The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-05-24

"Oh, Gerty," cried Eva, as the farmhouse
came in sight, ~ am SO. glad we are at home;
now / shall try my magic shoes"
But Eva's usually quiet home was in n great
state of excitement. Something unusual
seemed to have happened. which affected all
the household, though in different ways.
"What has happened?' asked Eva, anxious
! ly of Allen, when she found him alone upon
that evening,
"Why, the trouble is that we are in danger
of losing our old homestead Some one has
set up claim to it, the falsity of which cannot
be proved, because that an all-important paper
| has been lost. We have searched the house
| through, but our search has been useless One
hope still remains, that the paper may be at
grandmother's it might have been carried
there among other papers. Tomorrow will
drive over, as l am very anxious about the
affair. The loss of this farm, after 80 many
years Of hard labor bestowed upon it, will al
most kill father"
The next day was an anxious one to Eva,
| and in sympathy with her Gerty was an iods
also. She talked of going home, but Eva
would not allow it. The little lady had no idea
of having her schemes spoiled by such a move
| ment.
The long afternoon wore away slowly, as the
| girls watched the return of Allen from his
search. Afternoon changed into evening, and
the evening wore into the night. The family
concluded that Allen was not coming that night,
and accordingly they separated with no hope of
seeing him till morning. But Eva felt con-
| fdent that Allen would return that very night,
so she sat up waiting for him. walking to and
fro restlessly, and listening for the sound of
his Wheels She fancied Gerty was asleep
upon sofa where she had persuaded her to
! lie down a few moments before. No one in
| the house was stirring.
Now shall try my magic shoes" said Eva,
l am true hearted"
One slipper was little rebellous and would
not go on easily, but Eva managed at last to
! get her foot into it. Then as Gerty seemed
| sound asleep, and could not hear, she VEN
| tured to speak her wishes aloud.
First and foremost" said Eva, "since it has
been the greatest hope of my heart for q long
time, I do wish that my brother Allen would
! fall in love with and marry Gertrude Wayland.
Secondly, l wish that the paper which proves
our right to this house of my childhood may
be speedily found, and that my father may be
as happy in the possession of that which his
cheerful labor has endeared to him, as it is
possible to be-"
There was indeed the sound of wheels out
side, and Eva ran down to meet Allen, without
ever thinking of her slippers or wishes. She
met him at the door, and at the first glance his
an ious face told her that his search had been
useless.
"No hope left Eva" were his first words.
" Sooner or later we are likely to lose our
home. Grandmother has searched her house
from cellar to attic, and there is no sign of the
paper"
Wearied and depressed, Allen cast his eyes
downward, and they rested upon Evas en-
broidered slippers.
"What a fanciful pair of slippers, Eva," said
Allen, suddenly reused from his wcariness.
"Did you embroider those, little sister,
NO" said Eva, little embarrassed; they
are not mine
Wondering a little at Eya's evident confu-
sion Allen was about to relapse into his former
anxions mood, when his sister took off one of
he slippers, with the remark that it was much
tighter than the other, she wondered why it
didn't fit. Allen took up the slipper mechani-
caliy. and commenced examining it. There
seemed to be something in the toe, which oc-
cured considerable space. Listlessly Allen
pulled out that with which the tee was stuffed.
and was only little surprised when he dis
covered n neatly folded paper. He opened
the paper much in the same way as he had
taLen it from the slipper, and then suddenly
Iva was struck with unmingled WONDER to see
Ler lately sad brother jumping around the
room in a way that savored much of insanity.
I've found the Precious paper, Eva," said
Allen, at length, overtli hing table and all its
contents in his great joy.
Suddenly the affair became clear to Eva.
Some mischievous person at grandmothers
must have stuffed the paper into the slipper,
without ever dreaming that he was doing mis-
chief. One by one the family came trooping
down stairs, aroused by the great noise of the
overturned table. But none felt that they
had paid too dear for their trouble, when they
heard the good news.
"Gerty, I'm firm believer in traditions and
especially that OF the magic slippers" said Eva
one day.
"Becanse both your wishes were realized"
said Gerty :" especially the first, which seemed
very improbable"
YOU'RE traitor" cried Eva.
Not at all" was Gerty's reply. Z" ! couldn't
help hearing your wishes that night, for was
not asleep, as you supposed
In the process of time Allen and Gerty were
married, and little Eva, trusting and true
hearted, went on her way with a firm belief
in the magic slippers.