Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-08-30
'LIZBETH'S QUEER SHOES.

'LIz'BETH'S QUEER SHOES.
Possibly some one will think Liz beth
not the person at all for heroine, from
the fact that everything connected with
her was so simple; no romance of any
sort. Why, it quite obliges one to laugh
in the jolliest sort of way, thinking of
little Liz beth in connection with any
thing wonderful or at all astonishing
Still, this same little girl came up before
the selfish vision of an individual one
bright day Us the embodiment of every
thing wonderful and astonishing, as you
will perceive when we reach that point,
teaching tenderly sweet lesson in the
most unconscious manner possible.
She lived just across the lake, with II
supcrannuated aunt, in tumble-down
cottage, that had not the appearance of
ever having seen better days, or they
were soremote that every trace had van
ished.
The house had still one habitable room
and bedroom adjoining. There were
other rooms; but they were left to the
bats and owls, the ceiling being all bro
ken np, the windows out, and everything
else in such n generally dilapidated con-
dition they were good for nothing else,
Very unromantic and cherries, there
fore, was Liz beth's surroundings to ev-
cry one save LII beth herself, who
thought it a fine thing, grand thing
even, to be able to give house-room to
the stray bats and birds; and at one time
a bold, very large-eyed owl ventured
into one of these rooms at night, and
screeched after the manner of owls in
general, frightening 'Liz'bet half out
of her wits. But, when she recovered
she seemed likely to explode with glee.
There was so little in her life to catch
hold of or worth remembering in the way
of brightness that this was quite an event
She loved the sunshine, did this oddly
happy little Liz beth. The great, gold
en-, mighty sun, moving slowly up in the
blue sky, was just as much her own as
the most favored child in the world.
She knew this and took an immense
sight of comfort from the fact
She could not have told you why she
was so happy the day through, even
when tho meals were scant and the
aunt querulous, and ''fat wood hard to
find. The drops of sunshine, forever
lying snug and warm in the little heart,
would bubble up and overflow, in spite
of the hard days that came all too often !;
and this brings us almost to Liz beth's
queer shoes, only it will be necessary TO
cross the lake, first of all, to the beauti-
full ''Villa" upon the bank, and catch u
hurried view of matters there. II is alb
solutely necessary to do this, in order TO
reach the shoes properly.
Liz beth had wondered many times
who lived in the fine house just across
the lake, and as many times calculated
The distance around and the possibility
of another customer.
An eye To- business had this wise little
woman.
To all urging, however, the old aunt
gave decided negative. IL was too
far; so ut length, Liz beth left off ask
ing or wishing, and then, to her glad
surprise, one day the aunt announced
her willingness. And The very next day,
quite bending with the weight of the
great, heavy basket, Liz beth trudged
along the dusty road leading around the
Lake, in the direction of the beautiful
home upon the opposite bank.
A soft breeze swept up from the Lake,
over the fragrant bloom of flowers upon
the lawn, and quite entering the break
fast room of this house Ca room over
looking the Lake and the flowers) filed
it with dewy, odorous freshness. The
sunlight, drifting in, also shot quivering
shafts of light over silver and cut-glass.
A bright, beautiful room it was; perfect
in arrangement and adornment. But
all this, alas! was miserably married and
disiigured by two scowling faces beside
the breakfast table-the owner of this
richly appointed home and the only little
daughter of the house.
If the truth must be spoken, i'm all the
world there could not have been found q
more dissatisfied, fault-finding little miss
than this same Nettie Storm.
This dissatisfied, fault-finding spirit
was not the result of deprivation of
comforts and luxuries; nor through ill
health; nor lack of attraction, for the lit
tie face, framed in the soft brown curls,
was strikingly pretty, when not disfig-
ured by an ugly frown or discontinued
pout of the red lips.
The disagreeable fact was that Nettie
had in part inherited this peculiar trait
from the paternal side, and, not having
received proper check from either,
seemed in &C fair way of marring her
whole future.
"My dearr' Mr.. Storm was critically
examining wing of broiled chicken,
done TO charm. 81 do think that here
in the country, at least, our food could
be palatable. Chloe has overdone this
chicken and it smells of burn.'
I" was thinking it very NICE" expos
tulatcd mild, rather tired-out Mrs. Storm,
who seldom reproved either husband or
child; but bore every fresh outbreak with
martyred resignation, that invariably
caused Aunt Janet (who usually spent
two months of the year mt the Lake) to
shoot out innumerable fireworks from her
indignant eyes and wish TO thrash these
three persons in succession, as she de-
clared privately.
/" II is delicious, Howard, and think
Chloe perfect in the way Of broiling and
baking" supplemented Aunt Janet, de-
cidedly.
A disagrceable silence followed; that
was broken, at length, by Ncttie, who,
having arisen too early (not through
compulsory had been chasing from
house to garden and Lake, and in con-
sequence. was tired and very warm,
which small matter was sufficient at any
time TO bring the Miniature to the sur
face.
There's nothing fit TO eat, Mammal! i
don't like chicken! Why can't Chloe
give us steakp'
Don't let me hear you speak in this
manner again, particularly OF your food,
Miss Ncttic,'' commanded Mr. Storm, in
the reverse Of gentle tones and seemingly
obivious of the fact that his daughter
was simply an echo OF himself.
II he was oblivious of the fact, Nettie
sas not of another. however; and altar