Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-04

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/ yesterday He gazed upon it fondly. If
Mademoiselle Elise had owned n foot like
/ that, now, she might have some excuse for
her overweening vanity. But hers why,
alongside of this tiny slipper her shoes were
mountains, thought the old actor contempt
uously. He cast ono more lingering look at
the object Of his singular affection, shook his
fist openly at the cobblcr within, and reluc-
tnntly tore himself away.
After this, every morning and evening saw
/ Thevenard passing and repassing the stall,
and casting furtive glances at the slipper
never absent from its post while he drew
/ sketches in his fancy of the unknown pos
SCISSOR. endowing her with every beauty, and
falling desperately in love with this dnmscl
of his own creation. Truly old fools arc the
worst fools Here was II man who had new
! er cared the value Of a straw for any living
woman, now utterly succumbiug before the
imaginary charms of an invented one and
| this thing went on from day to day, until one
may, the slipper was missing Yes gone
and where; Forgetting his former repulsc,
/ Thcvcnard rushed hoadlOng into the shop,
and demanded who had taken it, and when.
The cobbler, startled out of his usual
! phlegm by the actors impetuosity, found
words to say that it had just been called for
! the woman had not left the shop two minutes
before. Two whole minutes Horrible In
what direction had she gone Nay, that was
more than he could tell He thought to the
! right no, TO the left on the whole he was
not certain which. 1t was sure to be one or
the other, though. But long before this part
! ing shot, Thevenard had vanished The
street outside was wellngh empty. To the
| right he could see no one but two old men
and n small boy. 10 the eft-yes, there was
ii woman, true enough, aud almost out Of
sight. 1t was his last chance, and Thevenard
fairly look to his heels and ran full speed af-
| ter the fast retreating figure.
Now at fifty.One, running is neither so
! pleasant nor so easy as at twenty, and by the
time he had nearly caught up with the object
of his race our poor actor was nearly spent
and gnsped and painted so that the young
woman turned around with II natural curos-
! ity to know what on earth was the matter
She was not a bad-looking peasant girl. c-
! ther. with fresh, rec cheeks, broad shoulders
bright eyes, and hands and feet big enough
for grenadier Her dress denoted poverty,
and oh joyful sight she Carried a small
| parcel which Thevenard pointed to. speech
less with haste and anxiety.
The girl looked at him in some alarm
strongly suspecting him of being madman
which suspicion was hardly alayed when he
stammered forth the single word slipper ~
| Mechanically she opened the bundle and dis
| played the precious little shoe within and
! now Theyenard began to realize how very
difficult il would be to explain himself more
| fully. Taking courage, however, from the
! good-natured expression on the young peas
ants face, he began slowly to tell his story,
and finally made clean breast of it, and
! begged to be allowed to see the owner of the
slipper Confding to the girl his name and
station-and very much surprised at her new
cr having heard of him before-he bac ked
his modest request with a shining piece of
gold and the fervent assurance that if the fair
unknown proved all that he was confident of
finding her lie would ask her to be his wife (,
and that if not he would go quietly away, so
that no one would be the wiser, while one, at
least, would be the richer for the scheme.
Whether the gold did the deed, or the con-
temptation of the strangers rich dress and
courtly manners whether overcome by his
earnest pleadings, or by the desire of benefit
ing her young mistress, it would be hard to
say but after little hesitation the girl con-
sented to allow Thevenard to catch glimpse
of the object of his fantastic admiration, pro-
vided he would maintain profound secrecy
and implicitly obey her directions. After
all, Mile. Cynthia was poor-ah, so very
poor 1t would be a fine thing for her to
have rich husband like monsieur, even if
his hair was gray. Better, surely, than the
And that her own circumstances would be
materially benefited by the change, Justine
saw quite as plainly and visions of wages
paid and necklace of gold beads began to
float dimly through her brain as she turned
over in her mind the best scheme for bring
ing about this all-desred state Of affairs.
BY the time they had arrived at their des-
tination she had determined on her plan of
action--hke the quick -witted young woman
hot gl r,av.parl 20, Il
that he had won an active instead of pas
sive ally to his cause. The house was mean,
low and poverty stricken in appearance, and
as the girl opened the dingy door she turned
and said in low voice, ''Will monsieur fol-
low me and very quietly. Mademoselle's
sisters-they hear if but mouse runs through
the hall"
With this caution she led the way through
n narrow entry into the room, half kitchen,
half dining room, but wholly squalid and un-
inviting. Thevenard-that most fastdious
gentleman-picked his way gingerly along,
looking rs miserable fish ont of water.
but more than ever determined to rescue this
hidden pearl from such wretched casket if
| it cost hm-yes, if it cost him half day in
this detestable kitchen, he would go through
| with it. Nevertheless, an expression nearly
akin to despair passed over his handsome
face when the girl opened tho pantry door
and disclosed medley of dishes and sauce
pans, washed and unwashed, with various
| other kitchen utensils more useful than orna-
mental and more greasy than was agreeable,
inviting him to step within until Mile. Gym
thia could be brought down. Poor Theven-
ard He hesitated, drew back, and then,
with a resigned shrug of the shoulders, step
ped into the hOrrid little hole, trying, with
| pathetic earnestness, to avoid touching any
of its heterogeneous contents.
He had scarcely inhaled one Whit of the
air, redolent with onions, garlic and stale ham
fat, and was still holding his lace handker-
chief before his suffering nose, when sharp
voice changing through the little entry fairly
made him jump with terror and drop his
handkerchief into pan of grease at his feet.
"Justine, You lazy good for nothing! :" cried
this dreadful voice, before the amable speak
er was even visible, you never bought the
| bread while you were gadding about the
streets, and there is not a crumb in the
house"
With these words, the kitchen door flew
| open and Thevenard's heart sank into his
boots. Was this the owner Of the slipper
Why had he ever come into such u dreadful
house Yet no it could not be. This ap-
| partition, short, stout, with face as express
| i've as u pump handle, and voice ms tuneful
as a parrots scrooch! That tiny shoe to fit
such feet as hers Why, a dozen such slip
pers would hardly cover their circumference
Thevenard drew a sigh of relief so profound
that it was wonder the sharp ears outside
did not catch it, and Justine began sullenly
to explain why she had neglected the given
orders. Being roundly abused ali the time,
and having fine, high temper of her own,
the alteration soon grew lively, and the un-
happy prisoner in the closet was in fair way
of being completely forgotten, when a third
actor appeared ON the scene Again Theven-
ards blood runs cold. This, then, must be
| Cynthia, this woman, tall angular, with faded
silk train sweeping the dirty floor, and faded
flowers and feathers stuck in her frowzy hair
This absurd travesty of fashion, with high
heeled shoes and ragged stockings, bare,
withered arms and GENTLE simper Horror
on horror He would rather it would be the
other one. Yet stay A chance is left him
still. The second lady has come with some
| fresh complaint and the first, abandoning