Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-03
Dead Mems Shoes
By o.illi. F. Pfeiffsr

Observation-Disclosures
Copyright, 1920, Western Newspaper Union.)
Old Zeb Bearce would have been
glad If he had not laid down In the
grass. His inclination was to be In
dulgent and think the best possible OF
everybody. Two young men were con-
versing not ten feet away. They were
Mat Devlin and Todd Burr.
"Oh, yes" the forHer was remarking
just as Bearce woke up, father says
that old Uncle Zeb looks like ready
money"
| Eyes, they say he has lot Of cash
in the bank" said Todd Burr. "Then
there's the old place. Father hopes
to get that. 1 suppose he and your IA
ther will grab the cash and divide"
"We are the nearest relatives, my
pop says, but we are getting mighty
tired waiting for dead mems shoes"
"How about Nettie Danvers" pro-
pounded Todd.
"Oh! she doesn't count. Uncle Zeb
has of course adopted her, but that
doesn't make her legal kin. Besides
that, she's engaged to marry Lewis
Thorpe"
A deep shade of sadness crossed
Zeb Bearce's wrinkled face as he crept
from his covert. He was hurt to the
soul. The young men undoubtedly re-
flected the sentiments Of their elders,
and the cruel expression, dead mems
Shoes" cut Bearce to the quick. lie
was dying too slowly to suit his avarf-
cious half brothers, 1t seemed, for dy-
ing he was. The doctor had told him
that his span of life was narrow
one.
"YOu look troubled, father" said
Nettie, as he entered the house.
81 shant be long in your company,
DEAR" he replied, and his heart
warmed towards the young girl whom
he had adopted ten years ago, and
whose love and loyalty had made his
barren life a garden Of peace and
beauty. He lay awake half the night
planning what he would do in the light
of the development that his nephews
had revealed. AS to Nettie, free from
guile, she reflected how Lewis Thorpe
would provide a little home Of their
| own, not half d mile from the old
homestead. where her beloved father
| by adoption could come daily, and
whence she could send this and that
little tidbit for his table.
The next morning Dearce went
down to the bank. Then he proceed
| ed to his lawyers office. but the at
| torney was out of town. II can walt
until tomorrow, suppose" he de-
cided. ~ must attend to the matter
| of the will then, though. l shant feel
easy until Netue is settled In her
rights"
Every afternoon when Bearce got
ready to come into the house for the
| evening, Nettie set his favOrite arm
chair near the west window and at
the end of his CRATE pair of house
shoes that were soft and pliable and
| gave welcome rest to his tired feet.
AS usual he began unlacing his walk
| ing shoes while Nettie went to pre-
pare the supper meal. She was
startled at the echo Of faint cry and
q heavy fall. She ran into the sitting
room to find Bearce lying helpless on
| the carpet.
Its come, dear" he spoke weakly.
| "Telephone the DOCTOR" She managed
to get him to couch and chafed his
hands and administered cordial, but
when the doctor arrived Bearce was
barely conscious.
Bend nearer" he gasped to Nettie.
dead mems shoes-that was what
those cruel boys said! How thought
full you have been all these years, hav-
| ing my house shoes always ready for
me. And they must be yours, only l
have left my will unmade. You was
| to have the place here. Dead mems
shoes!" and old Zeb Bearce drifted
into the dream that knows no awaken
| Ing
The farm was claimed and taken
possession Of by the two half broth
ers They found only few hundred
dollars In cash and some small secur-
| tiles In the house, deciding that they
had overestimated the liquid wealth OF
Bearce. They proceeded to sell the old
homestead, and when they practically
turned Nettie out of 1t, all she asked
for and took away was the old house
shoes. Fortunately Lewis Thorpe
was ready to wed her ut once, so she
simply transferred her personal be-
longings to home of her own.
The old house shoes Nettie rever-
emily placed at the side of the sitting
room hearth. They reminded her ten
derly of the old man who had so loved
her. and her husband shared her in
terest and sentiment. He had the
misfortune to lose his position, how
ever. six months after they were mar
ried, and they were really In hard
stress for a time. He came home limp
ing one afternoon from long tramp
in quest Of work.
"Poor dear!" soothed his thoughtful
wife, and she saw to 1t that his
bruised feet were bathed and covered
with healing lotion. Then she
brought the old house shoes to his side.
"They are soft and roomy" she told
him. "Put them on, father would
have 1t so If he were here"
something in the toe Of this one,"
observed Thorpe, as he got ready to
fit on the shoes. "Why, Nettie, look
at that! and he drew from one Of
the shoes a wadded up roll. Open
ing It, he revealed to their mutual
amazed view half dozen thousand
dollar bills and written sheet con-
veying the same legally to Nettie.
dead mems shoes, and we let them
gov growled John Burr when the
story came out. 1--WE waited for them
a long time, but the clever old fox out
yuitted ua at the lastr