The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1921-08-11
BLUE SHOES.
Nv MOlliE MATHER.

Inc NpNtItHu w dibti W 'S0
paused In the midst of his sermon
while unmistakable annoyance crossed
his face. There was the girl again; the
carefree creature, who seemed 10 nave
q faculty of bringing to naught MS
finest efforts.
Now. when he was preaching with
telling earnestness upon the beauty
of humility, she fitted like some
dainty butterfly into his gloomy
church edifice, attracting not only the
attention of the women of his con-
gregation, but the sneaking admirlng
attention of the men as well.
The serious gaze of her clear blue
eyes atoned penitently, for the ire
pressible smile of her lips. Since MS
arrival in the decidedly rustic township.
Walter wainwright had been both
taupted and angered by the girls dis
tracing power.
When Miss Isabelle Ogden favored
the church with her presence, atten-
ton was drawn from him and his
subject inevitably.
She was an illustrator, he had heard,
growing steadily into assured success
and she rented the BrOwlee house
furnished for the summer; Nv
ing there with an old woman for
hOusekeeper. To the evaporation or
the village women, Miss Isabelle
appeared 10 spend her time with the
irresponsibility Of child, seeking only
holiday pleasure, making tea parties
in her beautiful old garden, for chill
dren about who rebelliOusly adored
her, or tramping idly through the
woods. a great box Of candy and a
magazine under each arm. "Ought to
go in an talk to her" HilltOwn advised.
at might do her good"
Walter Wainright's first visit was not
encouraging. The Illustrator served
| tea on the lawn, and they were waited
upon by the housekeeper who famii-
| iarly called her mistress lizzie" The
! artist wore a diaphanOus dress that
! enveloped her like rose cOlored
| cloud, and she asked him ingeniouSly
| II she might use his face for maya
zine illustration at which she was
working The following OffenSe Of the
Sunday morning entry which caused
| him 10 pause. and lose for a moment
| the thread of his sermon. was lSa-
| bellies browning fault of all. For she
was wearing a pair Of pale blue boots
as she came down the staid aisle
Blue kid shoes. suitable surroundings
may be very pretty, hut. pale blue
shoes among the plain serviceably
shod folk of HillstOwn. were an &c
centricity and a foolishness.
The pastor greeted her cOldly upon
her departure. His disapproval with
himself was greater, that as days fol
lowed. he allowed the girls image tt
haunt him.
"She'll have you eating out Of heI
hand yet too" his own privileged
housekeeper remarked. Walter Vain
right turned uncomfortably away.
"Blue shoes" the women nov
dubbed her sarcastically.
Little blue Shoes" Walter Vain
right tenderly thought Of her-anC
sighed. Why was she so perverse. thil
unconcerned stranger?
| Reckon" his housekeeper went on
you know that rhe artist woman
has been sick. Dock Walton stop
there two or three times day, whicl
amt no more however" she added
than he's been stoppin' ever sine
she came. You'd think a man Of hi
sense would look other where's for
wife-but you never can tell, looks
get EN-" Walter wainwright hurriedl
went to call. He felt it his imperative
duty. A girl Of fifteen or so sa
prOpped in an invalid chair, her darl
eyes cleaned beneath short black hail
The crippled girl pointed invitingly I
q chair.
IL am Izzie's protegee," she ex
claimed, that's what she calls m,
live with her and she does every
thing for me and keeps me happy. A
the time, lizzie loves to make peopl
Representatives. the girls eye
shone, 81 try to make her happy to,
Surprises, you know. Gabby-that'
what l call the housekeeper, buy
pretty tulle and net for me-Quit
secretly-and sew them int
dresses for lizzie. She's so little, 1t
no trouble at all-and Gabby helps.
can Just Sing-I feel so happy whe
lizzie wears them. You see. that's tn
only way I'll ever be able to EMO
pretty things. Last week-Td embre
dered linen for the doctors table an
he paid me for it, and sent ava
. and bought a pair Of blue shoes IL
lizzie. All my life I'd wanted to wes
blue shOes-isn't that funnye MOI
than ever / think after father pushe
me down the tenement stairs an
" broke my hip. Father was drum
{ Them couldn't use my feet to wal
any more. When lizzie saw the biz
D shoes she cried. But l just begge
and begged her to put them on az
= wear them to church, for me. I'd bee
suffering lot that morning, ar
8 Izzie's like that. She was late, b,
she put on the shoes. There's cri
d pie boy in the hospital that she
o going to bring out here to NAL
i strong too. as soon as doctor will l.
I, him come I think"-brOke off ri