The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-03-12
THE LITTLE SHOE
BY JACK LAWToN.

fo cross the road in order to hail
taxi, when he noticed a dark object
half buried in the snow at his feet
Bnly's honest face wrinkled in perplex-
.ty as he turned the thing over in his
hand to him it looked like child's
bedroom shoe. What else but bed
room shoe would be lined with quilt
ed satin, and furred around the top?
what" mutte4ed Bill, ,'"would ii kid
be doing out in the street In bedroom
slpper2p He passed the question
over to the taxi driver.
"That there's a woman's carriage
ooot," the man explained
Billy was not offended. He was glad
to find someone to talk to. New York
had given cold welcome to this big
free-hearted son Of the West. Upon the
train coming he had noticed the diff
ference.
In Billy's home town everyone spoke
10 everyone else. His car companions
had turned up their collars at his ap-
| proacn and unsoclably lost their faces
within them. Billy was very lonely.
! He was discouraged. Perhaps 1t would
have been better to have stayed and
spent his pile in the place where he had
| made it; he was very sorry that
| the age limit prevented him from going
/ 10 war, there, one might find comrades
and sympathetic understanding. Even
! the home town had failed him in that
The other boys had all married, while
! Bill was absorbed In the success of his
fortune. Now they were satisfied in
! their homes and he was left outside.
| Hut then, there had never been a girl
| to hold Ills fancy. Bill couldn't tell
| why, perhaps because he had continued
! IN the hope of finding one, like his
mother. She had been such tender
faithful creature. Bill couldn't think
of her yet without lump in his throat
yes, the girls he had met, were differ
ent. SO he sat in the taxi looking down
on the little shoe and wondering what
to do with 1t.
"Put an ad in the paper" suggested
the FGtill gtinning chauffeur. "You'll
find yoar Cinderella quicker"
The thing really might be valuable,
50 Billy inserted his ad. Brief it was.
"Woman's carriage boot found on
Broadway Apply to Western News.
paper Office"
Then because Billy was so very lone
I ly in the strange city and because the
chauffeur had put the thought intoehis
hend, he dreamed a dream about a
possible Cinderella Wealthy, she
might be, to wear a boot like that, but
then his own wealth might match hers.
And If she would only be kind-Billy's
lream had taken beauty for granted.
FWell, he had record to show back
there in the home town of which no
man need be ashamed. &
| The answer came abruptly. 'Will
finder return boot to suite 5, White
stone Apartments, where he will be
rewarded for his trouble ~ The note
was signed Myra Burrows.
Bill felt the excitement of a youth
going to his first party, as he slipped
into his faultless overcoat and hast
ened to Riverside Drive. Unconscious
y he was believer in ''fate" Wasn't
there after all, destiny in that little
shoe lying directly IN his path? He
wished that the modern Cinderella
might have dwelt in humble circum-
stances, his education had been good,
yet was this a propitious environment
for dream girl Of appealing gentle
ness?
He was shown into luxurious room,
and found himself staring stupidly
down into the fretful face Of silver
haired woman. "It is my boot, young
man." the old lady said brusquely.
'If you have any doubt, get down and
No. overboots as a rule these days.
| will repay your trouble"
The Westerner found his voice.
"Ohl no." he protested, "that's all
right"
II insist upon paying for the adj
vertisement at least" the woman said
sharply and pressed a bell at her side.
Then again Billy stared, but this time,
not stupidity. His keen eyes had tax.
en- on the light o. Dreams A girl had
entered the room in response to the
ring. Her lovely face turned in imme.
diate attention to the woman's. "Set-
tie with this man regarding the return
of my carriage boot, Margot," Myra
Burrows directed, and left the rsom
1t was the dream girl who signed a
check at the desk, the dream girl, who
put it into Billy's hand with compre-
hending smile.
''You may as well take It," she said,
Mrs. Burrows is-determined."
And the Westerner forgot New
York's code. He only knew that in
few moments he must leave perhaps
forever, the one girl whose eyes shone |
clear as a child's, whose lips curved |
IN soft appeal, whose voice had the |
tender ring that Billy loved to hear.
"WhO," he asked abruptly, 'are
your a fa
Il am Mrs. Burrows secretary" the
girl answered simply.
Ruefully Billy touched the little
shoe. 81 wish that you were Cinde-
rella," he said. Then at her quick
glance of establishment impulsively
Billy told the tale Of his loneliness of
the dream girl, so like HIS mother.
And as Margot listened her eyes soft
ened into understanding.
haf Fn -, -