The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-05-03
THE LEFT SLIPPER.

morning, drawing ont from under the
sofa Of myssitting. q small slipper
for left foot; "but fever there was q
lady, be she Cinderella or Susannsh,
who had q smaller foot than this wonia
fit, Ishould like to SEQ her, thssF ali.
Isat down again to my eonee anu
ham, and wondered however IL couid
happen that Mrs. Pottle, my worthy and
otsed uiotls larldlady, should have been
overlooked In the Thorough cleaning
she had assured me always took place
betweer, the exit and the eRfree OF her
different sets of lodgers;, yet here it was.
The shining Of the soft, bronze-colored
leather had attracted my eye as the SUI
lit up the abyss beneath the sofa; and
now, what must do with it' Perhaps,
after, all, it was Mrs. Pottle's own; but
laughed ut the idea Of her elephantine
foot finding entrance there; perhaps it
belonged to child or graudchild; but
1t was not probable Interpretation OF
the mystery. IL could surely not be
kept under sofa for ornament; and
yet how should such thing as one
slipper not be missed, if the owner pos
seesed 4 wo feet. gs - -
However, the little innoesnt-lOoking
slipper, &c TO case y very fairy's foot,
lay there and destroyed my peace OF
mind as 1 looked at it. Ny readers
may laugh at me as they. choose; but l
viii frankly confess, that, whilst some
men fall in love with bunch Of curls,
pair of eyes. a smile, hand, voice,
/ was, before breakfast was half over,
head and ears in love with q slipper. 1t
was fOlly,-nonsense,- of course; but so
it was. Philosophers would say it w3s
the form that my Imagination conJnred
up as the real owner of the slipper; but
| don't care to he so particular,-l be-
lieve / fell in love with the little slip
per itself. Such pretty little thing it
looked and felt as turned it over in my
hand, with its silken sandals, and
rosette Of blue, and it's neat lining of
white silk; dainty little article, in
deed, perfumed with a soft, sweet odor
of roses, that all its long isolation from
its sweet mistress had not wholly de-
stroyed.E ge fa "a ts aGsA
I4heard Mrs. Pottle ascsnding the
stairs With my letters, and hastily put
the slipper in my coat-pocket. ! had
determined that | would be guilty of
theft, if theft it was, sooner than part
with my new treasure. The landiady
entered, Letters, sir, if you please, sire'
"Thank you," answered coolly, and
let her go again; though l lOnged for
the history of her previous dodgers. ]
| thought she eyed me suspieiously, bnt,
of course, was mistaken; and turned
and finished my breakfast, and then
| broke open the envelopes of my letters.
-. 81 Ill Ia ro
1 am sitting on the sofa reading the pa
per; but just say carclessly, "fou have
kept these lodgings some time, sup
pose, Mrs. Pottle'' 49, .''
Law! yes. sir" she answers, stopping
short in the general gathering together
Of plates and dishes; "nigh upon TWEEN
ty years. Through my poor Samuel be-
ing taken off early, sir, ! was obliged
to begin at forty. Now I'm tnrned SIN
ty, sir; though some do say" said Mrs
Pottle with a smile, 'that they can
hardly think it's more than few years
ago Ibegan,-rm so much the same.
There they are right fsaid, willing
to propitiate Mrs. POttle,-"yOu might
as well pass for fifty, and young look
ing woman ut that; but, however, what
sort of people do yOu mostly get here.
young men, like am, iu merchants Of
fees, or something of that kind'
"Well, YES, sir; first and last, I've had
some scores Of clerks and junior part
ners; bat still,s 'tisn't always: so; but
there was one young man,-uearly the
first er:er had"
! did not exactly want twenty
years list of dodgers. so ! interrupted
the worthy soul by saying, "But who
have you hSd latelyi-who was the last
now, before came.7
"a curious old couple. sir, as you ever
cast eyes on
"Oldr I gasped, G.
Mrs. Pottle did not, suppose, notice
my agitation, but replied, "ies, sir, the
gentleman about seventy five, should
think, and the lady might be year
older or younger,-not much difference
between them,-But / beg your pardon
that's your bus, SIR" And Mrs. Pot
tie disappeared with the tray just as the
horn and the rattling wheels were dis.
tinetly heard, nearing the terrace.
put on my hat mechanically, and went
down stairs, vexed with the abrupt ter
mination to her recital. As rode along
the thought struck Inc that the whole
affair was q trick, and that Mrs. Pottle
wanted to bind me to the spot, or make
! me interested in her house, or inveigled
in some foolish love affair. This de-
ciGed me to take no notice of her at
tempts at conversation for the future,
and not even permit her to finish the
story begun in the morning. s-''.'-
Just then the omnibus stopped, and
an old maiden lady, whom had known
through her acquaintance with much
respected aunt of mine, similarly cir
cumstanced as to age. and mstrimony,
entered it. politely handed her to o
seat for my aunt's sAke, and commenced
conversation which strove to render
interesting, though my mind was GER
tainly very ,abseht that day; so absent
that in one Of the pauses of our dis
course incautiously drew out my pock-
ct handkerchief to wipe my forehead,
and with it--horror of horrors,-the lit
tie bronze-colored slipper, with its blue
rosette. shook it hastily from my lap
INTO the straw beneath, but the old lady
had seen it, and I felt aghast as re-
meinbered that the story of that little
slipper for tho left foot of my pretty
4 Cinderella would probably cost me
S,000l Of my discreet aunt's money.
Should l throw myself on the old Ia
dy's mercy ut oncc,2ffi the omnibus
by confessing the truth: But would
she believe me if did, thought not.
/ should only have falsehood added to
the black list already prepared, doubt
ed not, for presentation to my aunt. i
knew the old lady wouldnot 60 as far as !
did, for she had already told me her des'
tination; 80 kept my own foot on one
edge Of the little slipper, determined TO
! pick it up again, spite Of all, the first
opportunity. sa@ :.
"I think you dropped something, sir"
said my aunt's friend coldly.
Nothing of consequence, think,
thank you,s I replied, in confusion. =
j ~ should rather think 1t was Of great
consequence she remarked, cruelty;
doubtless the young lady wants her
slipper matched or mended.s
The young lady! What young ladyi
All. If could only find this Cinderella!
4 Deeply mortified, said no more; and
the old lady soon left me. l won't into
the office, carrying my handkerchief in
. different pocket, that + might not
q -.