The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-07-31
A PAIR OF SLIPPERS
BY ALICE EDWARDS.

the door. Inc WlnuO"S were "iue
omen and the curtains were blowing.
He had met Mrs. Wicks scurrying
through the upper hall and he had
thrown her a CHEEKY word OF greet
ing.
He stood in the doorway ana
shifted suspiciously; then he stroue
down the hall and captured his land
lady at the head of the stairs.
Beg pardon. ma'am," he said IN
hearty voice. 1--WE a suspicion that
YOU don't like tobacco smoke.
"Wh-h-at?" gasped Mrs. Wicks.
81 don't mind smoking a bit. Why'
my husband smokes like regular
chimney. What makes you think l
don't like your smoking"
Because | thought you'd peen
sprinkling perfumery around or purn-
ing incense-or something. | can't
say that | object to it, only | guess
I'll just stick to tobacco smoke. If you
don't mind.
Yes. sir" groaned Mrs. Wicks, and
vanished down the dark stairway.
Capt. Tim lthy Drew returned to
his room and lighted his pipe. lie
sat by the window looking off toward
the wharf, where his work lay He
was captain of a small freight ana
passenger steamer which piled daily
between the city and smaller town
farther down the sound. He might
have slept aboard the Pennyroyal, but
he chose to spend his sleeping hours
away from the scene of his days
work. He merely slept at Mrs. Wicks'.
| all his belongings. save few toilet
necessities and some clothing, were
| in his snug cabin aboard the Penny
royal Now he changed into a gray
suit and went out TO a restaurant for
his dinner. Afterward. went to the
theater and returned home at eleven
o'clock.
AS he lighted the gas in his room
he once more shifted the air suspi-
ciously.
"Humph," he frowned, looking
around Smells like violets. ! won
der If any inquisitive housemaid has
been poking around amons my poor
belongings-well. I'll be blessed"
He stared down at pair of dimin-
utive bedroom slippers-gra, suede
with frivolous pink pompons on each
toe. They we're under his bed-his
bed.
Tossing his hat and stick down on
the table, he gathered up the slippers
and put them into his pocket. Softly
he tiptoed downstairs to the base
ment. where he knew he would find
Mrs. Wicks.
At the foot OF the upper staircase
he met the pretty girl he had saved
from a fall on the stairs the previous
day. She was coming up and he has
aside to let her pass. There was
flash of recognition in her brown eyes.
but she simply inclined her head and
passed on.
Slowly enough Captain Drew went
down the remainder of the way. He
was thinking of the girl She was
unusually attractive, he thought He
really didn't care much for girls. but
this one He tapped at the door Of
the basement sitting room.
Come in" yawned Mrs. Wicks.
"Oh. it's you, Captain Drew" she
gasped affrightediy. Il hope every
things all right"
He took out the frivolous slippers
and held them for her inspection. but
a sound at the door had sent her
scared glance over his shoulder.
81 found these slippers under my
bed" he doomed in his big voice.
What were they doing there. Mrs.
Wicks?"
MRS. Wicks," followed a crisp
voice at the door. Il found a mans
coat and stick in my room"
Timothy Drew whirled around at
the sound of the voice. 1t was the
girl he had met on the stairs. She
was looking puzzled now. Her glance
caught the slippers in his hands.
why, those are my slippers" she
said in a surprised tone.
And that's my hat and stick" he
retorted.
found them In y ROOM" said
the girl.
81 found the slippers under my
bed" he declared With one accord
they faced the wretched Mrs. Wicks.
She was bowed In despairing grief
over the discovery of her double deal
Ing. She sobbed a sad story-a con-
yentional tale Of woe. interspersed
with information concerning gas bills
and coal bills and vacant large rooms
and oyerfull small rooms, and finally
confessed she had yielded to the
temptation of renting the same room
to two Iodgers-one day ledger and
the other a night tenant. She de-
clared that she had wrecked her nerv-
Gus system trying to prevent a meet
Ing between these two. She told how
she had bundled Captain Drew's be
Iongings out in time to make place for
Miss Moore's pretty things when tina,
sleepy young woman should come ur
the stairs at half-past seven, and vice
versa
And now I shall lose two dodgers.
she mourned at last.
Timothy Drew's blue eyes twinklet
with mirth. Hester Moore's eye
bubbled over with glee at the funn,
situation.
Sort of a Box and Cox affair,
grinned Captain Drew at last.
Il never heard Of them gentlemen.