The Penn's Grove record., 1888-03-24
My sisSsr's slipper; Or. Love viii
Iind d WAY

Nora Is seated III the embrasure u
the window intent on mending an old
slipper. We are not working In the
shop because some of the machinery /,
out OF order, and you may be sure We
are only too glad to get a little rest.
1t Is pretty hard to be poor. and
doubly so for a beautiful girl like Nora.
| neye could understand Jed Hamp.
ton could go away and forget such a
face as hers. That was three years
ago, when we were all living up in
Verm with Aunt Hullah. Jed
Hamp, n was a summer boarder and
fell Ill at our house, and Nora unused
him until be was well. thought they
were in love with each other, but at
the end Of the season he left with only
goodbye.
l.. 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.
After Aunt Hul1ah died aud we
were thrown on our own resources a
friend got us both situations in a large
Boston factory, and here we have been
v g since. Only yesterday Nora
alarmed me by saying that the senior
member of the firm for whom we
worked had made her an offer OF mar
riage.
Why a 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
dreadfully poor. l knew in her heart,
however, she still cherished the meIn-
DRY of her handsome lover, Jed Hanp-
ton.
Mr.. Steele is coming for bis answer
this evening and l note how wan her
face looks Us she sits by the open win
dow, sewing on the shabby slipper.
From the street come the sounds of a
boy singing "Silver Threads Among
the Gold"
"Of all the lmpudent little beasts!"
I spring up in amazement at my sis.
ter's ejaculation, and then We both
burst out laughing, for there. on the
outer edge of the window ledge, sits IA
ridiculously solemn little monkey, with
Morals slipper tightly clasped IN one
skinny arm!
We are in the second story of a long
brick block, with balconled windows,
and the animal has probably made his
way hither with ease from some neigh
boring apartment.
We both make a dash at him, but he
eludes us and Is goae. Nora, looking
after HIM, presently reports that he has
entered the fourth window from ours,
and wondersswith a laugh If she will
eve 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. l arise and open it. Vaguely
in the shadowy hall behind Mrs. Bur
CESS looms a tall, dark figure.
Miss Ellis, this gentleman has your
sisters slipper-at least told him that
l thought it was hers. VIII you"--
But the good woman never finishes
her sentence, for the mar moves for
ward and looks directly over my head
at Nora, who had pushed her chair
back from the table aud stands smiling
bravely, but so white that | fear she
will faint.
"Step in, Mr.. Hampton" | say,
gr~aclously, adding by way of explana-
tion to Mrs. Burgess, The gentleman
is an old acquaintance"
Mrs. Burgess, betaking herself down
stairs, l close the door with a throb-
bling heart and await developments.
Jed Hamptoni 1 do net wonder
Nora loves him, he is so big and dark
and handsOmel
Nora, poor child, is trying to utter
some conventional words of greeting.
but he will have none of 1t, and l
laugh and sob simultaneously as he
takes one long stride and swoops her
into his arms.
MY darlingl-my little sweetheart"
he cries. joyously. ''Have | really
found youp-and all owing to that alb
surd little monkey which l brought
home from Cubal"
But Nora has dropped a mask of ice
over her face and is pushing him
away.
Jed looks at mi imploringly. "What
is it, Nellp She isn't promised to some
other fellowP"
shake my head. "We thought that
you were promised to some other girl"
l venture, despite Nora's frown of re-
monstrance.
1 I'M determined to have this affair
cleared up if possible. The thought of
Mr.. Steele's intended visit makes me
desperate.
Jed flushes guilty. $50 1 was," he
says, promised when a mere boy to a
girl OF whom | wearied In a year. But
l held myself in honor bound to her. !
actually ran away from Nora. l loved
her so l dared not stay. What a
despicable brute l must have seemed
to you'll What was my relief, on re-
turning 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 that boy and
girl betrothal.
"Business detained me for a time In
the West, and when l returned to find
Nora you were both gone, no one knew
where. All this time / have been
hunting for you. To-day Jocho-lucky
monkey-brought me this little slip
per-" Here he takes 1t rather senti-
mentally from IA breast-pocket and
kisses it with great tenderness, which
performance | witness with approval
Nora with shy bushes and laughter.
Enquiry leads to the discovery Of m
little Cinderella. And now, my dear,
when viii you marry mer" he queries.
with a buslness-like manner tina: re-
joices my soul.
"Oh. jedi l don't know!" STAN
mers Nora.
She does not push him away now,
however, when lie 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 Eer
lips.
And so my sisters romance is to
have a pretty ending, fol- Jed is a silent