from the mouth of hell to the
field of hope. Come man, out with it, it
will maybe do good"
The young man thus urged, rose at the
first word, and looked for a moment very
confused all he could say was The lit
tie shoes, they did it. With thick
voice as if MS heart was in his throat, he
kept repeating this. There was stare
OF perplexity on every face, and at length
some thoughtless young people began to
litter. The man, in all his embarrass-
ment, heard this sound, and rallied at
once. The light came into his eyes with
IA fash, he drew himsclfup aud oked at