The pioneer-review. [volume] (Philip, Haakon County, S.D.) 1920-current, 1922-03-02
BLUE SLIPPERS
By MILDRED WHITE

/ Geigrisn., 4S-1. ne>,ern AsSspaper .netn
j. Carlton Saunders came 10 HIM
self with a start. us Elizabeth spoke
4 his name He knew from the tone "'
his sisters voice that she had spokei
before, and had been ignored.
you asked. my dear he ques-
toned
When YOU are going away, f.li.-
abeih retorted. isn't il about tiGle for
one of your rrips?'
Yes" Carlton answered. i ought
Ia be in New York this week.
I he frowned: il was diplomacy &c
pretend these business trips Dor.
and bother. Otherwise, The tWo -
derly and dominating sisters vino were
1 his housekeepers and companions,
would feel themselves cheated. OF Tie
participation Of a pleasure.
| A. a matter Of fact. Carlton sat u
ders in The prosy regime Of bis small
town home looked forward 10 these
escapes into an outer world with s.
cret anticipation and enjoyment.
! Elizabeth and Katherine were good
I SlSltIS, dILiptIIkiS "bN''h' '''''t '-i'''ff
his welfare.
j. Carlton appreciated tier solici=
tude. while he fretted under the CON
slant surveillance. There we're those
! who insisted that the kindly man
might long ago have rejoiced in II
home of his own with wife to share
II. had it not been for Ellzaheth's and
,t.r
his heart refuted this
We're his sisters not bringing before
him constantly possible applicants Cor
matrimOny:
YES" he answered Elizabeth again,
II must be in New York this week.
I'VE will pack your valise." Katherine
said, land don't forget to wear y"Hr
rubbers.'
But when he walked into the New
York hotel a few days later. he had
left, unconsciously, his habitnal diiii-
dence at home. His name on Ebe regis
ter was signed merely Jack saunders
The clerk bowed in greeting.
Cant give you your usual room.
he explained apologetically, we are
filled up
The room the bellboy ushered him
into was comfortable enough. But rs
he turned {" place coat and hat on the
i,unger. j. Saunders stared: filmy
blue cloud Of something had forestalled
him there. While all about the small
room was the indefinable fragrance of
that mystical romance. which h. had
missed Lilac. or lily of the valley Or
Inst sweet springtime--what was the
abiding odor which enchanted his
senses:
A tap on the door. Carlton turned
guiltily. A woman's face was raised
to hts--her eyes were as blue AS the
tilmy cloud on the hanger. hui they
were not the eyes Of "A young girl--~nor
yet the calm gazing eyes that Eiiz-
abeth would have recommended.
II am afraid left some of my be-
longIngS in this room,' the sweet
faced woman said. II had decided ~
occupy it when The clerk discovered
that the one prefer was vacated.
80 they carried my grip in there
am sorry.---' she paused. and then at
his bow Of permission. gathered up
her apparel and went on her way.
But the breath of springtime remained.
When J. Carlton went into the dining
hall at evening, he saw the young won-
an secuted alone ut secluded table.
He liked the plainness of her blue
serge dress. which was such II different
plainness from Julia Wells. or his sis
ter's; and he liked the piquant hat
that she becomingiy wore. As he
passed down the corridor to his room.
It gave him an unaccOuntabe feeling
| Of relief to hear the woman at the
han desk address the lady of the blue
cloud MS Miss Darby Miss. then
she was not married. He speculated
about her, as he bent over his writing
The usually mntter-Of-fact John Carl
ton could not write: he could not take
hold of his work; he decided to retire.
And there on the floor at his feet, lay
d pair OF small blue slippers, quilted
satin slippers with ridiculous finfy
pompons upon either toe. So, she had
forgotten these. They were the sort
Of slippers Cinderella of past dream
/ ing might have chosen-to slip on In
! the firelight The following morning
he sank into Il chair in an adj
Joining 'coffee house" and opened
his paper. Springtime tloated pr"vnc-
atively around him. lilac and liiy-of-
the-valley springtime. Two very blue
eyes smiled over a coffee cup. oppo-
site.
Good morning" greeted the lady OF
the blue cloud. "thank you for return
ing my slippers
II travel" she told him upon their
third chance breakfast together, for
linen company. Imported linens.
My knowledge in that line was my
one chance for self-support after my
father died. It's good business, hut
/ 1t leaves me homeless. That's--ihe
drawback"
II have 4 home" Carlton said
musingly, IAN old place, with bushes
around It,"
"Nor." asked the woman eagerly.