The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-25
A PAIR OF sUEDEs.
By Harriet Holmes Haslett.
.sIS0a0sSy50S0Os

EOR few minutes they stood be-
l fore the Kearney street shoe-store
window, discussing the relative mer-
its OF white satin and suede versus
patent leather, Sue, who was of
practical turn of mind, advised the
latter.
"Gracious me. you little hayseed!
! couldn't wear black slippers with
my white gown. They must be white
either satin or suede. Come, let
us go in; I can only tell by trying
them on"
Turning hurrietlly, they precipitated
themselves forcibly against n man
who had been gazing dcjected!y into
the neighboring window at the rows
of manly boots and shoes. More es-
pecially were his eyes directed to-
ward the dancing pumps-no that
he admired them, nor even wished to
bny them, but, nevertheless, fired by
noble resolve, he turned to enter,
Just as the two girls finished their
little dialogue, which he partially
overheard. Two pair of eyes nashe1
Indignantly into his. Bees brown
ones were mildcr han the blue ones
of the "little hayseed"
"Great, clumsy thing! Couldn't he
look where he was geing?"
"Why, Sue. it WAS as mtrh our fault
as his"
Now the man was neither great nor
clumsy, however, much he hop"d to
be the fep@S" in the future an, had
overcome the latter in his past. Fur
thermorc. the glimpse he had had Of
the brown eyes gave impetus 10 his
lay--that he would attend to it him
resolve Of purchasing Il pair of patent
feathers for the cotilIion to which he
was going, simply to please his friend,
Charlie Graham. Hence he oTlerrd
and tried on the much-dcspiscd arti-
clcs of attire. in the meantime, east
ing furtive' glanccs at the purchaser
of the dainty pair Of white susles.
Then the two. without a backward
look. hurried away to Beatrice Har-
loe'S home on the Heights, leaving
the clerk politely ass,ning them that
thr parcel would he sent without d.
self No sooner had they left the
store than the fnithlrss creature
turned Them over to he clerk who
was Nai'in" on the purchaser nf the
patent feathers, and he, too, hur-
rird away, for y little dinner at the
restaurant with ills best girl WIS not
TO ba disturbed for any white su"des
in the world.
lIalf-past eight was sounding by the
1iar'ocs' big hall clock, and. upstairs
the two girls were arraying them
felvcs to ",hr distraction whicl. seeks
70 kill" "Marie,' called Beatrice, to
her ong-sufIrring little maid. have
my slippers come? Dear mr! what
shall | do
For he fifth time. Marie descended
in quest of the ,agrant slippers, and
this time returned smiling, with the
long-awaitcd box.
open them now and let nee put
them on awhile and ease them a little
before | CO." said Bee.
So Marie opened the box. and they
beheld pair Of manly patent lealh-
ers. slim and graceful, il is true, but
never intended for Heatrice's tiny
feet. The girls surveyed each )ther
in blank dismay, then solrnn'Y and
forcbIy there came from Sue the sin.
gle syllable, "Gee!'
"What shall ] do?" cried Beatrice,
distmctcdly. "rhat wrc,ched clerk,
after all his promises to make such
mistake! can't go, that's all; /
haven't another decent pair!-
"Not go." exclaimed Sue. "afterall
my hopes for weeks on this party,
Fly, MARKEDLY and bring mp some
bread-crumbs--stale ones Whc'e nre
all your old slippers, Bee? Wen
choose the best-looking ones and have
them cleaned in the shake of avery
quickly, meant" primly. for Susan
was heroically striving to drop all the
slang phrases which 'her life on a
western ranch had cultivated.
. Out Of various boxes an assort!
ment of foot-gear was produced and
surveyed by its detected owner. She
Immediately pounced upon pair OF
white sucdes, not so bad after all, and
vigorously set herself to work with
the bread:crumbs, with. such g,,od re-
suits that a fairly presentaile pair
Of slippers was produced. r,-
"You cxtravagant, girl" she
laughed. "If you had been used as l
have, to making one pair do till it
is done, you would use up plenty Of
stale bread. Your dress is 81 long
they'll never show; besides. who
would suspect Miss Harloe. who has
. new pair for every party, If she
likes, to be wearing old ones. They'll
never think of looking"
"Oh!~ YOU dear little l1av.'"