Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-07-05
JENKINSON'S SHRINE.

suggesting shoe laces, AMI expressed his
estimate of a fellow mans character by
the mysterious letters y, f or d.
He was ''in the shoe business"
lie always expressed it in that way
as sounding somewhat better than the
more vulgar acknowledgements, Il am
an assistant in a shoe shop"
But he was.
And his fingers had tied and united
more shoe laces than even the manager
of the establishment But, although his
eyes were trife weak, not to say pink
and watery. his trouser knees shiny, and
though he possessed several other I'M
pleasant drawbacks. his heart was a
heart after all.
He never knew he had a heart until
the day she came to get some slippers
on st. Valentines Day. Mamma was
with her-mamma, ponderous and i'm
posing, but whose SHOES he had fired
Tor years with all the patience mag
lnable. Said Mamma that day as she
SWEEP, into the big shop:
Where is Mr.. Jenklnson? I could
never think of having shoes fitted Nv
any other young person."
=, 80 when they called him--he was at
the pack OF the shop explaining lucidlv
the intricacies of the day book to a Iady
from out of town, who was suspicious
OF fraud In the matter-ne came at once.
L femember-ives c, isn't itY' said
furs and silks Va
On, but 1t isn't today, Mr.. Jenkin-
son, said mamma, in a superior way
II tWos ana the narrowest you hayer'
ANA then for the first time he saw
ner-or rather her foot; for, after ali.
II was hHr foot which stole his heart
healthy and tough in the matter of
pretty feet, from having been in the
business for yearS-and more.
L don't think he ever noticed her face
especially. -''0e
But that little foot!
Or rather those little feet, for he fitted
them both. They were slender. arched
III lnStep, curved like the most exquisite
or ShoemakerS lasts. Not a foot for
an artist to admire-not in the least
but foot to wear and dance in n
number two shoe in q manner to win
the heart of the most base shoeman.
White satin, please, and quite jolly
hlgh heels. said small, imperious
voice.
And such dreams of slippers. sucR.
suggestions of coquetry in the matter
OF heels, did the amiable Mr.. Jenkinson
procure from out mysterious green
NO wonder she was satisfied
FOR m never going to wear white
ones ones AGAIN you understand, until I'm
either married or dead; said the small.
lmpeuous voice, essaying a laugh.
Horrors" said mamma. ''NVhat a
reckless way of talking you have learned
at school! | feel quite like finding fault
i do indeed"
But, she only laughed again. and
skipped merrily out TO be tucked up with
After that, when that footman waited
before the door of the shop it was
''hves, broad"
Al, that st. Valentines day.
And poor Mr.. Jenkinson!
How could little girl just from
school. reveling in her first season. know
that among her fifty odd adorers there
was one who never so much as dared
raise his pink, watery eyes from her
feet?
shes got the daintiest foot in town.
bless her. Mr. Jenkinson would saw TO
himself ~
And he came to brood upon it. Once
when she tried on walking boots. She
kicked off some tiny shoes which She
had most audaciously dared to wear dur
ing her trip into town in the smart
brougham and said:
You need not send them home; they
are so worm"
That night Mr.. Jenkinson instituted n
shrine. 1t consisted of a corner ca binet
OF walnut, which was adorned as to its
dog.
When he had hired his room the land
lady had casually remarked:
'1tll open. You can keep your med
icines i'll it. | hope you'll put it to no
worse use. My last lodger-him as we
had an inquest on-used it for his wbis-
Ky bottle and always carried the key"
Was it the later fact or the matter of
the inquest which seemed to so enyelona
the genial lady in disgust? Mr.. len.
kinson never eyen tried to solve fine
problem. But it came to pass thar he
gave her reasons after that night 10
suspect his own possession of n whisky
bottle, for he afterward carried the kew
even as the man associated with the mar
agraph in daily paper in reference to
an inquest.
But whisky bottle?
Oh. no,
AT night when he unlocked the door If
the little walnut cabinet, one might see
something far more dangerous to tho
masculine heart.
Two tiny, half-worn shoes of bronze
kid
They were his valentines.
That was all.
Yet many men have worShipped less
And if on the last great day all is made
open and all secrets disclosed. whaf
strange. not 10 say laughable. Shrines
of the bachelor heart will be among the
exhibits And she never knew. That
act impaired a strange melancholy TO the
affair, in Mr.. Jenliuson'S opinion. And
how busy she kept him, Pink shoes blue
slippers, green satin and lemon satin.
and such wicked, wicked rosettes and
heels,
At last-for there is always that in
cvitahle AT last" in affairs of the heart.
even though it be not shoeman's heart
there came to Mr.. Jenkinsou a blown
bitter, bad blow. You would not think a
pair of white satin high.heeled number
twos. narrow" could administer as Sc
we're Il one. But SO il was Had she not
said. Il will never wear another nair Of
white ones until / marry or die?" And
she was very much alive. He could NOT
wish her dead-an. no.-hut it was very
N ri ~ hAar 10 10, -