St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-07
THE Lest SLIPPER.

ON! echoed the baby. See UNI tunnln
tootsiesr'
The pretty young gOverneSs, the object of
these frank and warm calculations. blushed
slightly, stamped into her rubber boots (for
she wore these sensible if not strictly beau
titul things, and carefully tucked pair of
diminutive and very coquettish slippers, one
III each bootleg.
NOW. children, have your French ready
by the time am back"
And Jack. Molly and Crackers, the baby,
wishes her ''bon voyage" in various degrees
of shrillneSs, while Jack gave vent to a
prolonged whOop, ending by imprOmptu
clog dance and a somerSault that won him
the envy of his sisters.
Bessie Ellis walked quickly through the
snow, enjoying the great white flakes. She
did a few errandS in the village, made call
on a friend. returned home. to be met on
the steps by the Florence children with I'M
touched lessons and the important announce
ment that Uncle Fred had come.
Knowing that lessons would be suspended
during his stay she took off her boots and
missed a slipper.
She sat down on the leather seat in the
hall and gave herself up to woe.
There. L could just cry! Only the
second time I'd worn them, and they were
SO pretty, and now l shall go suffering
round in those old, WORKOUT thngsr'
And she beat the one slippered foot
GROSSLY on the floor, and the tears came into
her brown eyes. She went to her own
pretty room, and drowned her sorrows
temporarily in 1.-The House on the Marsh"
Fred Hilton was in the music room
drumming on the piano, and telling the
candy-devOuring children the story of Cind-
erella. Not that he had been reminded of
that delightful story by any recent art ex-
hibit but because in the pocket of his seal
skin coat. hanging at that moment in the
hall. reposed very small and dainty bronze
slipper, which he had found half hidden by
some bushes on his way TO the village to the
house.
''Wen, here's find! Too sweet and
pretty to return to the owner, even if find
her,"
And his eyes beemed approval at the ex-
quisite thing as it lay in his hand.
Caesar! If | could ind pretty Massa-
chusetts girl who claimed the ownership of
this, and was bright and nice, and was not
horribly short I'd marry her-yes STRIP
For the fastidious Fred had but just re-
turned from Louisiana, where be had had
any quantity of fairy feet, and had found
them so sadly lacking in the Northern
beauties whom he had met since his return
home that he seriously contemplated re-
turning to the sunny south and marrying a
wife there.
He himself was good-looking and with
''wealth galore"
Bessie had seen him once from her win
dow coasting with the children, and admired
his fine appearance and his boundless good
nature. They met but seldom, never ex-
changing more than a greeting although
Fred tried hard to see more of her, as she
was the only pretty girl within any distance.
Her old slippers were not very attractive,
and she said nothing regarding her loss, so
he never for an instant suspected that his
heroine was so near
He was off again in a week. and soon his
sister, Mrs. Florence. had letter from him,
saying he had started abroad.
He was not much given to romance or
sentiment, but somehow that slipper re-
manned with him, and he dreamed over 1t
rather more than was quite fair, as there
was other slirpers in the world quite as
lovely.
At last he came back to America after
journeying all over Europe.
There was a charming New York girl
who he knew. was going 10 spend the win
ter in Montreal. This city Immediately
rose in his estimation. and thither he went.
He paid assiduous suit to the damsel who
hailed from the Empire city, and was ire
sistably fascinating, like all the inhabitants
of that delightful place. In fact, he was
becoming quite in earnest.
He went to one of the great ice rlnks de-
ternined to skate with his pretty fascinator
and astOniSh the natives-a somewhat diff
cult feat.
He entered and glanced around for his
proposed partner, when he encountered a
pair of brown eyes which looked slightly
startled on seeing him. and then the owner
of them smiled an amused and mischieyOus
smile as she skated gracefully away, fol-
lowed by many eyes, among which those of
Fred shOne pleased surprise and interest,
for her glittering skates were by great
deal Che would have said by several feet
shorter than any others present.
''Well, 1 guess have found my Cind-
erella. The face looks familiar, too, but /
can't place her. Such a lovely and rare
combinatiOn-brown eyes and yellow hair"
He hurried on his skates, never again
looked for Miss Lorrey. the New Yorker.
whose image had entirely fled from this
ickle-hearted and susceptible young man.
He made few strokes, and, getting well
started, determined to do what the painfully
frank small boy would call showing OFF,
before the new skater.
He really was fine skater, and did his
best, cutting circles and grape-vineS and
rolling in way that equaled the Canadians
themselves, and inveuting several little
turns of his own which were very nice.
The smallfooted lady went skating calm
ly by, keeping perfect time to the band
music. and always alone. except once when
she waltzed with very young naval officer
"a 15-year-old middy-who whirled her
nd % h., A.,
women and envied by the men until he SO
swelled with pride that he nearly burst the
buttons off his tight little jacket.
Fred suffered exquisite. admiring torture
watching her skate. which was lessened
only by the thought there were a lot OF
other fellows as badly off as he. He would
have skated up to her without an introdue-
ton, but he was afraid of being unmerci-
fully chatfed by his comrades.
She went home in a short time under the
escort of the proud and happy MILDLY, and
Fred left soon after.
In the blIiard-room he met Charlie Ar
berton who was friend of his.
Said Charlie:
Halo, old boy! Saw you at the Victoria
an hour ago. Tried to catch your eye
couldn't"
II say, Charlie. do you know who that
magnificent creature is with the feet anG
the eyes and the hair in bronze wig?"
s'Eighty-ninth man, my dear boy, who
has asked me that. A hopeless case
lightweight rivals. Jove! It's enough Il
break man all up. No. She only burs
upon the public eye this morning. when sht
appeared at the rink with the baby in but
tons"
The next day he dared the tongues of all