Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1904-02-26
ONLYAPAIR OF SHOES

Il was only a pair Of shoes. And
the pair possessed by the charwoman,
too, and Of money value something
like S1.9S. But It is surprising how
much trouble a single pair Of humble
bogans can cause a respectable family.
BY the side of II a money value seems
ridiculous.
The charwoman arrived early Mon
day morning wearing the shoes and
carrying a pair Of down at the heel
slippers in a paper parcel The first
thing she did was to remove her precl-
Gus shoes and put on the slippers
After hard days work mp and down
stairs she would have put her shoes
en- TO go home only the shoes could
nowhere be found. The cook and the
maid and the children searched high
and low, but In vain. The precious
shoes, all the more precious now that
It was raining and showing and the
crossings we're covered with a thin
and frosty mud, had completely van
isbed.
The mistress Of the house came
home too late to hear the tragedy Of
the shoes until next morning Mean
time the charwoman, who had gone
home in a rage, with her feet done up
In slippers and rags. reappeared upon
the scene and was waiting for the
shoes or satisfaction.
Where did you put then2" inquired
the mistress.
"Shure, ma'am, an / put EN- In the
corner Of the furnace room, on a pile
Of papers. An when looked at night
they was gone, an the papers wit
en-"
TT was the ashman." decided the
mistress at once. "The things piled up
in that corner go to the ashman."
"They was me Sunday shoes,
ma'am," groaned the poor woman.
Never mind" said the mistress,
cheerfully, he'll bring them back.
I'll leave a note for him there, he will
get 1t In the morning, the next morn
ing he will bring your shoes"
Very we'll, ma'am, then I'A come
after 'em on Thursday"
"Yes, come Thursday I've got
some work for you on that day, any
how. And don't be alarmed--you'n
get your shoes, all right"
THANK you, ma'am, so as can
have them for church on a Sunday"
The charwOman came on the day
appointed and she found her shoes, as
had been promised The ashman had
carried them away in the semldark-
ness. Their owner carefully deposited
them in a safer place this time, wrap
ped up in newspaper, and went to
work with renewed Yigor But when
she came to leave the shoes were
again missing. She was astonished.
Them shoes are hoodooed, surep
she told the cook
They formed a joint searching par
ty, but no trace of the shoes could be
found. They had vanished as com
pletely as before. She was afraid to
annoy the mistress of the house again
about the matter, until every clew
was exhausted-the patience of the
household, also. Then she appealed
the case.
where did you put them this time,
Matildar was the first question.
II wrapped EN- up, ma'am, in q
newspaper and put EN- on the tubs in
the laundry"
Good graciousf exclaimed the
mistress. ITS the iceman this time"
TITS the lceman, is it, ma'am? Well,
I'll"
Hold up, Matilda Don't get excit-
ed about it. We wrap things up-odds
and ends, you know-and leave them
on the tubs for the iceman He prob
ably carried the package away with
out looking to see what It was. But
he'll bring them back Oh, yes. He's
honest. Besides. he can't wear your
shoes, you know. I'll leave a note for
him. He'll get 1t in the morning with
the order. and 1t will be all right. Can
Saturday."
IF you was to please to tell him,
ma'am, that | want 'em for Sunday
sure"
"And put guard over those Shoes"
said the master of the house, when
they come in again, or lock them in
the safe in my room New York
Herald.