The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-05-28
THE SLIPPER TRICK
AS Performed by an Amateur Con-
jurer and Wise Husband.

vounR man at one of the leading sa-
Ions of Paris. My eminently correct
readers need not turn up their aristo-
cratic noses at the vulgar lack of del
icacy betrayed by my exquisite young
man. Let him among you who does
not adore dainty foot cast the first
stone.
Octave Latournelle-that is my ex-
quisite young mans name-was not
only a perfect dancer; he possessed
not only two very nimble legs, but
two very nimble hands, whereof the
adroitness was the admiration Of all
his friends Indeed the most expert
conjurer would not have been ashamed
to own him for pupil. At his word OF
command, watches passed from one
pocket to another, gold coins vanished
into thin air, flowers grow upon him
as If on a magical bush-he drew
them from his pockets, his sleeves, his
waistcoat, his cravat, in quantities sur
ficient to decorate the corsages of all
the ladies present; and this, after way
of preamble, turned his pockets inside
out. rolled up his sleeves, and opened
his waistcoat In a word, he was the
enchanter Of the best drawing-rooms
and the spoiled child Of the ladies.
Perhaps, rather than the spoiled
child, he considered himself the petted
darling At any rate, he was In love,
and he made the fact known with the
audacity that often gives success.
The object of his alteration was the
young wife Of General Pascalon-it is
only the husbands rank that restraints
me from mentioning the disparity OF
their ages. But all generals have young
wives, which is only another proof that
the truly brave do not recoil from
dangers of any kind. 1t is traditional,
in cases of this kind, that the husband
should be jealous, but General Pasca-
lon was not so. But If he were not an
Othello neither was he a fool. Trust
ng in the loyalty of his young Wife,
he cherished no illusions. He enjoyed
many O. Palais-Royal farce-with his
wife by his side, more often than not,
which was imprudent, perhaps bur he
also escorted her to balls, never plead
ing his age as an excuse, and waited
patiently for her till after the cotillion;
and to all appearance his wife was
quite content.
Perhaps she was so. But there were
plenty of young fellows who would
look down at you from the high super
lority of their twenty-five years if you
ventured to express such an idea, and
say:
"With an old fellow like that! Really,
you are too refreshing"
The general was not to be laughed at.
He knew his danger, not only before
all the world had seen it, but before
any one else suspected | 1T. and he
saved his honor like a man of intelli-
gence-which, indeed, he could have
done in no other way.
Anu llllS hpNh W ie's7' w
the vanished slipper of the exquisite
young man.
/ have said that the affair took
place In the midst of n reception. Danc-
ing was going on in the larger rooms;
the general was chatting with some Of
the older guests in small room adj
Joining the one set out with card ta>
bles. He happened to glance carelessly
toward the players, and started sud-
denly in surprise.
"Bless me-" said he, putting up his
glasses, there's my wife at whist
table, | certainly thought she was
waltzing, or polkaing, or something
and there she is playing whist. She
must be very tired, for she never plays
cards and is always dancing, I shall
have to scold her." he added, with a
laugh, "for indulging herself so much
In her favorte pleasure that she has
to do penance at the card table" and
he strolled leasurely toward the play
ers.
A jostle knocking his glasses from
his eyes as he reached the whist table,
he stopped to pick them up, and saw
beneath the table slipper, patent
leather pump, from which its tenant
had escaped and now, shod only in fine
black-silk hose, was lovingly caressing
tho little foot of the generals wife,
But he also noticed that the latter
constantly avoided the foot that so per-
sistently pursued her own.
"Hum," said the general, taking in
the situation at n glance, ''the fortress
is attacked, but 1t is well defended. l
have arrived just in time" Then, smil-
Ing calmly as If he had seen nothing,
leaning over his wife's chair question
ing and advising her play, he devoted
himself to n feat that would have
furnished dramatist with an ire
sistibly comic theme, considering the
difficulties of the situation. The gener-
al had undertaken to draw toward him
with the tip of his boot the abandoned
slipper provoking every instant sud-
den jerks from jostled feet, protesta-
tlons from disturbed players aston
ished looks from those who could see
the extraordinary movements of his
leg. and remonstrance from his wife.
MY dear. what makes you knock
my chair about so? You are giving me
n headache"
At this moment the lady of the house
came up to see IL he would not per-
farm some of his nmnsinpr tricks