Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-10-20
story Of a woman,s slipper.

| found It OF the foot Of rock, beside an
old forsaken saw-mil originally, the prettiest
bit Of delicate bronze kid in the world orna-
mented with n coquettish velvet rosette, but
now despatched and bespangled with cruel
clay, and with slight rent on the left quarter
as though the foot it once encased had torn
itself away by violence, and left the little
thing to perish. 1t was o mute appeal 20 my
chiyalry, and with Quixotic Yalor | ished it
out of the obstinate mire with the ivory
eagles beak that tips my walking stick, and
proceeded TO wipe away the dis6guring
marks of its dishonor With my unread morn
ing paper
/ suppose had passed this old mill score
of times during the past three weeks, and yet
had never given it more than a careless
glance until this very serene but snltry August
morning, whom the cool even sound Of drop
ping water invited to closer investigation of
its peculiar beauties. The great nillwheel
was tufted with yellow moss it ran up and
down the rough boards it peered from be-
tween crevices it oyerhnng the roof; it
twined ittelf round the stump of an aged elm,
playfully determined to get the upper hand of
everything unsightly, and to cover the traces
of decay with its tender fingers. There was
also an abundance of dropping yellow bios
sons ladys ear-drops the children call them,
and loug line OF stately cardinal flowers,
magnificent in their robes Of bright crimson.
| am neither artist or poet, and yet / expert
enced very agreeable sensation ofinward sat
siaction as | surveyed the dropping water
the huge millwheel, the clinging moss, the
gay flowers, and the slipper in my hand
am somewhat given to dreaming in mo-
ments of idleness, and so, as | turned the lat
tar ort,pIo o,yar nd ovar I brnu0bt forth from,
some inner shrine of my heart a certain ideal
woman, of whom had long been enamored,
and slipped il on her foot 1t fitted to T.
Ny lady--the ideel-was small creature; a
Titania in fact, crowned with sunny hair that
rippled and iloated over her dimpled cheeks
and fair shoulders; she had the sottest Of blue
eyes, the dewest Of lips, the loyeliest of hands,
and | pictured her standing beside the old
mill-wheel, her hat hanging by its azure strings,
her hair in beautiful confusion, her hands full
Of blossoms (i0r, of course, the cardinal flow.
ers had lured her hither) her checks flushed
mot blowzed--her lips pouting with vexahon
as the mud-imbedded slipper refused to return
TO its allegiance and, so vivid was my fancy,
| was on the point OF leaping across the stream
to her rescue, when Shiny, shining, villain
ous snake wriggled out from the tall grass
close to my feet, and restored my scattered
senses put an unGmely end to his exist.
enee, tucked the slipper into the breast pocket
Of my coat, and, gathering bunch of cardinal
flowers made my way back to my lodgings al
the villageinn.
Hitherto my observations at table had been
confined to my Immediate peghbors knew
that the man on my right was yellow dyspep
tic, who drank spring water and ate stale
bread my ris-a-cfs was ussy heshy woman
with an immense quantity Of snowy jewelry
while the neighbor on my left was an elderly
young lady in false curls and gold bowed spec
tacles Further than these my eyes had no
wandered but now had an object Perhaps
my cinderella was dwelling under the sam,
roof, partaking Of the same fare and at IL
same table with me- and had not behele
her walked hetelward in contemplady'
yet exalted frame Of mind, ascended to ms
room on the second floor, deposited my boque
in the yellow and green earthen mig that OF
> namented the wash stand, and was proceedinl
to examine my person in a seven by nine incl
looking glass when there fell hasty rap OF
the door, followed by an intrusion of blac
lace cap, trimmed with snuff colored ribbons
, which ! recognized as the property of m
Z landlords good wife. She was in huff q
excitement, and burst forth with,
|. She was always particular to call me doctor
( "Come right along to No. 3, and see to tha
+ poor Miss What s-her-name Don't stop t
, prink, for she'll never know whether YOU ar
Z black or gray She's in such pain.
e "Cholera morbus p | suggested
Lord no, ehild-ankle Y with disagreeabl
emphasis on the child"
: followed Miss Kyes across the entry, an
was met on the threshold Of No. . by Mis-
What s-her.name's maternal relatiye in tear
She had put per daughter to bed, drawn dow
the scant curtains Of sixpenny patch, and file
the room with spirits OF camphor and hart
horn. "Georgienna is always in trouble
= she sighed she is so daring and now sh
> has sprained her-her--do look at Il, Doctor
In moment the delicate ankle was shriu
ing and trembling in my hand sadly inAamf
u and rapidly swelling | despatched Mr.
Keys for wormwood and vinegar, aud yentu
% ed glance at the pillow but there was vi'
BILE only vail Of long, rich, black hair, 9
capped from illet aud comb, and running wi,
over Miss Georgianne face and the red a.
se green bed spread ! confess 10 the seer
hope that this lady might not prove the "ci