St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-06-28
The little
Red Shoe II
BY Sarah Beaumont Kennedy.

3 BY Sarah Beaumont Kennedy. s
copyrighted by Daily Story Pub. Coy
THE was sitting on top of the step
ladder before the high bookcase
whittier she had mounted to read the
titles of the musty volumes on the
upper shelves. But they had not
proved very interesting, SO she hac
taken pity on a bust of Shakespeare
which surmounted the case, and was
busily rubbing the dust from his eyes
with her cambria handkerchief. And
as she rubbed she sang running rag,
time tunes and other airs together
in a tumble that would have set a Wag-
ner-worshiper wild.
kitty ely has a heart
Warns a cup of tea,
Big as any sweet potato
Down in Tennessee
She sang SO loud that she did not
hear the gate slam nor the knock at
the door, so the gentleman outside
had a good look at her as she perched
there in the f~ame-colored negligee
with it's foamy %rufles, and her blonde
hair waved fluffy above her brow.
One little FOO was on a step OF the
ladder, but the other swung over the
side and kept a sort of pendulum time
to the song she sang. The M at rest
was decorously clad in hose and slip
per, but this other wilful vagrant was
covered only with its stocking, having
kicked off the scarlet slipper in its
efforts to keep up with the changes
of tune and time. The dropped slip
per lay OF the carpet at the foot of
the ladder. On the whole she made a
perfectly fascinating picture, and the
man outside did not scruple to look
his fill, for the door was wide open
and the bookcase not a dozen feet away
across the hall.
'Can she make a cherry pie. Billy-boy.
~Billy-boy?"
She was beginning again, putting in
an extra trill for pure w~antonness of
sound; and SO he piled the knocker
once MORE, this time with his muscle
in evidence. She heard and turned,
and the notes died instantly and a look
of horror came into her face. Then
with an agile leap she reached the floor
and sped up the stairs like an exer-
cised spirit of song, leaving the man
staring after her in disappointed sur
prise. A minute later a servant came
down the hall and on the silver tray
the man laid a card bearing the name
"Perry Rainier"
HTs MiSS EUipr At homoC"
"Walk in and I will see. sir"
."He waited impatiently, anxious to
see how Miss Ewing would comport
herself after the ladder episode; but
the servant, returning, said:
mot in, sir"
For a moment he was conscious of
a keen disappointment, then smiled
pleasantly under his mustache, telling |
himself that confused modesty held
her back. What girl of right feeling
would care to face an entire stranger
Immediately after such an undigni-
fed exhibition of her powers as a
Splinter? But he had his small re-
venge, for, following the maid to the
door. he stopped and, surreptitiously
picking up the little red slipper, thrust
it into his pocket.
He was on his way to the west on a
matter of vital Importance for one of
his clients and he had stopped off for
a day at this little Tennessee city to
meet Helen Ewing. Bob Bradley had
arranged it, for it had long been Bob's
pet scheme to make a match between
Rainer and his cousin Helen.
After his call Rainier returned to his
hotel and waited for circumstances to
shape his course. He had never felt
special interest in Helen before
Bob's eulogiums; but a mer-
girl like that golden-headed
acrobat ought to be worth knowing.
An hour later he received a note.
.'Dear Mr.. Rainer-I am sorry to have
you this afternoon. Your visit was
great surprise. Unfortunately 1 am en-
gagged for a dinner, but some of our young
bachelors are giving a dance afterwards at
he club house. Be sure and come; I shall
save you several dances. Sincerely yours,
HELEN EWING"
With the note was a card to the
lance. SO Rainier went. But he looked
IN yain for the blonde girl who had
made such an offering OF song to the
|amented Shakespeare. Instead, there
to meet him a tall, dark girl with
= rather expressionless face. She
asked many questions of Bob, made
polite inquiry as to his journey west,
lanced with him and introduced him
o several pretty girls. On the whole
he evening passed very pleasantly,
.hough Rainer felt none of the heart
that Bob had foretold. Just
before parting he asked casually:
"What young lady in your house,
Hiss Ewing, sings popular songs with
abandonment of a professionals"
II really do not know. The house
: full of girls and all of them sing.
do wish you would join our party
or a few days; we would do our ut
nost for your pleasure" /
He thought of the red slipper in his {
oom. of the airy trills and run of i
ono. of the round white arms left
are Nv the flowing sleeves. and moth {