The L'Anse sentinel., 1918-09-13
CINDERElLA'S HEEL
BY GRACE wEATHERBY

| wore WIlte u gOou ueal, anu Murgle
wanted pair Of the dainty white
pumps to match her new white linen
dress. She took few of her cherish.
ed dollars. and bought the coveted
| shoes.
The next morning. arrayed In spot.
less white, she entered the office, and
went to her desk. A feeling of sup.
pressed excitement was in the air, and
Margie presently asked one Of the girls
what 1t was all about.
"Do you mean to tell me you haven't
heard" asked Ruth. "Well, 1t is this.
The senior partners son, Bob East
man, has just finished college, and he
| is to join the firm as a third partner.
They say he is fine fellow. He comes
today. Say, but your dress is pretty"
In the dull Office this was indeed a
piece of news. Margie was glad she
had worn her new clothes. II wonder
what he Is like" she unused. The
morning seemed unusually long, and
the new partner had not come. BY af-
ternoon the girls were fretful, and very
much disappointed. At five o'clock,
Ruth closed her desk, put on her hat
and went down to the street. There,
she gave little gasp of dismay. The
streets had just been sprinkled and ev-
erywhere were little puddles of muddy
water.
"Oh. my poor little slippers, they
will get all dirtyl" she sighed. She
could not stand on the sidewalk till
they dried, so she began to cross the
busy street, stepping gingerly to avoid
the puddles.
The traffic was very thick that after
noon, and as Margie lodged truck,
she would very nearly run into troll
ley. Suddenly, her slender French
heel caught In the hole of water
drain, and stuck there. She tugged at
1t in vain, but couldn't bulge 1t. Tears
of vexation came to her eyes, blur
ring her sight. The trucks became one
mass, and as she stood there, tugging
and pulling, a strong hand was placed
on her shoulder.
"Step out Of your SHOE" the man
commanded tersely. Margie did as she
was told, and held her foot In the air,
so as to prevent soiling her stocking.
She laid her hand on the broad back
bending beside her, to steady her. The
stranger gave one vigorous pull, and
the slipper was loose, but the heel had
come off. 1t was a pitiable sight now.
The once spotless white pump was
now heelless and very dirty. Margie
gazed blanlSly at her ruined shoe, and
then at the stranger. All he said was
one little word, but that one had a
world of meaning in 1t. This was no
time for thought, however, and the
stranger realized 1t. He assisted Mar
gle to the pavement, and hailed pass
ing taxi and put her into 1t. There
was no help for it, and Margle made
the best Of bad business. The gruff
stranger was really very kind. She
tucked her shoeless foot up under her
skirt, and leaned back on the cushions.
Then, guided by an impulse, she told
the man about the new partner, and
how the shoes meant so much to her.
"Oh, i say" he began awkwardly,
'1ets 60 to Cameyer's, and get new
pair"
"Thahk you, no." replied Margie,
primly, at isn't at all necessary, and
I couldn't think of letting you." She
remained firm in her decision, and all
he could say did not move her.
When they reached her door, the
stranger helped Margie up the steps
and rang the bell for her. Suddenly,
he spoke to her In low tone.
"Good-by, Cinderella, am going to
keep this slipper of yours" He put
the ruined shoe, mud and all, into his
pocket. and lifting his hat. ran quietly
down the steps and hurried away.
The next morning the fat landlady
discovered an oblong box on the steps.
| 1t was addressed to "Miss Cinderella"
and Margie blushingly told her that
she had friend who called her by
that name. 1t contained pair Of the
daintiest white slippers that ever a
girl had. There was little note In
side which read: "Forgive me, Gin
derella, but I couldn't help It,"
Margie wore the new slippers to the
office that morning. At eleven o'clock
the door marked "Private" opened,
and old Mr.. Eastman walked into the
office followed by his son. Margie ut
tered little cry. of surprise. 1t was
her stranger friend. AS he was in
troduced to her, he surprised his faith
er by saying:
"AIiss Kingston and ! have met be-
fore. Good morning, Cinderella, how
are the little slippers today?"
A few months later Margie sent In
her resignation, and flashing dla-
mond on her left hand explained her
action. On her wedding morning she
stood before her mirror and gazed at
her reflection. She was all In white,
from the tip of her white travelling hat
to the toes of her white pumps. An
automobile horn sounded outside her
window, and with a fiuttering heart,
she went down.
AS she settled down In the car, Bob
leaned over to her. and with mock seri-
BUSINESS inquired. "Are your heels all