River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-11-30
CHANGED SHOES.


intense bashfulness, his indecision of
character and his abnormally small
hands and feet On the latter he par
ticularly prided himself.
He was the most eligible of bachelors.
Equally, of course, he was being ever
Iastingly stalked by husband-hungry
mammas and daughters. But they
could make nothing of him. Their
most sirenic efforts simply frightened
him.
But exemption was impossible. He
was young, single, yiscount. He had
G25,000 year.
One autumn, three or four years
ago, Lord Petersfield went down into
Sussex TO stay with his friends, the
Wentwarps, at Wentwarp hail. very
fine old country seat.
For one thing, they understood his
character and did not worry him with
excessive hospitality. And then, for
another, the daughters of the house,
Mabel and Maud-very pretty girls,
too, by the way-did not run after him
or make eyes at him. They were sim
ply friendly and cordial with him.
Now Viscount Petersfield had con-
tracted a deplorabIe habit of easing his
pinched toes by kicking off his pumps
during the progress of dinner and only
resuming them just before he had to
Jump up in Difference to the rising of
the ladies'
He was rather sorry when he saw
Lady Wentwarp preparing to make the
signal, and he had to feel for his va
cant pumps. He found them and got
them on in time-phew! Certainly
they were abominally tight! They
seemed to throw him forward on his
toes in way TO which he was not ac-
customed Only as the last fair diner
swept past him, on her way out, did
he realize that his toes were being tor
tured in a pair of ladies' shoes.
They were high heeled. of black satin,
with large rosettes and silver buckles.
He had no difficulty in recognizing
them. They were Mabel Wentwarp's.
Then he saw how it was. An unin-
territorial exchange. The young lady
must have kicked off her shoes also,
and meaning to resume them. had un-
knowingly resumed his instead.
He decided that his best course was
to slip away on some pretext or other
while the gentlemen were still smok-
ing their cigarettes, then TO hurry up
stairs to his bedroom and exchange
the satins for a second pair of pumps,
which he had fortunately brought with
him.
Having decided on this line of ac-
ton, he murmured-with a very red
face-a few excuses and apologies to
his host, and then performed sldllful
and speedy exit with so much rapidity
as to make it impossible for the black
satins to be seen.
Now. as he passed with rapid and
nervous stealth along the corridor
which led to his room, he happened
to notice that one of the bedroom doors
on the way stood open. He recognized
whose room il was. 1t was Mabel
Wentwarp's. In an instant he had
popped them safely inside the door of
her room and was proceeding with
lighter heart toward his own apart
ment at the end of the passage.
On reaching his own room he turned
up the gas and was about to hunt out
his second pair of pumps from cup
board when his eyes fell upon his best
pair-the pair which Mabel Wentwarp
had appropriated in a con-
spicuous position by his dressing table.
He saw how il was. Miss Mabel, hav-
ing discovered her mistake, had had the
promptness and delicacy to replace
them thus in his room. 1t was certain
IL. 1.
When they joined the ladies Lord
Petersfield STILL however, felt rather
nervous in case any of the fair guests
might have shared Miss Mabers dis
covery about the exchange of shoes.
But he was soon set free from anxiety
on this point by Miss Wentwarp her
self, who, taking the opportunity to APP
proach him as he stood for moment
alone, murmured, with a blushing.
downcast look:
Il found out our little mistake. Lord
Petersield, and | at once restored your
property 10 your room. Sh! No one
knows anything about it. Ali" turn
ing her eyes down upon his vanished
toesl Il see that you have already re-
claimed your own
At that moment Julia Slanderson
swooped down upon her prey. and to
his great annoyance forcibly annexed
him for the rest of the evening.
Next morning after breakfast the I'M
fortunate viscount noticed that this
persistent young lady was still hover
ing on the pounce. He evaded her at
the expense of some skill and slipped
off into the dampest and most secluded
portion of the garden to enjoy his cigar
alone.
Mabel Wentwarp startled him by
suddenly appearing at his side. Her
face was white and distressful. Her
eyes, be noticed, were bright with I'M
shed tears.
'Oh, Lord Petersfield," she exclaimed,
'forgive nv intrusion, but l saw you
come out, AID l have followed you, be-
cause IL have something II must
tell YOU"
"I-I-trust there is nothing the mat
ter" remarked his lordship. looking
embarrassed and conscious of a vague
sense of alarm.
"I-I-cannot deceive you. A great
deal is the matter. Audit has all
arisen out of our-our-foolish mistake
last night. I-I-have just had a
dr-dreadful interview with-that-tha
-odious Lady Slanderson!"
THE de--oh, beg your pardon. But
-but-do you mean TO say that she dis
covered ou-our mistaken"
she she-thinks that she has found
out some-something dr-dreadful
about u.s.
And poor Mabel unable to restrain
her feeling any longer, began to sob.
''Oh, dear Pr-pray don't distress
yourself, Miss Wentwarp"
"0h Lord Petersfield. II don't
know how l shall tell you the-the
shameful things Lady Slanderson said
10 me. But-but-in justice TO You, as
wei as to myself, ] must. Tit seems
that she was upstairs last night at
mos unfortunate moment. and that
that-she saw me sl-slip out of your
room-without my shoes eni'
Good heavensl" gasped his lordship,
in tone of evident dismay. What
a."
And also" Mabel went on. hurried
". as If anxious TO finish her painful