The San Francisco call., 1896-07-05
One Of
Life s Tragedies

The house was being cleaned out after NOV.
ing and two old shoes were thrown together
into the ash barrel. One was neat black
shoe with buttons and the other was a dilapi.
dated tan tie.
"Oh," said the black shoe, softly, AZ am so
glad to get near some one to talk to. I've been
packed away in that dark box so long I've al
most forgotten how the world looks. You
look to be about my size. Whose shoe are
your"
The tan shoe answered with the nome OF its
owner. 1t was q pretty, girlish name, not fit
ting the disreputable shoe at all.
"Oh, were you hers?" said the black shoe,
joyfully, "then you can tell me about her, for
was hers, too. She was 20 when she packed
me away. How old is she now?"
twenty-five" said the tan shoe, looking
curiously at her neat companion.
"Then she must be even more lovely" went
on the black shoe. "How should like to see
her again. have thought that soon she would
pack away some tiny shoes with me and 1
would know she was happy"
"She is dead" said the tan shoe, "dead and
buried. was the last she wore.''
"Deadl oh. the pity of It'll So young, so
good, SO beautiful"
"what are you saying?" cried the tan shoe in
amazement; "do you call her good? fhe world
called her bad, and those who stood around
her coffin whispered that it was well her life
was ended"
''Why her life was one of love and gentle.
ness and quiet charity. Many an errand of
mercy I have trod with her, and she never
took a step that was not OF purity and good
ness. That was only five years ago. Surely,
we did not belong to the same person."
eyes, - SAID the tan shoe, al think we did.
Ny owner was not good, and together we have
been in many places of wickedness; but have
seen traces of your owner in her face some-
times as she sat looking at the floor in the
solitude before she slept. have wondered
what her face was before it became hard and
lined with sin. Tell me the last you remem Der
of her"
81 remember well" said the tan shoe sadly
"the last day when she put me away She had
been out with her lover and she came home so
bright and happy, and when she saw me living
on the floor with my mate, she took us up and
said, I'll put these shoes away until he comes
back; they were the ones 1 wore when 1 saw
him first, and they shall be the ones l wear
when go to my new home,' and she back us
under the clothes in box, me in one corner
and my mate in the other 1t was dark and
silent there, for / could not see or hear nv
mate, and she never came to take us out /
thought she forgot her pretty little fancy in
her joy.'
NO." spoke the tan shoe, 'fshe had no 10Y;
her lover never came back. see 1t all now"
Dub ulu people GILL ner all DdQI" asked the
pitying black shoe. "Did they not remember
the twenty years of gentle goodness to set
against the FIVE OF sin? You belonged to sim
full woman, but did l not belong to righteous
one?"
NO." said the tan SHOE ''to the world she is
only sinful woman. Did you not learn while
you walked the earth that people are judged
by the last shoes they wear?'
''The world is unjust and cruel, but tell me,
does the other world where mortals go judge
the same way? Are they judged In heaven by
the last shoes they wear?"
''That do not know" replied the tan shoe,
fbut as ! sat behind the door hear the minis
ter say OF her that she had gone before One
who saw deeper than mortal eye could go.
Maybe you and the other shoes of her innocent
days may avail her there"
The black shoe sighed and murmured as
the ashman shouldered the barrel, al have
mourned because l was not a mortal with
loves and hopes and immortality, but to-day
am glad to be an old shoe with oblivion be-
fore me-" o. E. H.