The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-30

trouble as he himself had often travelled
through on their worn but faithful soles
Breaking off from these idle fancies at
length, he went down to the cafe; and
there he had the pleasure of dining at a
table not far from Blanche Littimer.
But, to his surprise, she was alone. Her
father did not appear during the meal.
CHAPTER III.
The fact was that the awful possibility,
mere conjecture of which had frightened
Crombie, had occurred. Littimer had
received the young mans shoes in place
of his own.
They happened to fit him moderately
we'll so that he, likewise, did not notice
the exchange until he had started for his
Office. He believed in walking the entire
distance, no matter what the weather
and to this practice he made rare excep-
tions. But he had not progressed very
far before he became annoyed by an un-
accustomed intrusion of dampness that
threatened him with cold. He looked
down, carefully surveyed the artificial
casing of his extremities, and decided to
hail the first unoccupied coupe he should
meet. 1t was some time before he found
one and when finally he took his seat in
the luxurious little bank parlor at Broad
street, his feet were quite wet.
His surprise at this occurrence was
doubled when, on taking off the shoes
and scrutinizing them more closely, he
ascertained that they were the work of
his usual maker. What had happened to
him ? Was he dreamingP It seemed to
him that he had gone back many years;
that he was poor young man again, en-
tering upon his first struggle for a foot
hold in the crowded, selfish, unhomelike
metropolis. He remembered the day when
he had worn shoes like these.
He sent out for an assortment of new
ones, from which, with unnecessary Law
ishness, he chose and kept three or four
pairs. All the rest of the day, neverthe-
less, those sorry congress boots of Crom-
bie's, which he had directed his office boy
to place beside the softcoal fire, fer dry
ing, faced him with sort of hunting
look. However much he might be occu.
pied with weightier matters, he could not
keep his eyes from straying in that direc-
ton; and whenever they rested on that
battered "right" and that way-worn
"left," turned up in that mute, appealing
bOPOpO hu0 uoClCoouOoo NJ tuO lChuOiy LID
thoughts required to his early years of
trial and poverty. All | how greatly he
had changed since then On some &C.
counts he could almost wish that he we're
poor again. But when he remembered
Blanche, he was glad, for her sake, that
he was rich.
But if for her sake, why not for others
Perhaps he had been rather selfish, not
only about Blanche but toward her. His
conscience began to reproach him. Had
he made for her large life ? Since her
mothers premature death, had he in
stilled into her sympathies, tastes, com.
Partnerships that would make her exist
ence the richer ? Had he not kept her
too much to himself ? On the other
hand. he had gratifed all her material
wants she could wear what she pleased,
she could 60 where she chose, she had
acquaintance of sort becoming to the
daughter of wealthy man. Yet there
was something lacking. What did she
know about old, usedup boots and all that
pertains to themp What did she know
about indulgence, real privation, and brave
endurance, such as hundred thousand
fellow.creatures all around her were I'M
dergoiug2
Somehow it dawned upon the old banker
that if she knew about all things and had
some share in them, albeit only through
sympathy and helping, she might be
happier, more truly woman, than she
was now.
As he sat alone, in revery, he actually
hesved deep sigh. A sigh is often as
happy deliverance as laugh, in this
world of sorrows. 1t was the first that
had escaped Littimer in years. Let us
say that it was breathing space, which
gave him time for reflection it marked
the turning of leaf it was the begin
ming of new chapter in his life.
Before he left the bank he locked the
door of the private parlor, and was alone
for two or three minutes. The office boy
was greatly puzzled the next morning
when he found all the new pairs of shoe:
ranged intact in the adjoining cupboard
The old ones were missing.
Littimer had gone away in them, fur
lively. He was ashamed of his owl
impulse.
This time he resolutely remained afoo
instead Of hiring carriage. He dis
patched mes senger to Blanche, saying
that sudden business would prevent hi
returning to dinner, and continued in
definitely on his wsy-whither ? AS t,
that he was by no means certain b.
knew only that he must get out Of tn
, beaten track, out of the ruts. For an hou
or two he must ce ,se to be Littimer, tn
prosperous moneyed man, and must treat
, once more the obscure paths through
which he had made his way to fortune
He could hardly have explained tn
prompting which he obeyed. Could i
have had anything to do with the treach
, erous holes in the bottoms of those oil,
shoes
As it CHANGED, he passed by the Erie,
. Cat;" and, dingy though the place was
he felt an irresistible desire to enter il
} Seating himself, he ordered the regula
dinner of the day. The light was dim
the tablecloth was dirty; the attendanc
, was irregular and distracted. Littime
took one sip of the sour wine--which ha'
a flavor resembling vinegar ard carmin
ink in equal parts-and left the furthe
, contents of his bottle untasted. The sour
! the stew, and the faded roast that wer
: set before him, he could scarcely swallow
but a small cup of coffee at the end of tn
! well.nigh Barmecide repast came in YER
palatably.
, In default Of prandial attractions, Litti
mar triad IN occupu hiuuaIf hv lonbin0 q