The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-07-08
THE LITTLE SHOE
Copyright. 1918. western Newspspsr In.en'l
BY JACK LAYTON.

taxi, when he noticed a dark object
half buried in the snow at his feet.
Billy.s honest face wrinkIed In perplex
lty as he turned the thing over In his
hand, to him it looked ike a child's
bedroom shoe. What else but a bed
room shoe would be lined with quilt
ed satin, and furred around the top
What" muttered Bill, "would a kid
be doing out in the street In a bedroom
slipper?" He passed the question
over to the taxi driver.
sThat there's a woman's carriage
boot" the man explained
Billy was not offended. He was glad
to find someone to talk TO. New York
had given a 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
to everyone else. His car companions
had turned up their collars at his APP
proach and unsociably lost their faces
within them. Billy was very lonely.
He was discouraged. Perhaps it would
spent his pile in the place where he had
made it; he was very sorry that
the age limit prevented him from going
TO 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.
But then, there had never been q girl
to hold his fancy. Bill couldn't tell
why, perhaps because he had continued
in the hope of finding one. like his
mother. She had been such a tender
faithful creature. Bill couldn't think.
of her yet without lump in his throat
yes, the girls he had met, were differ
emf. So he. sat in the taxi looking down
on the little shoe and wondering what
to do with it.
@Put an ad in the paper" suggested
the still grinning chauffeur. you'll
find your Cinderella quicker
The thing really might be valuable,
so Billy inserted his ad. Brief 1t was.
"Woman's carriage boot found on
Broadway. Apply to Western News
paper Office"
Then because Billy was SO very lone
~ in the strange city, and because the
chauffeur had put the thought intofhis
head, 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-BilIy's
dream had taken beauty for granted.
Well, he had a record to show back
there in the home town of which no
man need be ashamed.
The answer came abruptly. "WilI
finder return boot to suite 5, White
stone Apartments, where he will be
rewarded for his troublei p The note
was signed Myra Burrows.
Bill felt the excitement OF youth
going to his first party, as he slipped
into his faultless overcoat and hast
ened to Riverside Drive. Unconscious
ly he was believer in STATE" Wasn't
there after all, destiny In that little
shoe lying directly in his path7 Ha
wished that the modern Cinderella
might have dwelt In hunkie circum-
stances, his education lad been good,
yet was this prop..tious environment
for dream Of appealing gentle
ness?
he ms shown into luxurious room.
ana found himself staring stupidity
Gown into the fretful face of silver
fhaired woman. TT Is my boot, young
man." the old lady said brusquely.
''H you have any doubt. get down and
slip it on. Women are not wearing
No. 3 overboots as a rule these days.
/ win repay your trouble"
The westerner found his voice.
''Ohl no." he protested, that's all
| right"
/ 81 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,
i 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 imne-
4 date attention to the woman's. Set
tie with this man regarding the return
of my carriage boot, Margot," Myra
Burrows directed. and left the room,
4 It was the dream GIRL who signed q
check at the desk, the dream girl, who
1 put 1t into Billy's hand with a compre-
bending smile.
i @You may as well take II, !" she said
j Mrs. Burrows is-deterTnined-
Il And the Westerner forgot New
York's code. He only knew that in a
J; few moments he must leave perhaps
forever, the one girl whose eyes sfons
clear as a childs, whose lips curved
In soft appeal, whose voice had ths
tender ring that Billy loved to hear
i awho," he asked abruptly, Ear.
your"
II am Mrs. Burrows secretary tbs
girl answered simply.
Ruefully Billy touched the little
shoe 81 wish that you were Cinde
rella," he said. Then at her quicl
glance OF establishment impulsivei,
Billy told the tale of his loneliness O
the dream girl, so like his mother
And as Margot listened her eyes soft