Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-06-22
THE SLIPPER TRICK.

THE SLIPPER TRICK.
This vanished dancing pump was
slipped off the foot Of an exquisite young
man at reception at one Of the leading
salons Of Paris. Ny eminently correct
readersneed not turn up their aristocratic
noses at the vulgar lack of delicacy be-
trayed by my exquisite young man. Let
him among you who does not adore a
dainty foot cast the first stone.
Octave Latournelle-that is my ex-
quisite young mans name-was not only
perfect dancer. He possessed not only
two very nimble legs, but two very MIN
bic 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 a pupil.
At his word Of command watches passed
from one pocket to another, gold coins
vanished into thin air, flowers grew upon
him as if on magical bush-he drew
them forth from his pockets, his sleeves,
his waistcoat, his cravat, in quantities
sufficient to decorate the corsages of all
the ladies present, and this after having,
by way of preamble, turned his pockets
inside out, rolled up his sleeves and
opened his waistcoat, In 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 dar-
ling. At any rate he was in love, and he
made that 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 restrains
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 dam
gers of any kind. 1t Is traditional in
cases of this kind that the husband
should be jealous, but General Pascalon
was not so. But If he was not an othel-
10 neither was he a fool.
Trusting in the loyalty of his young
wife, he cherished no illusions. He en-
joyed many a Palais Royal farce-with
u,
which was imprudent perhaps-but he
also escorted her to balls, never plead
ing his age as an excuse, and waited pa
tiently for her till after the cotillon,
and to all appearances 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 superiority
Of their 25 years if you ventured to ex-
press 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 it, and he saved his honor
Ike a man Of intelligence which indeed
be could have done in no other way.
And this brings us down at last to the
vanished slipper of the exquisite young
man.
Ihave said that the affair took place
in the midst Of reception. Dancing
was going on in the larger rooms The
general was chatting with some of the
older guests in a small room adjoining
the one set out with card tables. He
happened to glance carelessly toward
the players and started suddenly in sur
prise.
''Bless me-" said he, putting up his
glasses, ''there's my wife at whist table.
I 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. Ishall have to scold
her," he added, with a laugh, 'sfor in
dulging herself so much in her fayorite
pleasure that she has to do penance at
the card table," and he strolled leisurely
toward the players.
A jostle knocking his glasses from his
eyes as he reached the whist table, he
stopped to rark them up and saw be-
meath the table slipper, a patent leath-
er pump, from which It's tenant had es-
capped, and now, shod only in fine black
silk hose, was pushed against the little
foot Of the generals wife. But he also
noticed that the latter constantly avoided
the foot that SO persistently pursued her
own.
"Hum," said the general, taking in
the situation at glance, 'sthe fortress
is attacked, but it is well defended. I
have arrived just in time" Then, smil-
ing calmly as if he had seen nothing,
leaning over his wife's chair, questioning
and advising her play. he devoted him.
selfto feat that would have furnished
a dramatist with an irresistibly comic
theme, considering the difficulties Of the
situation. The general had undertaken
to draw toward him with the tip Of his
boot the abandoned slipper, provoking
every instant sudden jerks from jostled
feet, protestations from disturbed play
ers, astonished looks from those who
could see the extraordinary movements
Of his leg and the remonstrance from
his wife:
''My dear, what makes you knock my
chair about SO? You are giving me a
headache"
At this moment the mistress of the
house came up to ask Latournelle if he
would not perform some Of his amusing
tricks.
Certainly; shall be delighted" !" he
answered neryously, preoccupied as he
was by the extraordinary movements of
the general, who stopped down just then
as if to pick up something and immedi-
ately got up and left the group.
'Well, SIR said the lady, give me
your arm, and / will introduce you.
Your audience is growing inpatient
Certainly, madame, in just one mo-
ment," said Latournelle, feeling with
his foot for his slipper, and SO recon-
mencing the remarkable jig executed by
the general few moments before. Now
the other players laughed outright
which they had not dared to do the first