National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-12
THE LOST SLIPPER.

"Gracious, what small slippers! Don't
they pinch your feetS"
"By George, Miss Ellis, what little feetp'
"ohl" echoed the baby. "see um tuu-
min tootsies!"
The pretty young governess, the object
of these frank and warm CALCULATIONS,
blushed slightly, stamped into her rubber
boots (for she wore those sensible II not
strictly beautiful things), and carefully
tucked pair Of diminutive and very CO.
| quettish slippers, one In each bootleg.
snow, 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 prolonged whoop, ending by an i'm
promptu clog dance and somersault
that won MIN the envy and admiration OF
his sisters.
Bessie Ellis walked quickly through the
snow, enjoying the great white fakes. She
did few errands In the village, made a
| call on friend, and returned home, to be
| met on the steps by the Florence children
with untouched lessons, and the impor-
tant announcement that Uncle Fred had
come.
Knowing that lessons would be suspended
during his stay, she took of 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 ! shall go suffering round
In those old, worn-out things 4"
And she beat the one slippered foot
| Grossly on the floor, and the tears came into
Il haH hrgt Aha % H..
| pretty room, and drowned her sorrows tenn
porarily in "The House on the Marsh"
Fred Hilton was In the music room drum
ming on the piano, and telling the candy
devouring children the story OF Cinderella.
| Not that he had been reminded OF that de-
| lightful tale by any recent art exhibit, but
| because In the pocket Of his sealskin coat.
hanging at that momentin the hall, reposed
| very small ard dainty bronze slipper,
which he had found half hidden by some
bushes on his way from the village to the
| house.
"Well, here's a find Too sweet and
pretty to return to the owner, even II l find
her."
And his eyes beamed approval at the ex-
qusito thing as it lay IN his hand.
"Cgsarl II could find a pretty Massa-
chusetts Girl who claimed the ownership OF
this, and was bright aud nice, and was not
horribly short, I'D marry her-yes, sir %
For the fastidious Fred had but Just re-
turned from Louisiana, where he had had
any quantity Of fairy feet, and had found
them so sadly ncking In the northern
beauties whom he had met since his return
home that he seriously contemplated re-
turning to the sunny south aud marrying a
wife there.
He himself was good looking and with
"weulth galore"
Bessie had seen him once from her win
dow coastiDg with the children, and ad.
mred his fine appearance and his boundless
good nature. They met but seldom, novey
exchanging more than greeting, although
Fred tried hard TO see more of her, as she
was the only pretty girl within any dis.
| lance.
Her old slippers were not very attractive
and she said nothing regarding her loss, 90
he never for an instance suspected that his
heroine was SO near.
He was OF again In week, and soon hil
sister, Mrs, Florence, had letter from him
saying he had started abroad.
He was not much given to romance OF
sentiment, but somehow that slipper 70
NAMED with him, and he dreamed over Il
rather more than was quite fair, as there