Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-05-21


adorned his shirt bosom, and left tiny
round bruise where the underside OF
the stud had struck sharply over his
breast bone. The immediate effect,
however on Mr.. Gramercy Van Braun
was a momentary one Of startled as
tonishment. The thing, whatever II
was, had come hurtling, apparently, out
of the sheer, ethereal ambient OF FHth
avenue at 2 o'clock in the morning.
Sauntering, somewhat leisurely, for
the night was unseasonably mild, from
his club towards his apartments, his
mood one Of preoccupation, he had
been brought to a sudden stand by this
then indistinguishable missile, flying
not from above, but rather on an up
ward slant from the level-into swift
percussion with his broadly capacious
chest; whence it had dropped, lightly
enough now, to the pavement.
Holding his curiosity as to the ma
ture Of the object rigidly in check, he
made a hasty survey Of his surround
ings. He had just crossed Forty-sec-
ond street, going northward; and ne
had the entire block to himself. In
neither direction was there a single Pc
destrian in sight. But, down the ave-
nue., possibly half a block distant, ne
saw the rear lights of what were evil
IDENTIFY a limousine and taxicab rap
idly fading into the night shadows.
For an instant his gaze searched the
recessed doorways Of adjacent shops
for some lurking creature upon whom
to fix the blame-some jovial reveler,
perhaps-but the doorways were clear
ly teIantless.
A second or two accomplished this;
and then, he picked up the thing that
had struck him. To his added per-
plexity, it was a lady's slipper; very
tiny one of white satin, and elaborately
ornamented with seed pearls. An in
spiration, rather than suspicion, caus-
ed him to tear off glove and thrust as
much Of his hand as this dainty piece
of footwear would accommodate into
its interior. AS he had fancied might
be possible, the lining was distinctly
warm A minute ago, the slipper had
encased the delicate foot of it's fair
wearer.
The discovery awoke in him an addi-
tional interest. A score Of questions
now took the place of one, and clamor-
ed for answer. Who was she? Was
she young? Was she beautiful? Was
she in the Limousine or in the taxicab?
Why did she throw the slipper away ?
Did she throw it at him? Or, was it's
striking him an accident? Was it pos
sible that she had recognized him?
Did she do it in spirit of mischief?
Did she have some serious purpose?
Would he ever learn her name? Would
And so they multiplied.
He was still propounding them as he
turned the corner of Forty-fourth
street, and noted the unmistakable
signs of a dance at Sherry's. He Won
dered whether she might have been in
attendance there, and going home thus
early. Two cloak wrapped figures were
entering an electric brougham as he
passed.
For six months or more, Van Braun
had been ranching in Wyoming. Only
yesterday he had dropped quietly back
into town, and not more than a hand
full of his friends knew of his unher-
aided return. Otherwise he might have
been a guest here, himself. He had
returned to his old rooms in the Re-
gina, near the Bar association, at the
other end of the block. And now, as
he entered them and switched on the
lights, he drew the mysterious slipper
from his pocket, and placed it, conspic-
uOusly, atop little pile Of books, on
the centre table, in his study.
While in the act of removing his
overcoat, the sudden, sharp, reverber-
ant call of the telephone arrested him.
A woman's voice came to him over
the wire: a rather light, thin voice,
high pitched. In vain, he made effort
to identify it, as, interrupted only by
it's own ripping laughter, it ran spirit
edly through it's fancy-framed narra-
tive.
This is Cinderella speaking" 1t was
so the subject was introduced. Fly
ing from a ball. at Sherry's, oh, long,
long, unhappily long after midnight
my crystal slipper was sped miracu-
lously from my foot and through the
open window of my golden chariot
on ;pctnnt hafnra u1prionS a.
hicle turned once more into the pump
kin from which it sprang. And you
my fair Prince Charming, If that cruel
old witch, my fairy god-mother is ia
lie believed, now have it in your pos
session. Pray, o pray. dear Prince, for
the sake of romance, promise that you
will not hold 1t as keepsake, but re-
turn it to your poor little and Woe
fully distressed Cinderella"
Young Van Braun hesitated just a
breath before he made reply. 1t SEEM
ed quite evident to him that the speak
er was some one he knew; and yet, sc
far as his recollection went, the voice
was totally strange.
You will have to prove your proper
ty, you know" he told her, with a teas
ing chuckle. 1T is a very tiny, fairy-
like slipper and to be quite exact, pro-
sale mortal that I am. l may tell you
at once that it is neither crystal mol
glass;
Lightly, her laughter flowed over the
prosaically utiitarian wire. "Oh, yor
goos"y gander." she chirruped. Dom
you know anything about fairies at all
1t was crystal when it left my foot;
but it might have beeI ny one of 6
hundred things when l. reached you
Fairies simply love to practice trans
mutation"
"Oh. | see" he said, as if thorough
ly convinced. And can they change
the size. too. just as readily, these
twentieth century fairies? Glass slip
pers always stayed glass slippers wher
| was hoy. And their size never va
ried."
Your ideas were CLEANED from the
story books" she told him. with an ef.