The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-07-30
NARROW
ESCAPE
By SAMUEL E. BRANT

When young Mrs. Marshall came to
L., knowing that the start one makes
socially in a place counts for good
deal, she made herself agreeable to
every one, became familiar with only
the best, was careful that her costumes
were cut in the latest fashion, and,
since the dominant circle admitted Of
cavaliers for their prominent members,
she rather encouraged the attentions
of Huntington Dabney.
It must be admitted that keeping
Mr.. Dabney up to his duties as her
cavalier was hard work. His main ac-
complishment was leading cotillion,
and he was not known to have any
secondary one Mrs. Marshall could
stand to be put in straitjacket cos
tune and listen to society gossip, in
Guiding private quarrels and the mis-
hap Of the last social climber who had
fallen from an upper round OF the lad
der to the bottom, but found 1t tire
some, indeed, to pretend to be flirting
with Huntington Dabney in solitary
corner at function in order to main
tain reputation for being one of those
ladies to whom husband and children
are bore. And it was the harder for
her because she was devoted both to
her husband and her children. AS for
Mr.. Marshall, she told him in the be-
ginning what her designs really
amounted to, but he didn't take sufti-
Gent interest in the matter to remem-
Der the explanation.
Among the other penalties Mrs. Mar
shall must pay for effecting an entrance
into l.. society was the sitting in tight
slippers for several hours at dinner par
ties. Her feet were tender, and for
this reason her footwear was made OF
light material, but even silken slippers,
made very small, binding the feet for
hours on stretch, will at last cause
pain. 1t was sitting thus at dinner
party for an unusually long period that
brought about mishap to Mrs. Mar
shall that came very near plunging her
to the foot Of the social ladder and
rendering her fall so unfortunate that
she would not have been able to begin
to climb again.
At the dinner in question Mr.. Dab
ney was assigned to take Mrs. Mar
shall out. Mr.. Marshall having been
honored by being assigned to the host
ess. Mrs. Marshall's shoe pinched, and
after enduring long period Of suffer
ing she slipped it off. Mr.. Dabney,
who was restless man, must needs
kick his legs about under the table till
he sent the slipper off to parts I'M
known. When at last the innumera-
BILE courses had been finished and
pousse cafe put close upon the feast
the diners arose to 60 into another part
of the house for cotilliOn.
Mrs. Marshall, who had for some
time been feeling with her toe for the
missing slipper, finding that without
some expedient she must 60 with the
others in stocking foot, so to speak.
when the party were rising, kept her
seat, talking very hard to her cavalier.
pretending to be so wrapt in her sub
1ect as not to notice the movement.
OF course the gentleman kept his seat,
too, and was all attention. The lady
watched out Of the corner OF her eye
the retiring guests and saw that no
especial notice was taken Of her re-
naming behind. AS soon as the 9th
ers were all gone she Informed Mr..
Dabney that she had lost her slipper
under the table and had Jagged behind
to recover 1t. Dabney started to get 1t
himself, but the lady stopped him and,
getting down. CROPPED for the missing
article. 1t was dark down there, and
Mrs. Marshall was nearsighted She
hunted some time without success.
Then Mr.. Dabney's gallantry got the
better of his discretion, and down he'
too, went under the table to help.
The host had scarcely left the dining
room before he proposed that the men
return for pony brandy. Several OF
the ladies whose heads were not easily
overturned by spirituous beverages de-
clared thst they, too, wanted "anoth-
err" Suddenly the dining room door
was thrown open, and merry party
entered. Mrs Marshall, realizing the
horror of the situation Of being caught
under the table with her cavalier.
whisperedvto him:
"For heavens sake be still"
Mr.. Dabney obeyed orders. What
else could he do? The host poured the
liquor and all were standing around
the table ready to drink when those
under it heard him say:
what the deuce became Of Dabney
and Mrs. Marshall? They didn't leave
the dining room with the rest of US"
"They must have gone out by anoth'
er door," suggested one Of the women.
Drink her down." said the host,
"and we'll go and look for them. They
must have gone up that stairway.
don't allow any scattering In my
house." he added jocularly.
The jewellers tossed OF the brandy
and ran laughing up the staircase.
As soon as the last one had disap-
peared Mrs. Marshall scrambled out