The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-06-16
s'u'lsed from the house. And Dolly

erica.
The night heightened into ,e!A
and tie week into month. and he
month into double and trcbls, t.,as
number OF days. And time, proven
bial healer OF discord and inhurnlony,
rendered impossible a concession OF
pride from either side. Dolly's inter
est In life ceased TO center about
gowns. teas and shows, and dwindled
to reading the daily news with It's dis
Guieting announcements.
1t was well into the fourth month
since the unfortunate attendance at
that performance, whose very moral,
intended for them, failed to drive
home the lesson. jim Reardon moped
down the towns busy street. durI;
shadows beneath listless eyes testify
Ing to the gnawing canker Of heart
sickness within.
For distraction he Joined the onlook-
ers before a shop window where an
up-to-dute business-getter had sta
toned his machine to secure the pass
ing trade. Rubber heels put on
while U wait" read the legend in
brilliantly silvered letters across the
pane. The advertising psychology Of
the repairman was good. jim glanced
at his shoes, thought Of rubber-hcced
comfort and saw the excellent work
being performed within the shop. tic
entered
nj u too
ly said to the gunl-Cllcwing clerk as
he removed and handed him his shoes
He inserted his feet and twiddlcd his
St0ckinged toes within the spacious
confines Of carpet slippers, as vacantly
he watched the minute hand Of the
clock on the wall make monotonous
progress. The whrr of the electric
machinery was peculiarly soothing to
his distraught mood.
A hoy entered, and not receiving the
immediate attention the majesty OF
his youth demanded, Topped coin
on the counter and, grabbing up q
pair Of shoes, made hasty exit just as
the clerk advanced.
Jim took cut his watch and con
irmcd the time OF the wall clock. lie
had been there 80 minutes. He called
to the clerk.
"Will you please see If my shoes
are ready? am anxious to get
away"
The gum-chewing clerk glanced over
the repaired work on hand and puz-
zlcd, walked over to the cobbler and
inspected the work yet to be per-
formed.
Cant seem to find your shoes" was
the lnconic information. "Do YOU think
TINT kid took 'em?"
jim tried to look as dignificd a.
his cnrpeted feet would permit. "Pray,
how will 1T help me to know that ?'
came the acid rejoinder.
The ironic sarcasm was wasted.
"NIcbbe he'll come back" Jim frettcd
and fumcd and waitcd--ten minutes,
20 minutes, another half hour. The
embarrassing suspense was terrible
His collar wiltcd beneath the strain.
IF he could only arise and pace the
floor. But one cannot pace the floor
in carpet slippers. They simply will
not stay on.
And then there blew into tic shop n
hurricane of tempcstuouS indignation,
brandshing Jim's shoes In her hand.
Dolly's hand. what do you mean by
sending me pair OF mans Shocs?"
she cried, advancing like tumult Of
nvcnging wrath.
And then she saw Jim. With shoes
I'm hand, she invoiuntar:ly made n step
toward him. jim shufflcd to his feet.
Four months of separation were moth
ing. They were together now!
1--WE been brute" Jim contritcly
apol0giZcd. The clerk giggcd az he
looked from Jm's feet to the shoes
dangling from the pirl's wrist by knot
tod shoe strings. Don't ever say it,
Dolly, don't ever say it,"
But the at" Dolly would say. Hand
ing him his property, there came in
gentle monotone, "lIerc, dear, are your
shoes"