THE STORY OF A LADY'S BOOT.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 348, 8 August 1885, Page 3

THE STORY OF A LADY'S BOOT.

A well-known bookmaker on his way home the other night ran bump up against an acquaintance, and after mutual apologies had been exchanged, the metallician asked where his friend was off to in such a hurry, and what he was carrying so carefully. The latter replied to the last question first ; he was carrying a lady's boot, and he was in search of a shoemaker. (The hour was 12.30 a.m. or thereabouts.) The lady to whom tho boot belonged was, it seemed, close by, standing against a wall with one foot off the ground,

while her escort (seeing her home from a private ball) sought the services of a shoemaker to remove a too prominent nail. ' Ah ' said the man of books, after hearing the explanation. ' Let us see the boot.' He had hardlygot it when he sent it flying across the road. The cavalier murmuring blessings on the head of the reckless ' sport ' proceeded to hunt, not the slipper, but the boot, by mafcchlight, accompanying the striking of each ' vesta ' with words hardly fit for publication. ' It's all right old boy,' quoth the bookmaker at length 'you look after the boot, and I will look after the lady,' and so saying he accosted the damsel (to whom he was known, by the way) politely apologised for the prolonged absence of the man with her boot — who had most unfortunately lost it, and had sent him (the bookmaker) to offer his humble apologies and escort. Whether the lady accepted the services of the perfidious metallician is not stated, but the fact remains that when the original escort arrived 011 the scene both the lady and the bookmaker were gone.