A CHILD'S LOST SHOE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 50, 27 August 1932, Page 7

A CHILD'S LOST SHOE

(Original, by "Wandering Water," aged fifteen, of Waimana.)

rp HE whole place simply breathes with expectancy," said Stella. "It's a JL 3°"7 Place, Betty answered. "AH green leanness and flying birds and «t£ US i iS fm e-r! Green Gully"—she mused. "It's a name that fits." lm*t» 'ipi? i implored small Joysabel, aged two and a bit. "Do please tni «a 2 6T V a-a° d Baw a lar&° kingfisher with a tiny fish in his faniail fl?£ i°°?- "S™ 1 ,for me this time>" said Bett>'> as a feathery little StPlla » T P >. * nV h a long twig in hia small bill- "House-hunting," said nest" ls wnat 1 meant by expectancy. Maybe we could find a "Truly?" said Joysabel. '^Let's look," pleaded Betty. Jit would be fun. Tired, little one? "We've tramped some way " xae not tired, not a teeny bit," answered the child. Very well, we'll follow where we saw 'Fanny' dart through tne bushes." +- m v!!? draSSed at their frocks, little Joysabel fell • over several times, each time getting up with a reassuring, "I'se all right," and a smile. At last they found it! It was worth finding—a dainty, moss-finished Il^jLS J^ gS> • a, U fixed in a ready-mado hollow. "It's like peeping in a secreti fotelia said. "Or like having your fingers in a pie—a warm, erackly mince pie!" Betty proclaimed. ■ '■ "An' the little birdies are sure to love it," said Joysabel, "'cog I like nnnce pie, and secrets are fun!" ~ +t. " I The7 TJ! are ' *ather>" stella agreed. "See the purple clouds chasing across ot us!" We g° hODI6 aDd rUn aU the Way> Auntie'n think a giant's _ Joysabel's blue eyes opened wide. "Come on!" invited Stella. "Have a piggy-back." And Joysabel was properly delighted veTO Then " 4 S£! m i v° ng tefpre Greea Gu»y was far away and home was ■ Very«£ea, r- "^onght the goblins had got you!" Auntie greeted. ..t-..^&Sf"Jffiy? tU" tlred' Sl6ePy h6ad! All °f y°U Want your Itfa "su' ™-tfl 6S AU^ i 6 ?l rfaV. But >twas JUSt a doll's nest > rea%> an' *™t-> waiting .for the baby birdies," Joysabel explained. «O-o-oh!» Aunt c 8 eyes opened Wide. "Perhaps the stork will bring them overnight, and erch«Tkled? moMing!" J°y CUddlOd hW CUrly head °n Auatie' s "I can see something!" Betty cried. • «So can I!» Auntie Bertha said, too. "Just a little lost shoe!" But we'd never find it now," Stella said. "Do you think it matters?" Somehow it's so ridiculously small it doesn't seem to." ,• i,+ *£ P? 80meb0dy else'll find it," and Auntie Bertha was even more rignt than she guessed. „,.„ T j9 foH owißg da^ was one of ear'y spring loveliness. The air of suppressed excitement that had pervaded Green Gully the day before had inToi fK't tKwIT' n r eVec did d° much but talk' tad pointedly told Mr. Jirt w £y ( a? d Mrs' s Parrow> had the best house in the gully. NaturhU»iM a\ parson was thoroughly annoyed; but somehow the th&?£? a° + 5 8 a? alns* hlm> Three times had he and Mrs- Tui built their nest, and three times haji the wind destroyed it. It was too bad. k.-.X, y • d haVe haPP6netl I don't know, had not Mr. Tui, TW £^ ft^ 2° Dg> ?° ISea °n a hou *h and bent his Saze the ground A -t™^ If » d eln\ ?J \ ChUd>S lOSt Shoe! Tt waa the very thing! tA O &Tz;L:^^i%ounw Tui retrieved jt- "My dear" Mr SJl«fl? Pl:f TTV\.- r d6ligllt-- AU that day Bhe work^ while wi d 1S luCk t0 Mrs- s Parrow and several others, and by nightfall she'd made the eomfiest little nest in all Green Gully! And it was tho_ very size of a child's lost shoe—three and a half!' with Lm SPrf gtUne and v nesting-time. and a Tui should fill your garden S?4W". ta- very very sure you know the secret of his