The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-07-13
TWO LITTLE SHOES.
pY REV. ]. L. CORNING.


There they stood close together on the
library mantle shelf. l had jus. come
into the house from my evening lecture,
livery chamber was silent, the three little
chickens had gone TO roost-two red faced
saucy boys lying Al unu.terabe angles on
their broad bed, and the wee pet of the
household tucked snueH away 10 her era
die up stairs in the nursery.
What business had those two little
shoes on the white marble mantle shelf?
1t was grotesque asseciation-a bronze
statue on one side surmoupting the mar
BILE clock, pretty vase On tho other side,
one OF the cartoons Of Raphael hanging
on the wall overhead, and the inevitable
two little shoes in the midst. The strings
hung careleesly over the side, the heels
were little turnover, and the tosss pro-
vokinsly turned up, and there they nest
led up to one another, as if they would
affectionstely share each others fate,
should some wan.on incOncclast Of the
household. some Martha with avenging
bosom ayhap. pronounce against them
sentence of Punishment
lifted them up tenderly, turned them
round, cast love elances at their wrinkIed
"uppers," and their shiny bottoms, fell.
the blood rushing through my heart ven
tricles with unwonted pertabations, felt
some invisible pumps forcing drops from
secret springheads up into my eyes. and
then did something 10 the little shoes;
whether it was to kiss them or something
else, | have vowed with Somebody never
to dlvulge.
Through the merest accident, doubt.
less, the little shoes we're left there 10
companionship with the library souvenirs
But, now come to think Of it, there il
hardly keepsake in the whole house
like unto them. The cartoon, of Raphael
is simply ineipid beside them, and the
Photograph album with its gallery of un
Giles and aunts. interpreted with the face,
of good ministers and Palmer's marbles
done on paper, 10 not circumstance il
comparison. .....s s.
oh. DEAR unused; how soon the rough
waves fine wash out the sweet memories
of cur children's babyhood. have ssri
ously considered whether 1. would 20
buy blank book, (gilt.edged aud en-
bossed. of course, } and consecrate it to ,
record of the little ways and words o
childhood, from early infancy upward, il
blessed graduation 10 the point where tn
baby merges into the boy or girl. VIVA
an almanac Of climates and TEN perature
that. .,@, ,.s.s -fs. ,rts
Well. after musing thus awhile, tn
shoes and ] went up stairs together, an,
laid them down on the bureau, read,
for two little trotters early in the morning
But even in tho night-Watches the visiol
would not forsake me, and ever an,
anon, as the clock tolled the hours,
dreamily thought of she little shoes an
Of thelittie feet that belonged to them.
IL is aruggcd, thofDy path. little feet
that ye have vcntured upon, and yet
would not take the rocks and the bran
les away utterly. willsbelser thee, httl
sleeper, that the roughness of the PILGRIM
age come not too soon for thy tende
heart. Aud yet by -snd-by Life sterne
discipline shall come, aud thou. shalt
unsaudled and foot sore. Thus traye
the. sDul inihe foot prints Of Christ towart
it home aud iss crown. III ggag