Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-04-20
THOSE BOOTS.
The Tragic Love Story of Mr.. Augustus Sniper.


answers as Augustus Sniper did, is it
| anything to be surprised at that she
feels mortally offended?
So Augustus was left stranded by
| the door where he had entered, too
much overcome by the paralyzing fear
| that some one would look at him and
discover those boots to heed Katie's
anger or to be aware in what way he
had offended her.
However, he dared not remain in the
open space, and, seeing an ottoman, he
determined to reach it or perish in the
| attempt. Happily it was near Mrs.
Gum, which afforded him an excuse
to go to it. Where he stood he felt as
though he was on the edge of q fearful
precipice, any moment some one might
! look round; there was nothing for it
but a rush. He rushed. Happily he
was able to pull himself up in time and
avoid tumbling over Mrs. Gum.
"How do you do, my dear Mrs.
Gunn?" he gasped, shaking hands with
her violently, hoping thereby to draw
her attention from the eccentric man.
ner in which he had crossed the room.
"How do you do?" sh answered, cold
ly, adding to herself: 'if it were not so
early in the day. should say that man
had been drinking. hope he has no
vicious habits. He comes here very
often. L must drop hint to Katie"
Here the conversation languished.
Augustus remained wrapt in his own
thoughts, which were far from pleas
ant. At last he decided he would out
stay every one, propose to Katie, and
then, if accepted, he would be asked to
dinner and would make his escape un-
der cover of the night, and if refused,
well, it would not much matter then
whether she saws the boots or not. He
was suddenly aroused from these re-
fections by hearing Miss Gum say:
won't you sit down, Mr.. Sniper"
And awakening to the fact that he
had been standing all the time in 81
lence, he seated himself on the otto
man. But he had put himself in the
worst place in the room, viz: next to
the ted table. Presently Mrs. Gum
again spoke. "Ah, here is the tea.
May lIoup4e yOu, MI. o4ilpSli " luhe
this cup of tea to Miss Neville. She is
at the other side Of the room near the
window" 4, f., e. ~
There was nothing for il but to go,
so with q cup in one hand and a plate
| of cake in the other he started on his
perilous journey. Behind the sofa,
round fat old lady, between q lady
and gentleman in the midst of 1irta-
ton, occasionally darting in zigzag
course from the edge of a curtain to n
| footstool and back again to the vast
outlaying flanges OF some old dowager,
gingerly skirting the groups of laugh
ing, chattering girls, he made his er-
ratio way, taking advantage of every
cover with the care of n Boer, and at
last reached the farther end of the
room, where sat Miss Neville in the
| bow window.
"At last" he said to himself, as he
| handed her the cake, 1--WE done it, but
l wouldn't go through that again for
| $5000." And he sat down beside Mag
gle Neville, determined nothing should
| move him from his haven.
"What a cosy place you've got over
| here, thought so directly / came in,
so I got Mrs. Gum to let me bring
you your tea and come over here for a
talk"
"Did you? I watched you crossing
the room, but I could not tell where
you were going"
He turned hot at the bare idea of his
being watched. Had she seen the
boots?
did you-er-did you notice any.
thing-er-peculiar- he
stammered.
NO" she said wonderingly, "except
perhaps, your manner of walking. You
didn't look as if you were trying to gel
here"
"Oh, that's nothing-I often-er-dc
that. It's a way I've got"
"Indeed"
This was not encouraging, anything
to turn the subject, he rushed on
But l assure you, Miss Neville. now
I am here, could wish for no greater
happiness than to remain here forever
At least, that is to say, until you &c
away"
That was perfectly true.
"Fll leave little margin for you
politeness, Mr.. Sniper, and won't con
slider you bound by that" she said will
a laugh, and then added dryly, "wha
would the others-what would Kati'
say if you sat here all the afternoon p
II don't care what they say. Ny
present position is the only one to givt
me happiness. l would not exchang,
it for throne" he said with fervor.
He was getting desperate. Anything
to keep her attention from his boots
and all these speeches which she tool
to mean sudden desire to get up /,
Irritation were no empty compliments
but terribly true expressions of hi!
painful position.
Meanwhile Katie was watching hin
with great wrath. What did he meaI
by this behavior? She was not goini