National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-06-28
From every Saturday.
The Left Slipper.

tu one morning, drawing out from
under the sofa of my sitting room a
small slipper for left foot "but if
ever there was lady, be she Gin
derllla or SuSannah, who had a
smaller foot than that would fit, |
should like to see her, that's ALL"
1 sat down again to my coffee and
ham, and wondered however it could
happen that Mrs. Pottle, my worthy
and obsequious iandlady, should
have allowed the slipper to be over
lOOkedgin the thorough cleaning
she had assured He always took
place between the exit and the en-
tree of her different sets of dodgers /;
yet here it was. The shining of the
soft, bronze -colored leather had at
tracted my eye as the sun lit up the
abyss beneath the sofa. And now
what must l do with it :? Perhaps,
after all, it was Mrs. Pottle's own !;
but | laughed at the idea of her
elephantine foot finding entrance
there. Perhaps it belonged to a
child or grandchild but it was not
a probable Interpretation ofthe mys-
terry. 1t could not be kept under
the sofa for ornament and yet how
should such a thing as one slipper
not be missed, if the owner posS,
eSsed two feet
However, the little innocent-look
lng slipper. fit to case fiiry's foot,
lay there and destroyed my peace
Of mind as l looked at it. Ny
readers may laugh at me if they
choose, but | will frankly confess
that whilst some men fall in love
with bunch of curls, a smile, a
hand, a voice, | was before break
fast was half over, head and ears i'll
love with slipper. 1t was folly,
nonsense, of course but so it was.
Philosophers would say it was the
form which my imagination coniur.
ed NJ as the real owner Of the slip
per itself. Such pretty little thing
it looked and felt, as | turned ii
over in my hand, with its silken
sandals and rosette, and its neat
lining of white silk ; a dainty little
article. indeed, perfumed with a
soft, sweet odor of roses, that all
its long isolation from its sweet mis-
tress had not holly destroyed.
heard Mrs. Pottlc ascending the
stairs with my letters, and hastily
put the slipper IN my pocket. | had
determined that | would be guilty
of theft, if theft ii was. sooner than
part with my new treasure. The
landlady entered, Letters, sir, If
you please, sir
Thank you,' | answered coolly,
and let her 90 again, though | long
ed for the history of her previous
dodgers. | thought she eyed me
suspiclously, but of course | was
mistaken so | turned and finish.
ed my breakfast, and then broke
open the envelopes of my letters.
| ring the bell Mrs. Pottle en-
ters | am sitting OF the sofa read
ing the paper but | just say care
lessly; You have kept thes 'odg
ings some time, / suppos Mrs
Pottle 7
Law yes sir she ansv stop
ping short in the general nering
together of plates a, dishes
nigh upon twenty year Througl
my poor Samuel heing taken of
early, sir, | was obliged to begin al
forty. Now I'm turned sixty, sir
though some do say said Mrs. Pot
tie with a smile, that they can hard
~ think It's more than few years
since | began-I'm SO much tn,
same.'
There they are right | said, vii
ling to propitiate Mrs. Pottle, 'yot
might as we'll rass for fifty, and
young looking woman at that but
however, what sort of people d'
you mostly get here-young men
like ! am. in merchants offices, o
something of that kind
We'll, yes sir first and last, Tv
had some scores of clerks and JUNO
partners but there was Que youni
man, nearly the first that | eve
had
| did not exactly want twent
years list of lodgcrs, SO | interrupt
ed the worthy soul by saying, 'Bu
who have YOU Lad latelyi VIII
was the last now before ! camer
a curious old couple, sill, as eve
YOU cast your eyes on
'Oldr | ga sped. Il
Mrs. Pottlc did not, | suppose, ID,
tice my agitation, but replied
yes, sir the gentleman ahou
seventy five, | should think, and til
lady might be year older or younj
er--not much difference betwee
them. But ! beg your pardon
that's your bus, SIR And Mis-. Po
tie disappeared with the tray just 4
the horn and the rafting whee
were distinctly heard nearing Ill
terrace. put on my hat mechan
cally and went down stairs vexe
with the ABRUPT terminal on To h,
recital. As | rode along, II
thought struck ME that the who
affair was trick, and that Mr.
Potl.c wanted to bipd Inc to ii
spot, or make me interested in Ia
house, OF inveigle me ip some foe
4, ish love affair. This decided me
take no notice of her attempts {
conversation for the future, aud u,
= even permit her to finish the stoI
, commenced in the morning.
just then the omnibus stoppe,
and an old maiden lady, whom