The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-09-21

Santa Claus tree until he comes to
gather you. You will do for this little
girls Christmas doll, and when you are
quite worn out you may come again and
will make lady's slippers Of you"
The baby shoes whimpered, but they
saw that the old lady meant to be obey
ed, SO they twinkled into the air like a
pair of blue butterflies, and futtered
away with their blue satin strings wag-
cling behind them like little tails.
"Oh, where is the Santa Claus tree?
Does it grow on this island?" spoke out
little Doubledarling the idea OF see-
ing the trees from which Santa Claus
gathered his presents was too delightful
The old fairy lady was very busy just
then, talking with pair Of very shabby
cloth CATERS; but she heard what the
little Wake child had uttered, and
smiled at her, as she went on with her
questioning smile that made Double
darling feel as if the Santa Claus tree
could not be far off.
The cloth CATERS were the very oldest
shoes in all the rows of old shoes. The
sides were all broken away from the
sole, and raveled out as WE'LL The lin
ings we're nearly as black as the out
sides. They were so shapeless that you
would hardly believe they had ever fitted
human foot. and yet the old fairy was
paying them the greatest attention.
They had excellent manners, in spite
OF their shabbiness. and although Dou-
bledarling was SO excited about the
Santa Claus tree, she could not help
listening to them. And they we're say
ing "the school teacher wore us until
the summer vacation, and then she
bought new pair to go into the country
with, and gave us to Bible-reader who
lived in the same house. The Bible-read-
or walked from Twenty fifth to Forty
second street, and from Fifth avenue to
Third avenue every day, and we did the
very best we could for her. We never
slipped on any Of the dark, dirty stairs
she climbed; and we made ourselves as
quiet as if we had been made of vel
vet, in all the sick rooms where she used
t, stop. We we're just as easy as we
possibly could be for her; swelling our
selves out until we burst our sides try
| ing to keep her tired feet from aching.
She wore us up and down, and in and
out for three months. and we heard 30
much Bible-reading that we nearly
learned it all by heart. At last. when
we were helping her take care of little
Jim Quinlisk one day-he had been run
over by street carve heard her prom
Use us to his mother, who couldn't 20
out to earn penny, 'bekase she hadn't
a shoe to her foot Mrs. Quinlisk took
us out house. cleaning and washing, for
six weeks, and then she threw us out OF
| the window into vacant lot. We were
| glad enough, for we had never been
warm or dry during the six weeks; and
besides, Mrs. Quinlisk never would stand
us upside. as the Bible reader had done,
so that we could have an orderly, quiet
chat at night, but dropped one of US
here and another there. in sprawling at
titudes and dirty corners. so that we
had quite lost our self respect and feel
ing of responsibility.
When she threw us into the vacant
lot, we fortunately fell very near each
other; so we seized each other by but
ton, and shook off the ashes. and said
the magic words written in our soles,
and then the next thing we knew we
we're on the beautiful island"
The fairy smiled until her eyes were
nearly closed.
That is the kind Of fe-story that is
good to hear!" she said. II will plant
you myself in the very front row. You
will be as double as rose. and the finest
color in the world"
The old shoes bobbed courtesy, and
crept aside while the fairy went on with
her questions and decisions.
AT last there was only the one old slip
per that Doubledarling had seen 30 rudely
kicked by the right Mulligan shoe-and
that turned out to belong to one legged
,ldier.
The old lady took Doubledarling's
hand, and the cloth CATERS, and the
soldiers slipper marched solemnly be-
hind to the garden.
When they came to the front row of
flowers, Doubledarling saw that they all
we're lady's slippers and moccasin flow
ers. Oh, such beauties! standing like
soldiers. rank upon rank, and SO tall that
they reached to her waist.
The stalks we're all growing in pairs
two by two; two together, then little
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