The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1893-06-24
SLIPPER TRICK.

!
al saW
'ese1hHE SLIPPER TRICK.
1svo.l
This vanished dancing pump was
slipped off the foot of an exquisite young
ilIp4 man at a reception at one of the leading
cd AAIbns Of Paris. My eminently correct
sv1nasiiersneed not turn up their aristocratic
touRbses at the vulgar lack Of delicacy be
stlotFayed 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.
Sn' uu1fisite young mans name-was not only
va q berfect dancer. He possessed not only
a1oTwo very nimble legs, but two very MIN.
lliw lie hands, whereof the 0droitness was
,esoRlp admiration of all his friends. Indeed
.aothe most expert conjurer would not have
Oh 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 grew upon
.mol1im as If on magical bush-he drew |
vsqthem forth from his pockets, his sleeves, |
III his waistcoat. his cravat, in quantities |
~, sufficient TO decorate the corsages Of all
Nn tie ladies present, and this after having, |
einl by way of preamble, turned his pockets |
sdi inaide out, rolled up his sleeves and
qoIbjehed his waistcoat. In a word, he was
Isbtliaenehanter Of the best drawing rooms
i9nand the spoiled child Of the ladies.
bos ,,Perhaps, rather than the spoiled child.
he considered himself the petted dar
ling AT any rate he was in love, and he
fnGde that fact known with the audacity
sniitlist often gives success.
uoi'OIThe object of his alteration was the
e.. 81 4 IL -
.eolianlY the husbands rank that restrains
.,saAae from mentioning the disparity Of
- their ages. But all generals have young
. wives, which is only another proof that
'SlD ttfhis truly brave do not recoil from dan
-ihsR Rera Of any kind. 1t is traditional in
Jht Eases of this kind that the husband
10 sshould be jealous, but General Pascalon
sdt was not so. But If he was not an Othel-
yns lppeither was he fool.
Trusting in the loyalty Of his young
wife, he cherished no Illusions He en-
mAs1 1oyed many Palais Royal farce-with
IL Alstwife by his side more often than not
10 sRhich was imprudent perhaps-but he
nistRAlso escorted her to balls, never plead
N, ing his age as an excuse, and waited pa
tiently for her till after the cotillon
and't all appearances his wife was quite
s9b9cdntent
uoiib Perhaps she was 80. But there were
.rsdRlsnty Of young fellows who would look
zAW down at you from the high superiority
ate oftheir rs years If you ventured to ex-
sd.r press such an idea and say:
~ a with an old fellow like that! Really
YQu are too refreshing"
h'uAhFhe general was not TO be laughed at.
ri He knew his danger, not only before all
usIaashyorld had seen 1t, but before any one
L,1a #ad q he "a "A
like man Of intelhgence-whioh indeed
he could have done in no other way
And this brings us down at last to the
vanished slipper of the exquisite young
ni1Uinaa-
nj do Itbave said that the affair took place
vsbsip the midst Of a reception. Dancing
sst,,, MAA, going on in the larger rooms. The
~ general was chatting with some of the
older guests in small room adjoining
shinthS one set out with card tables. He
happened to glance carelessly toward
ssiItitdb players and started suddenly in sur
ynbsnERe.
nnttsa.SP .SPless me-" said he, putting up his
glasses, ''there's my wife at whit table
7 certainly thought she was waltzing OF
'h' p0lkhing or something, and there she
AS isoplaying whist. She must be very
tired, for she never plays cards and is
5ul hlNuiyh uduClnks 1 Snail nave 70 bCOlu
sidt hesH he added, with a laugh, "for in
4oi AHlging herself so much in her favoritt
"a pleasure that she has to do penance al
the card table," and he strolled leisurely
toward the players.
9hl no Aijostle knocking his glasses from hii
nist5es as he reached the whist table, h,
lionnseOoped to pick them up and saw be
.hIinaeath the table slipper, patent leath
10 9sE pump from which its tenant had es
"a ,,,pAped, and now, shod only in fine blacl
silk hose, was pushed against the ittl
foot Of the generals wife. But he ais,
9eoq lt6ticed that the latter constantly avoided
sd CAe foot that so persistently pursued he
ssw esA.
yshseurHum, said the general, taking il
.r,oD the Eituation at a glance ''the fortres
m is attacked, but 1t is we'll defended.
have arrived just in time" Then, smil
JAZZ ing ibalmly as if he had seen nothing
oi h9qeahing over his wife's chair, questionin
slh iGndiRdvising her play, he devoted him
bns shlf-to feat that would have furnishe
DO sRudEamatist with an irresistibly oomi
theme, considering the difficulties Of tn
adj =, situation. The general had undertake
TO draw toward him with the tip Of hi
81 Boot the abandoned slipper, provokin
lAhnn every instant sudden jerks from jostle
-oa saursg iAstonished looks from those WI
ss 7sFould SEQ the extraordinary movement
sasi at bis leg and the remonstrance fro
no b.hig,Y ,Yifei
,gsi, "a EAIy dear, what makes you knock II
~, chair about so? You are giving me
g no headache."
'Shiabol AZ this moment the mistress of Il
smAs h6u5b came up TO ask Latournelle If
on bm8Ould not perform some OF his amusiI
sidi s4Eicka
Certainly; ! shall be delighted" ="
answered nervOusly, preoccupied as
'ettsliby the extraordinary movements
ni aniltAs general, who stopped down just tn
sat iaBif'to pick up something and immeC
SiD ieately'got up and left the group.
81 "l "Well, sir" said the lady, "give 1
~, YohF arm, and l will introduce 20
so X9uE audience Is growing impatient"
Snilli9 itCertainly, madame, in just one m
,ssassi Rnent," said Latournelle, feeling wi
-qsqsyhisfOot for his slipper, and so recol
iIash nIshhing the remarkable jig executed
,.o& ssths general a few moments before. Nc
lAlnslHthel other players laughed outright
'sro' 'i HEB they had not dared to do the fl
80 nbtds,. And the mistress of the hor
M s1s.EtQ9d, there, surprised at being ke
ss,i ,oy4ai5ipg so long and wondering b,
.sq ,i1oHplh longer her escort would keep
ia that attitude. Impatient ladies ca
IN shoals 20 add their solicitations
those Of their hostess
Our young man positively had to
out Of the predicameut some how.
did get out Of il, but with only one sh
hShe also had stopped down and Z
WoAsAhd the disappearance Of the II
AKhSRd slipper, and he maryeled in d,
~ y how he was going TO explain 81
a state Of affairs.
His one shod foot provoked gene
Sfty, then delighted applause 1
e4ies Of "It's a trickl It's some trick
HStA pstted darlingo Of the ladies smi
q weak smile and stammered;
Is, ladies, Il is a trick"
2pnlause, accompanied by gene
.1shEoqchPplng Of hands, greeted this
stsg., poupgament while Latournene kept S
ing 10 himself;
t~4ANa@ .Uh, yes, it's a great trick, bat Sd
ona has ulavef il ON me and don't