The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-03

that his daughter was simply an echo of HIN
self
| If he was oblivious of the fact, Nettle wa
not of another, however; and, after staring il
a bewidered way at her father moment O
two, which was extremely irritating to tn
gentleman, she burst forth triumphanty:
But, papa, you said yourself the CHECKER
was bad Why can't say it?"
This being cxasperatlng IN the extreme, tc
gether with something Aunt Janet muttered
of which he caught only 'precept and exam
pie" set them floating out further still upol
the troubled waters and further from reason
than they were accustomed to going
~ am shocked that this child should be al
lowed to speak in this manner to met
Mr.. Storm was rather majestic IN his indig
nation, and beng tall man. looke1 dowr
from his towering height (he had arisen upoi
little Mrs Storm in manner that sholld have
awed her, only it failed to at this time, to Aun
Janets bllsstul amazement.
Howard !" and there was a Iaint sparkle il
the mild blue eyes, "Nettle copies you faith
fully. You allow yourself to speak IN tina
same ill-natured manner frequently, regarding
not only our food but other mutterS; while
Nettio listens and copies you carefully. Woulc
it not be trfle more reasonable to correct
yourself first and your child later?"
Notwithstanding Aunt Janet applauded
mentally and nodded her wise old head, when
no one saw It, IT was very unwise speech, as
every one knows, to make in Nette's presence
however wholesome the lesson might prove tC
the father. But, considering how full life is
of mistakes, If not made IN that same direct.
ION, In others, who shall dare censurc Mrs
Storm, even in the face Of the fact that it was
not this plainly.spoken truth that in measure
entirely cured Mr.. Storm of unnecessary fault
finding, and Nettle later; but was owing al
most if not entirely, to poor little 'Liz'beth's
queer shoes.
1t was Immediately after this most uncom,
Portable breakfast, that had been finished in a
silence profound, that Mr.. Storm, in mind
snatched up the newspaper-we
say snatched, which is an odious word,
but it only suits the action of Mr. Storm, and
stalKed out to the shaded front porch, one
ugly trown chasing the other from his face,
while just before him lay the quiet valley, the
lofty hills beyond, crowned with crimson-top.
ped trees, quivering III the sunlight, and the
smooth, unrutiled lake; but seeing nothing Of
it all, neither the calm that rested upon noun
tain and valley, nothing OF the rich, mellow
beauty of the perfect autumn day.
AT this moment a small head bObbed up
and down; now in sight, then entirely disap
pearing behind the tall shrubbery and urns
lotting the broad sweep of lawn.
Mr. Storm left off frowning moment to
wonder; and, wondering, his face cleared
slowly, neglectlng to cloud again as a small
head plainly revealed itself at length just back
If a low bush, and the owner stood quite still,
ooklng directly IN the gentleman's face, with
he sunnlest smile resting upon the sweet, up
urned face Mr. Storm ever remembered seeing
n all his life.
'Liz'beths queer shoes were behind the
,ush, with Liz beth herself in them, and the
lcavy, heavy basket upon her arm; so it was
,nly the wlnsome face framed in the fluffy
Golden hair, and the smile that Mr.. Storm
aw, and forgotten alike was the Miniature and
he cause of It, as he called in low tones, too
ow for Liz beth to hear, for Mrs. Storm, Aunt
anet and Nettie to come out at once.
"Who Is it, papa?" Nettie reached the
)orch first.
what a pretty pictured" exclaimed Mrs.
storm, who had an artistic eye. 1.-THE pale
ND that flaming tltoma Just back of her"
There! That's a tace, Nettie, III wager is
with frowns! can see it," said
AUNT Janet, decidedly. "Who is it,"
81 don't know" replied Mr. Storm, watch.
ng the silent figure curiously Come here,
title GIRL Is there anything you wish ?"
That was just what Liz beth wished-an
INVITATION to approach. 0! a wise and proper
title woman was LIZ beth, you must know,
she did live In a dreadfully poor old house,
nd sell "fat WOOD and wear queer shoes.
Therefore, she came up, when invited, in a
uiet, pretty way-that is, as pretty as the
readtul shoes would allow; and then, when
he stood directly before them all, unabashed,
ct 80 humble in her clean. patched Calico
ress, much too lOng-what could either poor
LIZ beth or the superanuated aunt know of
lshlons, prays Nettie Immediately, but real
y without any intention to wound, broke into
merry peal of laughter, exclalming:
80! what queer shoes"
So they were, poor 'Liybeth and even Mrs.
torn smiled; but Mr.. Storm ond Aunt Janet
'ere very grave-very grave, indeed.
1t was not because LIZ beth's shoes were SO
cry old; yet goodness knows they were old
nough. There was this about them, they had
ever been made for 'Liz'beth's tiny feet or
ven been bought for her. They belonged to
he old aunt, and were low calfskin buskns,
3 she called them; and, as they in no way
tied 'Llz'beths feet, the ingenious little brain
al devised novel method of keeping them
n. An old, faded, black ribbon she hau pass
i directly under the instep, tying 1t very Sc
urely upon the top, in what Liz'beth consld-
red very extraordinary bow.
You will see at once the space there must
ecessarily have been between Liz beth's heel
nd the heel of the buskin, and no one save
lis odd little lassie would have considered 1t
ossible or necessary to utilize that space; but
liz beth, having an eye to business and con-
dering her dress had no pocket (her dresses
ever did have pockets in some wiv). she fill.
these spaces with the twlne taken from the
lat wood" at the sales
You must know she was obliged to carry a
uantlty with her when she started out; for
the tied up bundles fell apart or
roke, and how nice and easy II was to whlsk
bit of this Irvine from the heel of her shoes
nj tie up the bundles again in whisk.
When bunch was sold, she invariably ask.
l for the Irvine about it, and 1t was lmmedi-
Iely stored away in the heel of those handy
hoes.
They were very handy shoes, Liz'beth
NlN