The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-07-29
A PAIR OF SLIPPERS
BY ALICE EDWARDS.

flights OF stairs to his room and opened
the door. The windows we're wide
open and the curtains we're blowing
lie had met Mrs Wicks scurrying
through the upper hall and he had
thrown her q CHEEKY word OF greet
ing.
He stood IN the doorway and
shifted suspiciously; then he strobe
down the hall and captured his land
lady at the head OF the stairs.
Beg pardon, ma'am." he said in
hearty voice. I've a suspicion that
you don't like tobacco smoke"
"wh-h-at?" gasped Mrs. wicks.
II don't mind smoking bit. Why,
my husband smokes like a regular
chimney. What makes you think ]
don't like your smoking?"
Because I thought you'd been
sprinkling perfumery around or burn
ing incense-or something. can't
say that I object to II, only ! guess
I'll Just stick TO tobacco smoke, II you
don't mind"
"Yes. sir" groaned Mrs. Wicks, and
vanished down the dark stairway.
Capt Timothy Drew returned to
his room and lighted his pipe. He
sat by the window looking OF toward
the wharf where his work lay He
was captain OF a small freight and
passenger steamer which piled daily
between the city and a 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'.
Now he went out to a restaurant for
his dinner 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. I won
der II any inquisitive housemaid has
been poking around among my poor
belongings-well, I'll be blessed!"
He stared down at a pair Of dimin-
utive bedroom slippers-gray suede
with frivolous pink pompons on each
toe They were 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 fnd
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
tily stood aside to let her pass.
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 affrightedly. II hope every
things all right"
He took out the frivolous slippers
and held them for her inspection, but
q 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 we're they doing there. Mrs
Wicks?"
Mrs. wicks," followed q crisp
voice at the door. Il found q mans
coat and stick In my room"
Timothy Drew whirled around at
the sound OF the voice. II 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.
l found them in my ROOM" said
the girl.
Il 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-
ventional tale OF woe. interspersed
with information concerning gas bills
and coal bills and vacant large rooms
and overfull small rooms, and finally
confessed she had yielded to the
temptation OF renting the same room
to two lodgers-one a 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-
longings out In time to make place for
Miss Moore's pretty things when that
sleepy young woman should come up
the stairs at halfpast seven, and vice
versa
And now I shall lose two dodgers"
she mourned at last.
Timothy Drew's blue eyes twinkled
with mirth. Hester Moore's eyes
bubbled over with glee at the funny
situation.
"a Aat