The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-15
THE LITTLE WORN Shoe.


property. when his hand came upon girls
shoe old-fash0ned and shabby.
six years before he had left his home in
little New England town for foreign tour,
intending to pass year or so abroad and
then return and settle down to his fathers
calling. On the memorable spring morn
ing when lie waved his cap in a last good-by
TO the little group Of weeping friends on the
doorstep, a young girl who stood by his
mothers side slipped a low-cut shoe from
her foot and threw it after him for good
luck"
Dear little Mamie Burnsr' he thought,
as he turned the old reminder over on his
knee How many years ago l knew and
loved her! had always thoughttO go home
some day and make myself the parson and
her the parsons wife. They never speak OF
her in the home letters now; perhaps she
has left Glencove and quite forgotten me,
as | had almost forgotten her. She was q
pretty child to be sure, and very clever {;
more so than the Scotch lasses-ugh! they
are SO big-bOned. Let me see; six years. Is
il not? since my Cinderella lost her slipper.
BY JOye! 1t was pretty little foot!
Estella'S face was charming, but her feet
are huge"
As the young man sat thinking thus a
servant came To his room with telegram.
Toms hand trembled violently as lie tore
open tie envelope and read:
Mr.. Thomas Grant: Your mother died this
Z. NJ. Father needs you. II. lATHAREL-
His mother dead. 1t was only a few
hours before the son had left Edinburgh far
behind him, and with but little luggage set
out Oh his voyage across the ocean.
Poor mon! poor mon! We dinha ken
how muckle o the BARN there be in a mon
till his mther dee" said the kindly old
landlady as she took the KEY of his lodging
hn / ri nd oil
strength to bear up!' she added, tears
standing In her eyes.
Little luggage | say he took yes, but
there was room IN his portmanteau for
little worn shoe.
HeartSick through the voyage, bis mind
dHelt continually upon home and home
people, upon some of whom lie had spent
but little thought for years. Every one his
mother had loved seemed dOubly interest
ing to him now, lie wondered in what way
his father had need OF him. Surely SIX
years could have made little difference In
the hale, hearty old man who, for a quarter
OF a century, had hurled destruction and
offered paradise from the old box pulpit IN
tile village church; who was wont 10 wiring
grO2nS from the st0utest fishermen and con-
Wet every listener with sin by means OF his
sledge- hammer Orat0rY, intensely powerful
with such natures as his flock possessed.
Home and no mother! Through nearly
thirty years he had grown TO trust his
sOothed him when an infant, guided and
caressed him when a child, eomf0rted him
when a SchOOlbOy, admired and encouraged
him when college student, counseied him
when man and prayed for him always.
Again and again during that dreary
journey did he picture 10 himself 1.-THE com
ing home" il she were there; the sweet face
in the doorway. the kindly arms that would
so closely clasp him, the kiss OF mOther-loye
his brow burned 10 receive: and each
Tpaa nn IN iVs, ~ Fno i
swept all the color from the picture, and
left II dreary sketch Of blackness.
After many weary days of pain he
reached the little town by the sea where his
home was.
The graveyard viii be more like home to
me nOW,' be thought, so he wandered up
the cliff and sought the spot where he had
so often seen her bend above his sisters
grave.
There was little path her feet had worn
Though the dry grass and a bunch of
withered flowers laid upon the sod as she
had placed them weeks before. a
newly made grave was there, and as he
sank down beside it, and shed the first tears
which had wet his burning eyelids since she
died, 1t almost seemed a relief to be thus
near her and sob out his sorrow above her
grave. since her breast was hidden too deep
TO pillow his head. And was there no wit
ness but the sobbing sea and tue gray. gray
sky. no presence but his own with his dar-
ling dead?
Kind little Nanniel" said cid Mr.. Grant.
feebly pattng the hand laid on his arm
DO you think my boy will come soon" /
am so tired Of waiting for his footsteps
He is gone for the COW, Mamie! HIS
mother will be anxious"
Poor Old man! The food Of grief had
washed his memory back upon the shores of
youth. lie fancled Tom aud Mamie were
little children.
WaII If urae ON t1,o
gone it was easier to witness this childish
content than the tempestuous grief which
but snort time before had bowed his
mighty frame.
ION wondered who would be the first to
greet hlm-hIs father, perhaps. But no:
his rap was answered by a young woman
IN whom he recognized the sweet, bright
face OF Mamie Burns. He held her little
hand In his and suffered himself to be led
into the homeroOm Of his boyhood A
white haired old man stretched out his hand
gropingly, hardly seeming to notice TOMS
presence. but his face beamed with pleasure
w, wren he heard the weli-known voice say
Father"
Tom almost thought his mother moved
about the hOuse,zso light was Nannie's stem.
so dainty and unobtrusive her ways She
stayed to minister to them until tea was
over; then putting on her hood and shawl
bent down to kiss the old man good night.
You and Tom kneel here tonight and
have not knelt so for long, long time"
those Two lad bowed by that knee when
they were children. They dreaded to dis
iress the Old man, so they knelt again, and
ON leit nearer God than lie had ever done
before.
Every circumstance contributed to make
the scene solemn. So recently had the mes
seDger OIL God entered the house that the i'm
press OF divinity was on all their hearts
Inc altltude-tle fathers hand upon his
la h.
Solemn words Of prayer, rising like incen Sc
from the central and indescribable elements
OF his fathers mind.
They went out into the night, Tom and
Mamie, aud she talked very sweetly of his
mother, and told him Of her last words for
him, and when at length he handed her
through the wicket, as he had done so often
when she was little girl, her good night
seemed benediction, and he went back 10
hs iohely iather, soitened by the days trials
and the girls sweet influence.
As days and weeks passed the old man
gradually regalned something of his former
Vgor OF mind; but II was a pitiful sight tn
see his strength crushed by one great blow
LON was much with Mamie The old
mouse was so lonely and the father So fond
oil her that the girl was very often az the
parsonage. just as she had been all her life
ine spring lad come when he satone dav
In his fathers study, deep in thought-seri-
Gus; saddenlng thought, one would have
S 2e5 itolh HIS lace, perpleXity
seemed written In every line and feature.
ne hrst three years of bis STAY abroad
was spent ON the Continent, and during that
time. while visiting Italy, he had met re-
nowhed prlma donna-as beautiful as Italian
women sometimes are, passionate and at.
IecIonate as hesthen thought only southern
women could be. He was then unIte vonng
ana the Italian songstress conceived a viz,
lent attachment for him, enhancing him
win her music. Greatly to the astonish-
ment OF the friends on both sides. ere long
.he announcement was made that the prom,
,sans young concert singer was engaged to
marry young American gentleman Mr.
Thomas Grant -N'
Ihey would probably have been united
DeIOIe TINS, but Stella,s prandfathar q