Smyrna times., 1906-03-21
The Romance Of
a Slipper
BY Virginia Leila Wentz
Copyright. 1905. by E. C. Parcels

When Miss Graham had finished her
letter and laid her pen down, she saun-
tered indolently to the small window
and looked across at the pine woods.
1t was one of those country windows
to open which demands strength which |
is as the strength of ten and which,
when opened, refuse to be closed again |
save with the archaic force of bat |
tering ram.
Even though 1 do live in a Harlem
fat" pondered Kitty Graham, give
been accustomed to windows that re-
manned up without any visible means
of support. Since I've come to the
Berkshires I've learned better Seems
to me that one volume of Thackeray
doesn't keep the window up high
enough" She gaZed searchingly about
the room. Il reckon one of my high
heeled slippers will about do it." and
she inserted that bit of personal prop
erty with no mean skill, so that the
heel raised the sash two or three inches
higher.
u
tritie warm with the eXertiOn, but it's
something And how delicious that
pine fragrance isr' She bent her pref
ty head so that her little nose drew in
long breaths of the sweet air Then,
picking up her letter, she went down
stairs.
Mrs. Barnes" came Miss Graham's
silvery voice from the hall, shall 1
leave my letter here on the table? Or
is it too late for the butcher?"
''Sakes alive! Yes. He was here
fore you was up" returned Mrs.
Barnes cheerfully from her rocking
chair on the front piazza. But maybe
there'll be somebody along presently
on the way to North Adams. You
might stick it in the railing in case
anybody does come" she added.
Kitty sauntered to the fence and
leaned over the railing. But no one
was in sight.
Suppose l walk over to North Adj
ans myself" suggested she. "Is it
far?" She tapped the belated envelope
against her small white teeth.
Land, yes, child! IT'S
The gate of the "other house, creak-
ed as it was pulled open. They could
always hear that gate creak. Mrs.
Barnes stopped rocking and looked up
the road.
Here comes Professor Thornton ~
she said placidly. But of course, we
couldn't ask him.
Him. murmured Kitty absently
"Why not?''
The professor was tall, aristocrat
ic looking man of middle age. AS he
approached, followed by handsome
collie, Kittie went to the gate and held
out her letter with q frank, winning
smile
; "If you're going to the village would
: you mind mailing this for meT sale
she gravely. II should be very mucf
obliged"
Mrs. Barnes from the rocker on tn.
piazza looked at the girl with milo
reproach, but met no glance of apology
: Kitty's wide gray eyes were following
b.. Professor Thornton's aristocratic fig
ure down the road and evolving som
questions. She turned abruptly.
L "Who is he? Why did you hesitat
r about asking him? Don't you thinl
= he'll mail it all right? It's to mother
4 and it's very important, and you dom
t. think he'll drop it, do your"
And what Mrs. Barnes thereupo
told her was in substance if not il
words something like this:
i He was Professor Hamilton Thornto
/ of New York city, serving as his mis-
% tress star eyed science. But Of Won
an with a capital w and her Way
l. (another capital w he was totally il
h norant The iciest of iced water wa
70 warm, so rumor had it, to the look /
bestowed upon women.
:, And how ever you braced up spun
s. enough to ask him to mail that letter
70 concluded Mrs. Barnes, rocking wa
back, Il don't know"
"Ho. Humr' yawned Kitty. "Wel
the woods for NINE" And with nc
of farewell she passed out of the gat
Over the slippery needles she wei
till she reached tall tree whose sha
went straight up, not bothering itse
with branches for thirty feet. He
she Threw ueESell uOWu iedut
back in the embracing roots, pityiI
the people in towns and heaving
sigh Of satisfaction.
10 IF only dear mother could be wi
III me, though" said she mentally, but
course it's impossible. Oh, this pove
ty stricken workaday world!' 81
couldn't help thinking of the pretty !
40 tie estate in Virginia which yield
rE nothing and of the subsequent har
ship which she and her frail, delica
mother were enduring.
1g "Well, the doctor said If I'd stop fir
TO ting and would try to enjoy every N
ment of my month here in these fl
grant hills I'd be all right for my W
ter work, 50 I'm only going to think
" pleasure and-and bracing thing
And while the resinous bark gave fol-
its spicy smell. reclining against
roots of the pine tree, she lazily wat
-- ed the small and active insects VIII
went pottering about the needles a