The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1922-02-10
BLUE SLIPPERS
BY MILDRED WHITE


self with a start, as Elizabeth spoke
his name He knew from the tone OF
his sisters voice that she had spoken
before, and had been ignored.
"You asked, my dear" he Ques-
toned.
when you are going away" Eliz-
abeth retorted, isn't it about time for
one of your trips"
''YeS," Carlton answered, Il ought
TO be in New York this week"
He frowned; it was diplomacy to
pretend these business trips a bore
and bother. Otherwise, the two ell
DERBY and dominating sisters who were
his housekeepers and companions,
would feel themselves cheated of the
participation of a pleasure.
As a matter of fact, Carlton Saun-
ders, in the prosy regime of his small
town home, looked forward to these
escapes into an outer world with Sc
cret anticipation and enjoyment.
Elizabeth and Katherine were good
sisters, annoyingly anxious concerning
his welfare
]. Carlton appreciated their solicit
tude, while he fretted under the con-
slant surveillance. There were those
who insisted that the kindly man
might long ago have rejoiced in a
home of his own with a wife TO share
it, had it not been for Elizabeth's and
Katherine's rule. But the brother In
his haal-r rafIItnd this
Were his sisters not bringing before
him constantly possible applicants fol
matrimony?
| "Yes," he answered Elizabeth again,
'I must be in New York this week.
1--WE will pack.your valise,' Katherine
said, land don't forget to wear your
rubbers"
| But when he walked into the New
York hotel few days later, he had
/ left, unconsciously, his habitual diff
dence at home. His name on the regis
ter was signed merely Jack Saunders.
| The clerk bowed in greeting.
Cant give you your usual room"
he explained apologetically, 1--WE are
/ filed up"
| The room the bellboy ushered hin
/ into was comfortable enough. But as
| he turned to place coat and hat on the
hanger, J. Saunders stared; flmy
blue cloud of something had forestalled
him there While all about the small
4 room was the indefinable fragrance OF
/ that mystical romance, which he had
missed. Lilac or lily of the valley OF
! just sweet springtime-whatw was the
/ alluding odor which enchanted his
senses?
A tap on the door. Carlton turned
guilty. A woman's face was raised
| to his-her eyes were as blue as the
filmy cloud on the hanger, but they
were not the eyes Of young girl-no
yet the calm gazing eyes that Eliz-
abeth would have recommended.
81 am afraid left some of my be
longings in this room" the sweet
faced woman said. II had decided II
occupy it when the clerk discovered
that the one 1 prefer was vacated
So they carried my grip in there.
am sorry" she paused, and then al
his bow of permission, gathered VI
her apparel and went on her way
But the breath of springtime remained
When ]. Carlton went into the dining
hall at evening, he saw the young WON
an seated alone at a secluded table
/ He liked the plainness of her blu'
serge dress, which was such diferen
plainness from Julia Wells, or his sis
ter's; and he liked the piquant hat
that she becomingly wore. As HI
passed down the corridor to his room
! it gave him an unaccountable feeling
of relief, to hear the woman at the
hall desk address the lady of the blue
| cloud as Miss Darby" Miss. ther
she was not married. He speculateC
about her, as he bent over his writing
The usually matter-of-fact John Carl
ton could not write; he could not takt
hold of his work; he decided to retire
And there on the floor at his feet, La!
/ a pair of small blue slippers, quilted
satin slippers with ridiculous fun.
pompons upon either toe. So, she haC
/ forgotten these. They were the sor
of slippers a Cinderella of past dream
ing might have chosen-to slip on in
the freight. The following morning
he sank into a chair in an ad
Joining coffee house" and opened
I his paper. Springtime floated provOc
ativeIy around him, lilac and lly-of
the-valley springtime. Two very blu'
eyes smiled over a coffee cup, oppo
site
"Good morning. greeted the lady Of
the blue cloud, thank you for return
ing my slippers"
/ Il travel" she told him upon theil
third chance breakfast together, ''fol
a linen company. Imported linens
My knowledge in that line was my
one chance for self-support after my
father died. It's a good business, but
it leaves me homeless. Thats-the
| drawback"
81 have a home" Carlton saiC
musingly, IAN old place, with bushes
around it,
"Not," asked the woman eagerly
mot lilac bushesr'
Carlton nodded.
"How I would love it." she ex
claimed.
II am DID, he answered her irrele
vanity. Il was mourning over my
bald head this morning"
$50 much" asked the lady oppo
site, that you quite missed the clear
youth of your eyesT'
When Elizabeth and Katherine re
ceived telegram some days later, they
stared at each other In speeches.
! amazement