Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-12-19
LITTLE RED SHOES.
They Brought the Tear. that Pos

i
They Brought the Tear. that Pos
siblys Saved Life.
what dear little red shoes!" said
Mrs. Garnet, pausing in front Of
window on the Corso in Rome. "I'm
sure they would just fit BABY
'sThen l think we had better 20 In
and buy them" Mr.. Garnetts eyes
twinkled, "for Ellen ought to have a
pair of shoes. 1t must be whole week
since she had any new ones"
But these are SO cunning, Tom!
Think how pretty they would look run
ming round the deck of the steamer. O
Tom, isn't 1t nice that in two weeks we
shall be sailing? When think that
baby hasn't seen her native land yet,
can hardly wait to get home. It's real
ly sad not to be born in ones native
land"
'Then you are subject for commits
Grafton, for after a bull like that I'm
convinced Ireland must be your native
land"
Mrs. Garnett Joined in her husbands
merry laugh, and drawing her arm
through his, said, snow you must bug
those shoes just to make up for poking
fun at me-
1t is impossible to say which enjoyed
and admired the red shoes the more
that afternoon, baby Ellen or her moth
er, The nurse took the child for a
promenade in front of the hotel, and
Mrs. Garnett, ostensibly reading on the
balcony, watched almost every step of
the proud little feet, so daintily shod in
shiny red leather.
A fortnight later, at Naples, Mr.. Gar
nett tenderly supported his wife as they
walked up the gangplank of great
steamer She leaned heavily on his
arm, and all the sparkle was gone from
her girlish face Listless and wan, she
sank into deck chair, and us the boat
left Its moorings, she hid her face in
her arms, anxious to shut away forever
the sight of the Italian shores, where
baby Ellen, stricken with fierce, sud-
dent fever, lay in the English burying-
ground.
II think" said the ships doctor, the
third day out, when, grave and woEn,
Mr.. Garnett came to him for advice,
that If your wife could cry, or give
way in any manner to her grief, she
would be better. She must be reused
from her apathetic condition. 1t is dan
gerous."
Yes, she grows weaker hourly" an
swered Mr.. Garnett, sadly. He return
ed to Mrs. Garrett and tried to rouse
her interest In some of the events of
the voyage, but without success.
That evening, weary and discouraged,
Mr.. Garnet strolled among the steer
age passengers, trying to put away the
fearful dread of a double sorrow that
was fast growing in his heart. A beau
tiful, dark-eyed baby toddling toward
him with one tiny foot bare and the
other in worn shoe and stocking
brought tieeting smile to his lips. He
stroked the cloud of soft brown locks,
SO different from Ellen's sunny curls,
and the mother, pleased at the atten-
tion, explained that Annunciata had
lost her shoe on the dock the day they
sailed, and that she insisted upon wear
ing the one she had left.
May borrow your baby for little
while?" asked Mr.. Gurnett. with fair
imitation of the mothers pretty Neapol-
itan dialect; and holding out his arms
to Annunciata, she came to him with
sweet confidence.
Dear" he said, few minutes later,
standing before Mrs. Garnett, "here is
a small fellow voyager who needs q
pair Of shoes. Can we fit her out?"
20 Toni" she cried, and the swift
look of pain which came into her face
almost broke his resolution.
| "Shall help you find pair? We
can take little Annunciata into the
stateroom with us. Gomez
Mrs. Garnett rose and slowly follow
ed her husband. He placed the baby
on the berth and unlocked one of the
steamer trunks.
"Ellen's things are here, aren't they,
dear?' he asked, as calmly as he could;
and Mrs. Garrett knelt down and lifted
the little garments out of the trunk
until she came to pair of shiny red
shoes; then she burst into passion Of
weeping, SO wild and uncontrolled that
Annunciata cried In fright
For moment Mr.. Garrett feared
that the flood of sorrow would be too
much for her, and he was about to try
to calm her when she brushed away
her tears and said, sobbing:
"I'll put them ON the child myself"
In minute the bewildered Annun-
clata was on her lap, gazing rapturous-
ly at the bright shoes that trembling
fingers were fastening on her little feet
Then two hungry arms held her in a
long embrace, which, for the sake Of
the red shoes, perhaps, Annunciata bore
without protest.
"Now take her tc her mother, Tom
She must want her And, Tom, when
you come back l think can talk to
you of Elem
Mr.. Garrett lifted the baby and
kissed his wife's cheek, and the gentle
tears there gave him new hope
Youths Companion.
BOTTLE FLOATS aon MILES