The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-01-23

'Oh! Where are my SHppersF L
cried, tossing over the parcels.
They're there, all right said John.
" But | could not find them, so
mother came to my aid; but we hunted
in vain. John looked on in growing
dismay and perplexity, but suddenly
cried, in tone of despair: Il have i'll |
was to get them this morning, as the
man was out last night, but | had so
many other errands l forgot. Pm so
sorry, dear, but it's too late to 90 back
burst into a storm of tears, be-
wailing my disappointment and vowing
that | would not 90 to the wedding in
those old slippers. Turning just then.
| saw Guy Burton in the doorway, and
fed to my room, where / sobbed till
tired out. Soon ! heard horses feet
on the ice, as Guy rode off and !
thought, angrily, of standing up with
him that night in my old white satin
slippers. Guy was Sally's only brother,
older than herself. had thought him
cold and reserved lately, though we had
been good friends in the days when he
took me coasting. But he had been at
college for four years, and | had seen
little of him-eXcept that he always
seemed to be about, book in hand,
during the last few weeks when | had
been to see the girls.
Mother came to console me, and by
five O'Clock / was in pleasanter frame
of mind
Arriving at Burton's, found the
girls in great flutter. There was the
usual number of things to be done at
the last minute, so it was only at the
hour of the ceremony that we began to
look for our escorts. All were ready
but Guy, and he was not to be found.
In the general confusion his absence
had been unnoticed.
"' He must have gone on some errand
at the last minute said Mrs. Burton, in
worried tone, looking into the dark
ness outside, for a heavy storm had
come up.
eve waited in growing uueasiness
as the servants were questioned, and it
was found that his horse, Saadi, was
gone. and that Guy had not been seen
since morning.
Gas an hour passed on and he did
not come, | grew angry at the thought
that / was the only one to be annoyed
by the detection of my escort, and
almost wished that something might
happen TO him. Sally declined to be mar
ried in the absence of her brother. As
it grew later and later, she sat weep
ing with her bridesmaids, while her
fiance began to fear that some serious
accident had detained his friend.
Outside, the cold was intense and
the storm ragged with increasing fury;
it was one of the worst known for
years. Inside, as midnight drew near,
a gloom settled over us all which it was
impossible to dispel. All thought of
going on with the wedding was aban-
doned, and we began to organize par
ties to search for Guy.
Suddenly we heard loud whinny.
We sprang to the great door and flung
it open, and Saadi walked into the hall.
On his back-a shapeless mass, COW
cred with ice and snow-was Guy. Lift
ing him off, the men laid him upon the
sofa and began to take off the stiffened
wrappngs. Sally and l chung together,
too much frightened for tears, as we
looked at Guys white, still face.
i" AS they opened his coat, to see if
his heart still beat, little package fell
to the floor. But he was not dead, and
after little seemed quite hims If,
though stiff and lame. As soon as he
could stand, he felt in his breast for the
fallen package; then, seeing it, snatched
it from the floor and presented it to me-
You can fancy my feelings, girls,
for it held these" and, opening the
box, grandmamma showed a pair of
tiny, rose-colored slippers.
AS he knelt to put them on, the
guests stared in amazed silence: then
there was storm of questions.
Yes, he had ridden to T for
them and would have been back in
time, but lost his way in the storm on
the return, went miles from the right
road, and on regaining it had only
strength to clasp his arms about Saadi's
neck and bid him go home
"Just here Saadi created a diversion
by walking up to the bride, with the
evident intention of rubbing his wet
nose on her shoulder. He was petted
and spoiled to his hearts content, and
to my certain knowledge ate half the
BRIDES cake; for Sally thought nothin @
too good for him. Guy kept us waiting
but short time longer, and at midnight
thS SoiNiiOh1 was at idot ICllol
danced the first dance with Guy,
who made brave effort to keep time
with the fine new slippers, but was
forced to succumb to WEAKNESS and
watch the others. The next day he
was taken i'll and was for weeks dan
gerously low with the fever.
:" never could endure the sight of
those slippers, and only wore them once
more. A year later, at the request of
the man who had risked his life to bring
them to me, wore them the day we
were married."
There was a chorus of thanks as
grandmamma stopped. Then the girls,
seizing upon her, begged that she
would let them dress her in the gown
"just once more" After an instant's
hesitation she consented, and as the
cleaning brocade draped the erect and
stately figure, they could all fancy that
her soft curls were only white with
powder, and that the fire of youth still
glowed in her undimmed eyes.
Dolly bent to place a slipper on one
pretty foot, but it was taken out of her
|