Evening star., 1903-12-26
THE RED SHOES.

| hhis iB q story from this weeks book prize.
called True Fairy Stories. /" by Mary f. BakeweIl
| Copyright. 1862. American Book Co.
| There was once a little girl whose name
was Katherine. She had kind father and
mother. a new baby brother, and dolls.
and pictures, and a garden. and hat with
| a big feather. She had everything she
| wanted, except red shoes.
There was no good reason why she should
| want red shoes. more than brown, or blue,
or green, or pink shoes; but that was
katherine's way of thinking and red shoes
seemed to her the one and only thing to be
desired. She thought about them while she
played with her dolls. and while she dug in
| the garden. and while she made patty
cakes in the kitchen.
! Now Katherine's mother liked plain
| things best. and she felt that the feather
! In the child's hat was as much as she ought
10 expect. So, whenever they went for new
| shoes her mother always said. Black
| SHOES, please; yes. plain shoes that will
| wear long time"
| Then the shoemaker would bring out a
| pair OF sober black Shoes stout and strong,
| and lace them on katherines little feet.
And all the while she would be longing for
shoes that buttoned, shoes Of brightest.
| gayest red, that might even have a bow OF
1 ribbon at the top. Then she would look
darkly at her dangling black feet, and
think of what might have been.
|
membering the feather in her hat. she said
| nothing to tease her mother, but went
| quietly out of the shop and skipped gayly
| along the street. For in truth one can
| in gay, red ones.
| And now comes the part of my story
about fairy godmother. which is. Of
| course. the incest part of all Yet If YOU
| think 1t was a fairy godmother who wore
| spangled skirts. and carried wand. and
rode on clouds. you are much mistaken;
| Tor this one was very different.
She came to the door in a street car, like
anybody else, and was generally dressed in
gray. If it happened to be raining she
| carried an umbrella and wore rubbers; and
| her by any of the great names one always
| gives to fairies but Just "Kate." Kath-
crime called her "TousIn Tate" because she
| could not speak more plainly.
This person was q fairy godmother be-
| cause she made things happen. 1t she
who once made the circus a beautiful real
| ity, instead OF a disappointing dream. 1t was
| she who made Katherine,s party a great
| success by sending ice cream. And when a
| long-planned picnic was spoiled by thun-
| der storm the fairy godmother changed all
into soap-bubble party, and everybody
| was happy
| Just here begins the real story of the
| shoes. The fairy godmother had come to
| lunch one day, and at the table Katherine's s
| mother said, Kate. do you think you could
| take Katherine down town this afternoon,
| to get pair of shoes?' katherine listened
| intently She thought of the beautiful red
| shoes once more.
| "Most certainly I can 60" said the god
| mother
II want her to have black shoes. please:
| perfectly plain. and made to wear a long
| time" the mother explained.
| Katherines heart sank once more and
| she gloomily ate whole piece of bread un-
| buttered
When they started out, however. she was
| skipping, and holding very tightly to the
n q
| the horse-chestnut buds, and the sparrows
| on the fences, and the pansy beds in the
dooryards; but by and by they reached the
shops.
| In at the shoemaker's window they looked
to see the big and little shoes together. and
as they Stood the fairy godmother happen
ed to see that katherine's eyes We're turned
wistfully toward pair of red shoes. Yet
| being a wise fairy. she said nothing, and
they walked in together.
The usual black shoes were brought out
of their box, tried on, and laced up on the
little feet. Then said the fairy godmother.
as quietly as though asking for buttons or
strings. 1--WE should like to look at some
| red shoes, please"
| had been tipping, for in her surprise she
| went from chair to floor. Her only wonder
| was that the clock kept on ticking just as
| slowly as ever. Even the clerk took this
! great event calmly. He opened a box and
| unroled the tissue paper, just as he had
| done before. But ah! when one did catch
| glimpse of the shoes, what beauties they
| were! They were dazzling red in color and
| made of the most shining quality of leather.
| They were fastened with tiny pearl buttons,
| and adorned with ribbon bows at the top
What further could one wish for? They
| certainly fitted her we'll. The fairy god
| mother admired them, and so did the clerk.
| and the little boy in the next seat. who was
| merely trying on rubbers. The shoe man
! himself came from behind his desk to see.
And one and all together said they were
| truly beautiful shoes.
| Then of course they had to be wrapped
| up, and Katherine went out of the store
| walking very straight. Her eyes We're
| dancing and under each arm she carried
| one of the shoes.
"Now, Katherine" said the fairy god
| mother, when they again walked past the
| horse-chestnut buds. and the sparrowS and
| the pansy beds, you must know, my dear,
that there is a time for everything. Red
| shoes are not to be worn every day. But
| when you do wear them you can be like
| messenger who once wore wings at his
| heels You can ny to carry good news and
| happy words to other people
| Yes, Tousin Tate" answered Katherine;
| but she was thinking Of the shoes and not
| of what the godmother said.
| When she snuggled into bed that evening
| the shoes stood heel and toe on the hearth
| rug They had been shown, before and
after teatime. to father, and mother. and
| the new minister who was calling. and the
baby, and the cook. Then they had been
| shown to the nurse. and to nurses cousin
|
| the boy who brought the evening papers.
Katherine went to bed happy, and lay
watching her shoes in the faint light.
| By and by they began to dance, oh, quite
! nicely, heel and toe. balance to corners,
| forward and back, and all without music.
"Now let US tell Stories" said the right
| shoe. when they stopped for rest.
''That is the thing to do" cried the left
| shoe. LET US tell them turn about-you
| first and then l."
"Very WELL" said the right shoe. This
| is the story of Katherine's party. Every
| thing was in red to match our shoes-red
| lights red candies, red flowers, red dresses.
| Katherine herself had the reddest dress Of
ALL Everybody was happy, and there was
such music and laughing! Katherine re-
| membered to pull crackers with the small
est children, and she sat and talked with
| that lame child, who must keep always
quiet. But when she did dance-ah. she
went like puff of thistledown on the wind
That was the right kind of party"
'Well," said the left shoe. hear me now.
This shall be at sewing school, Only poor
children go there, and they all wear ragged
,lo darl