The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1900-04-03

he views the matter, in motion. Inc
second causes of the trouble were the
new shoes which he was breaking in"
The agonies he suffered during the
process were by no means new, but the
later developments which they brought
about seem rather novel.
The shoes began to torment him. al
most as soon as he had taken his seat
in the hall; the longer the lecture lasted
the worse they panied him. Asthe even
ing was chilly he had drawn the laces
rather tight about his ankles, and the
shoes themselves were tight, anyway.
The high temperature of the steam
heated hall caused his feet to swell, and
after thatI Well, anyone who has ever
broken in pair of new shoes will un-
derstand what he suffered.
The lecturer was eloquent and NOV
ing IN his beseechings to his listeners
to sign the pledge. The young man
with the tight shoes was Disguised with
his pleadings and tried to preserve a
face Of adamant In vain! The shoes
were nearly killing him, and his coun-
tenance slowly took on a look as of
great remorse and sorrow. The speak
er detected this expression-the young
man and his sister were in front row
and the people behind them were
packed in so tightly that he hesitated
to move-and redoubled his efforts, di-
recting them especially at the head of
the miserable young man. The sister
glanced up at him and leaped from her
seat with joy.
20, my dear brotheri" she cried, re-
ioicing, you are moved 10 hatred Of the
drink devil at last. Why, l can see
tear in your eye, and your face is all
pale and strange looking. Hurry,
hurry, and just as soon as you have gone
up to the platform and signed the
pledge wewill go home and tell mother!"
The young man would have abruptly
declined to follow out any such pro-
gramme at another time, but his feet
were particularly painful at that mo-
ment, and the idea of going home and
taking off those shoes seemed irresisti-
bly, tempting. Besides, the aisles and
passage ways behind him were SO
crowded that hasty escape that way
seemed impossible; the door at the back
Of the platform was open and the way
thereto unimpeded. He hesitated, suf~
fered in silence a moment longer. and
capitulated.
His hating steps and suffering coun-
tenance were attributed to remorse.
sorrow, shame and various other ey-,
alted feelings by the devoted people
who watched him make the trip to the
platform. Even his sister, notwith-
standing the fact that he snubbed her
numerically all the way home, attrib-
uted his conduct to natural feeling Of
shyness and a shamed recollection of
his previous diatribes against temper
ance pledges and all connected with
them. And only the unfortunate fell
lows chum and roommate and the few
dozen other felIows with whom he
shared the story as altogether too good
TO keep. are or ever win be aware OF
the real reason why he signed that
pledge, posed for nine or ten awful
minutes as the horrible example called
into being by the eloquence Of that de-
testahle temperance lecturer and bore
more or less patiently with his mothers
and sisters anthems Of rejoicing.
And only these friends know and un-
dsrstand why the sight of certain pair
Of new and handsome shoes moves him
tc the most awful lamentations. togeth-
er with an occasional lapse into pro-
family. every time he comes upon them.
Chicago Tribune.