St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-11
MY SISTERS SLIPPER.

MY SISTERS SLIPPER.
Nora is seated in the embrasure Of the
! window intent on mending an old Slip
per- We are not working in the shop
because some of the machinery is out OF
order, and you may be sure we are only
too glad to get little rest.
1t is pretty hard to be poor, and
doubly SO for beautiful girl like Nora.
| never could understand how Jed
| Hampton could 90 away and forget such
a face as hers That was three years
ago, when we we're all living up in Yer
mont with Aunt Huldah. Jed Hamp-
| ton was summer bOarder and fell i'll
| at our house, and Nora nursed him
until he was well. | thought they were
in love with each other, but at the end
of the season he left with only friendly
gOod-by.
knew it cut her to the heart to have
| him run off in that way, but she hid her
| SORROWS and tried to forget him.
AfterAu Hulda died and we were
| thrown on our own resources friend
got us both situations in large Boston
| factory. and here we have been ever
since. Only yesterday Nora alarmed
| me by saying that the senior member OF
| the firm for whom we worked had made
her an Of1er or marriage.
Why crusty old bachelor of fifty
had made up his mind at last to marry
| was a mystery but Nora had decided to
| accept him, because we were so dread
| fully poor. ] knew in her heart, how
! ever. she still cherished the memory of
| her handsome lover, Jed Hampton.
Mr.. Steele is coming for his answer
| this evening and note how wan her
| face looks as she sits by the open win
| dow, sewing on the shabby slipper.
| From the street come the sounds of
boy singing ''SiIver Threads Among
the Gold"
"Of all the impudent little beastsw
spring up in amaZement at my sis
ter's ejaculation, and then we both
| burst ont laughing, for there, on the
outer edge of the windOw-ledge, sits a
ridiculOusly solemn little monkey, with
Nera's slipper tightly clasped in one
skinny arm!
We are in the second story of q long
brick block, with balcOnied win ows,
and the animal has probably made his
way hither with ease from some neigh
boring apartment.
We both make dash at him, but he
eludes us and is gone. Nora, looking
after him. presently reports that he has
entered the fourth window from ours,
and wonders with laugh if she will
see her slipper again.
While we are discussing our modest
supper of bread and butter, apple sauce
and tea, our landlady knocks at the
door. arise and open it. Vaguely in
the shadowy hall behind Mrs. Burgess
looms a tall dark figure.
Miss Ellis, this gentleman has your
/ sisters sllppelZat least | told him
that | thought it was hers. Will yOn
But the good woman never finishes
her sentence, for the man moves for
ward and looks directly over my head
at Nora, who has pushed her chair back
from the table and stands smiling
bravely, but so white that L fear she
will faint
stephen, Mr.. Hampton" l say, gra-
ciously, adding by way of explanation
to Mrs. Burgess, The gentleman is an
old acquaintance"
stairs. close the door with thrObbing
heart and await developments.
Jed Hampton! l do not wonder Nora
loves him, he is so big and dark and
handsome!
Nora, poor child, is trying to utter
some conventional words of greeting,
but he will have none of it, and | laugh
and sob simultaneously as he takes one
long stride and SwOOps her into his
arms.
my darling!-my little sweetheart"
he cries, jOyously. ''Haye | really
found you?-and all owing to that alb
surd little monkey. which l brought
home from Cuba!'
But Nora has dropped mask of ice
over her face and is pushing him away.
Tod oft lCrin nl hot
is it, Nell? She isn't promised to some
other felow?"
l shake my h ad. 1--WE thought that
you were promised to some other GIRL"
| venture, despite Morals frown of re-
mOnStrance.
l am determined to have this affair
cleared up, if possible. The thought
of Mr.. 'Steele'S intended visit makes me
desperate.
Jed hushes guiltily. $50 was,'' he
says, promised when mere boy to
girl of whom wearied in a year. But
: held myself in honor bound to her. !
actually ran away from Nora. | loved
her so [ dare not stay. What despica-
BILE brute must have seemed to you!
What was my relief, on returning to the
woman whom | intended to marry. to
find that she had thrown aside her vows
to me to wed another. She also had
wearied of the boy and girl bethrOthal.
Business detained me for time in
the West, and when l returned to find
Nora you were both gone, no one knew
where. All this time have been hunt
ing fer you. To-day JOcko-lucky mon
key-brought me this little slipper"
Here he takes it rather sentimentally
from breastrpOcket and kisses it with
great tenderness, which performance l
witness with approval-Nora with shy
blushes and laughter. Inquiry leads
to the discovery of my little Cinderella.
And now, my dear, will you marry
ime?'' he queries, with business-like
manner that rejoices my soul.
'.Oh, jed! don't knOw!" stammers
Nora.
She does not push him away now,
however, when he draws her again
within the circle of his arm and smoOths
her soft, dark hair with gentle fingers.
Neither does she refuse to kiss him
when he bends to touch her lips.
And so my sisters romance is to have
a pretty ending, for Jed is silent men,
( Der of prosperous hardware firm and
Nora will not have to wear shabby Slip
pers any more, and | am to have a home
with them.
I Mr.. Steele? Oh, well, will confess
that l have wrOnged him. He is old
and ugly, but he has kind heart under
his queer, gruff exterior. feel sorry
for his disappointment, of course,
though can not wish matters other