The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-05-26
The Magic Slippers.

II any one had wanted to find Eva Arnold,
they would have had to look behind . shady
and fragrant hedge OF wild roses and grape
vines, There sat tho witch, IS her brother
Allen called her, with book IN her hand, and,
wonderful to relate, a grave look upon her
face.
~ do wonder II that tradition about our
family Is true. will ask grandmother all
about Il when SEQ her,
az do wouder II that tradition Is true, /" said
littlo Eva, aRaiu, just ~ she was about to sink
10 sleep. aft II IA true, aud tho shoes are yet
in existence, will borrow or steal them, and
that as soon as possible"
great cloui OF dust, aud great rattle Of
wheels heralled the approach Of the coach.
And IN that coach wss Eya's long looked for
schoolulate, Gertrude Wayland. At the gate
OF Farmer ArnoldS substantial mansion stood
Eva, waiting eagerly 10 catch the frat glimpse
Of her FREUD. Her brother Allen, hidden In q
secure nook, was also looking out with no little
curiosity I'd sec tho rcil.haired divinity, 50 much
Yauntcd by his sister. .-....U. =
"After ALL said he 70 himself, NJ he walked
toward the brook with his fishing apparatus un-
der hiS ar1n ~ did not dislike the looks Of her
rs much M Thought should, but that Is no
reason that should fall III lnvO with her." And
Allen. who lad no SmAll share Of vanity, laugh
cd aloud. s.=g.
snow, Allen, I've caiight yoil at last, cried
Eva, triumphantly, as she discovered her
brother ruidiuG under the fAyoritO hedge.
"Nuw stand up and let inc introduce you to my
friend Gerty;tlG best Of hchOolnlatct."
Allen arose and greeted tho divinity In the
graceful aud self.p0sscsSed manner natural 10
him. FUStle first time lie had ftll view Of
her Ia:e By tue morning light. twas not q
beautiful face, not even pleasing face ut frSt
sight, and Allen was keen Ndmi er OF beauty ;
but 1t was II peculiar face, SGcli one as makes
an inarCRSlOI upon ones mind not easily for
gotten. EvA'E face was flushed with her morn
Ing walk, but q 1rtrudO's RaS remarkably pale
there was, too. S0lcrncSS and dignity abont
her, which was entirely stranger to Era'E
character. Allen, As he entered with much po-
liteness though ith little zeal into cOnyerSa-
tion In which Eva took the principal share. Sc
Gro " wondered how two such disimilAr char
zctefs could have formed such close friend
ship. But ho concluded that there was no
accounting for wOmen's whims.
"You must drive lin over TO grandmothers y
to-day, Allen, said Eva. ~ positively must
80 there to-day"
"wCll. then, II that Is the case, will drive
You over and as women never can keep
secret, III tho course Ut timO yours will come
out, and then shall have my laugh"
"Agreed," said Eva, "Only drive us over.
II was pleasant drive OF FIVE or SIX miles,
yet Allcu, who usually took tho principal part
In conversation, was remarkably quiet, LISTEN
ing to the chat OF tho two girls without at
tempting 10 interrupt Il.
Her hair was not red after all, II was really
pale, golden color, and hoatcd around the
whito face, as he had seen It In some pictures:
After all, shC was unlike any one else ho had
ever known, and sho had the sweetest voice
he had ever heard. But the idea Of falling In
love with hor was really too absurd to eontetn-
plate. ALLEY
"Graldmo,her," said Eva, after long
silence, which she employed in contemplating
the movements Of . very pretty little foot,
which tapped neryously upon the door
" Grandmother, ! wish you would toll u the
legend Of tho magic slippers, which heard
once when was very little girl. It's tradi-
ton about our family, isn't Il p
"Why, child, It's only silly story about
pair OF slippers. No one believes 1t now'a-
days" i,
. aBut the story. grandmother, II you please"
Z, "Well, said the old lady, as she adjusted
her SpectacleS "thcy Say that an ancestor o.
ours vas once climbing steep and rugged hill
and found near tho top poor man. covered
with wounds aud nearly dead with cold and loss
Of blood. Our ancestor carried him home In
his arms and tended him carefully until he was
recovered Whom the stranger grew strong and
well, they discovered that he was avery hand
Some man. with eyes remarkable for their bril-
lIancy. When he was going away he gave 10
the wife Of 0ur ancestor pair OF slippers.
Therewas nothing remarkable about the slip
pers themselves, hnt AZ tho story runs, thoy
were endowed With a rare gift BY the stranger.
Any woman In his -bencfsctrGsS' family, whose
feet these slippers would tit, provided also that
she were trde hearted woman, while she wore
tho magic slippers, would have all the wishes
made ut that timo realized. Dut there arc but
few OF our family hose feet the ShOes would
at from those who have worn Them however,
there have como wonderful stories Of their
great virtue. But as for me, Eva, have an
idea that the story sall nonsense. The slippers
woull never begin to Ct my feet, and ! never
had any faith In them, 50 that no wishes OF
minc ever were realized In that way. ."-lg E
"Dut have you really got tho slippers, grand
mother 2" said Eva, eagerly. s.aas y,url', =.
az did have them when | was young per-
haps thCy arc IN Tho attic somewhere now.
but, blOss my heart, child, you're not going to
hunt after thctnT
"YcS, grandmother, really think they
would (lt me, and should like to Try them" ~
Such looking, and such devastation never
was hoard OF before. Grandmother would
have been struck dumb II she could hare seen
her attic during the progress OF the hunt.
Gerty vet herself to putting to rights what Eva
left In disorder, hut II was no easy job. Sud-
denly Eva uttered 4 cry OF delight. ~
"t'vc found then" cried Eva, triumphantlyi
"now wonderif they'll ilt"
And away ran the madcap, covered With dust
and Q nest Of bOwilderCd spiders.
!" I declare" said grandmother, ~ they
don't ft you exactly; ono would think they
werc made for you.
And susO enough they lifted exactly. Eva
took them on very soou, and folded them up
In their wrapper, remembering that grand
mother had said that she who wore them must
DO 4 true hearted woman. She wanted time 10
think whether she were true hearted or not.
: II 80 happened that Eva had no more oppor-
tunitles for trying on tho slippers while the
visit lasted. so sGe carried thom home with
her. Allen did not make his appearance TO
drive them homo, but In bis stoad ono Of tho
farm tAhhrOfa