The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-09-27
THE LOST SHOES.

THE LOST SHOES.
"It is hopeless" said Percival Perry
to himself There are too many young
men in New York. There is no chance
for me. I've spent my money, and
made every possible effort. Perhaps /
| had better go and enlist and fight the
Indians-or hang myself." !"
But what had this to do with the lost
shoes? You shall see. That very day
Bellies father had written to the mis-
tress of the school in Chicago at
which his motherless daughter had re-
ceived her education:
Ny DEAR MADAM,-Please send my lit
| tie girl to me at once. have engaged
| rooms at the Queen Victoria, and long for
her. | inclose g. check which will dis
charge my Indebtedness to you as far as
| money will do it and pay her expenses
| etc., ETC., etc.
And Belle had bidden adieu to her
| school friends, and was on her way, at
tended by quite little crowd to the
station. Her trunks had been sent the
| day before, expressed to her father. and
! though, of course, she had little trav-
cling bag, she would have nothing to
think of.
| Everybody was glad of this, for Belle
was one of those young women who are
always taken in charge by their friends,
as though they were little bits of por-
celain. Directions for her eating and
sleeping were poured into her ear; bits
| of advice: Don't lose your ticket;
| don't put your head out of the window;
don't be frightened when the whistle
shrieks; don't allow strangers to speak
| to you this from the French teacher
and all this mixed up with adieux, hug
ging, kissing and hand-shaking.
Even independent Miss Ophelia Phal-
ler, who cut her hair short all round,
and would have had no hesitation in
starting any midnight for Egypt, with a
few things crammed into o handbag,
| remarked:
II shall be glad to hear that she is
safe. ~
81 suppose" said another, sit is be-
cause she is so small that one always
feels afraid she may be carried off
against her will. or lost somewhere, like
little parcel"
Then the whistle blew, and the bell
rang, adieux were uttered, and the train
was heard to shrek its way along in the
distance and was seen far away, like a
queer sort Of serpent, winding about the
hills.
Belle felt lonely at first, and cried a
little. Then she began to cheer up and
looked at the passengers and watched
their doings, and laughed at most of
them internally, schoolgirl fashion.
She slept comfortably that night in
| her compartment, and became by morn
ing quite an old traveller; and as we
have not time to describe her journey,
we will say that it passed off pleasantly,
and that as the evening approached on
which the train was to arrive in New
York she never felt in better spirits.
She had made herself as spruce as
possible; and now she took her travel
ing-bag into her hand to arrange it, for
no maiden lady was ever so particular
about her small possessions.
Her purse was in the bag, of course,
her handkerchief, and :. clean collar or
two, box of jewelry, the book she had
with her to read-you all know what it
held. And there was little bottle of
polish, we'll corked, and little sponge
with which to touch up her shoes before
she left the cars.
The shoes were high ties and easily
taken off. In the privacy of the COM
partment Belle could do as she liked.
She laid a newspaper on her lap, bright
ened the little toes of the pretty shoes,
and set them on the window-sil to dry;
her bag also stood there.
And now she wrapped the paper
about the sponge and bottle and pro-
ceeded to throw them away, for she
could not re-cork the bottle sufficiently
well not to risk spelling her bag if she
restored it to its place there
Rolling all into little ball she threw
it through window. As any boy
would have prophesied, it hit the handle
of the bag, the bag tottered, struck
against the shoes, and the next second
the window-sill was clear.
Belle thrust her head through the ap-
erture; far in the distance lay, beside
the rails, three black specks, which
vanished as she looked. Her bag, with
all Ter money in it, and her only shoes.
She was going into New York like
beggar, penniless and shoeless.
If her bag had not followed the shoes
she could have got into q cab and driv-
en- to some shoemaker's; for to arrive
at the hotel in stocking feet would be
dreadful; but, as it was. that mortitica-
ton must be faced. She would call q
cab and tell the driver-what?
.'Oh, dear! Oh. dear! Oh, dear! /
don't remember the name of papa's ho-
tell" moaned Belle, wringing her hands.
1.-The card it is written on is in that
horrible bag"
The climax had arrived. Here she
was rushing into New York alone, not
only penriless and shoeless, but home
less. She did not know where her
father was to be found. She had no
other friend in the city.
She could not 60 back to Chicago, be-
cause she had no ticket-no money to
buy one. She could not telegraph to
her father, addressing him at II don't
know where hotel" She could write to
Miss Rook; but where should she stay?
What should she do meanwhile? Even
if they would give her pen, ink and pa
per, and let her sit in the depot, she
might starve to death.
Il shall GO crazy" said poor Belle.
wringing her hands II certainly shall
go crazy"
Who can wonder that she said SOP
However. there was nothing for it but
to alight when the depot was reached
tho great 9lass-roofed place SO crowded