The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-07-06
THE LOST SLIPPERS.

u
an Apple.
1t was too bad that the train was
late, and Auntie Dora and Marie had
to wait so long at the way-station. 1t
was dreary place with its dusty floor,
rusty stove, peanut-eating young
couple, the tobacco-spittlng loafers and
baby that cried all the time.
Marie was very tired, and hungry,
too, for they had brought no lunch, as
they had expected to reach home by
dinner-time. So all they had to eat
was large, rosy apple that ruddy-
faced farmer had slipped into Marie's
hand when she left the train.
But Auntie Dora knew how to make
che most of that apple. She took it in
her hands and turning it over, said
mysteriously: "Marie, there is some
thing inside of that apple! Shall l tell
you story about it?"
sob yes!" and the little girl quite
forgot her present discomfort.
well" auntie began, ''once upon
time there lived in the upper story OF
big, green house tiny, round, rosy
baby, who grew very fast, and soon be-
came a fine damsel whom folks called
Lady Pinkblow.'
'She was very dainty and sweet in
ruffled skirts of pink and white. She
seemed to be favorite. The sun lent
down his warmest spring smiles; the
gentle rains came now and then and
gave her bath; the wind rocked her to
sleep in the pretty green hammock, and
for company she had lots of brothers
and sisters dancing around her.
at was very gay, happy sort of
life, and Lady Pinkblow would have
been quite willing to have it go on in
that way forever, but one evening, after
the sun had put on his nightcap and
hidden her good-by, a hard storm came
up.
''The gentle breeze changed into a
hoarse, angry-voiced tempest that shook
and swayed the green house in which
the Pinkblow family lived until it was
almost impossible for them to keep from
falling out of bed.
''Indeed, some of them did tumble
down to the ground, but as for little
Lady Pinkblow she hung on very
sturdily to the brown stem of her ham,
mock and when morning came it found
her still clinging to it tightly!
But she was sorry-looking object!
Every one of her pink and white skirts
had been torn from her, until there was
nothing left but her tiny, round body
with one pale green woolly covering,
Even her slippers, of which she had had
several pairs, were lost, and she almost
felt that life was hardly worth living.
'But she had brave heart, and when
the sun smiled down and the wind
gently patted her cold little back, and
whispered: Have courage, dear! Every
body must have a biossom-stormr she
made up her mind that she would do the
best she could.
$50, as the days passed on, she re-
ioiced to find herself growing larger
and larger, smoother and firmer, and
by the time October's days were al
hand, her cheeks were round and rosy
and she was buxom lass indeed. She
had quite gotten over the loss of hel
pink petticoats, though she sometimes
thought about her slippers.
"And where do you suppose they were
all this time?'
And Aunt Dora took out her little
pen-knife, and cut the big red apple il
two and there, side by side were rows
Of seeds, looking for all the world like
tiny, shining, brown shoes.
There are Lady Pinkblow' slippersH
she said
And Marie laughed so loudly that the
little baby over in the corner stopped it,
crying and began to crow!-Mary E
Brush, in Youths Companion.