A WOMAN'S SLIPPER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 26, 28 June 1890, Page 7

A WOMAN' S SLIPPER.

THE STORY OF A SHoE WHICH TRAVELLED Verily truth is stranger than fiction. Who would believe that to get an Auckland la.y romf..rtal.lv -hod a dainty leather sb<e had to travel 46,'000 miles. Yet it is an actual fact, an i the lady—one of the best known and most pop.ular Aucklander.— is at j.re-ent encasin'; her tiny feet in a pair of shoes, one of which ha- travelled over that immense distance. The sts.ry is an interesting one. an i will bear telling. It happened thu- : —Some time ago our fellow citizen. Mr Z., was over in the wtate- on bu-me**. but about to return to Sydney, where his wife was awaiting his arrival Passing through r*an Francisco, be thought bewould like to l-uy *ome little memento to take tack to her. He looked about him. and finally in a bootmaker s shop, found the very thing—adaintvpair of mar.«>n-coloure«i dress shoes. <>f course be knew what *ize his wife look, and by a lucky chance this pair »a- exactly right. He purchase.! them and took them across the sea to his wife tn far-off Sydnev. some 7.003 mile-. She w a.- tremen ...u-ly pleased with them. She thought them the sweetest, jollies! set ■ i shoes ever made. It wa* quite a p.itv to wear *uch nice shoes often, in her op.inion. so she only did so on great occasions. In the meantime her husliand got a message to come baek to San Francisco, and this time determined to take his wife with him. The luggage wa* packed, and in the cabin trunk were carefullv <iep«<sited the lovelv pair ~f shoes. Many a time on the tedious voyage did the delighted lady feast her eves on their leathern 1-eauties. < »ne day. ju*t before reaching >.an Francisco, she went down to her cabin meaning to pack. The first things to put safely aw ay were, of course, the two tiny tootsicums of red racw-iw Only ore could be found. Distracted with distress, the lady had the cabin mo-t thoroughly searched, but now here could it l«e found. Probably one of the stewards had admired the pair, and thinking how sweet his girl’s feet would look in them, had stolen one. hotdng that when it was not to l>e round the di-gusted owner would leave the mate as well. But this time he reckoned without his host- The lady hunte-i high and low . One sh<-e was certainly not much good, but she would treasure it for the sake of that which w as lost for ever. The odd shoe therefore left the boat at San Francisco, and sojourned there s«>me time, languishing tor its male in the bottom of a huge diess l.a-ket. It had now done another 7.000 miles, making altogether 14,000. Then Mr Z. was offered an apq.ointment in Auckland : he accepted it. Boxes were tacked, and the trip, back from San Francisco made. The lady wa* still faithful to her love, the shoe, and though the first ps-ignancy of ’he grief was over, treasured it. It therefore came back to Auckland, another 5.000 mile-, making altogether 15.000. Some time after the lady had settled in this city she was having a house-cleaning, and of course the -h'.e had role p.ut into a safe place. The sight and touch of it roused all the unhapi'V lady's j«ass-ion for the lost pair. ■■she told her husband she must have the other shoe whatever came. Every shop, in Auckland was ransacked without avail. \o Auckland bootmaker felt ca.pial.le of proiucing a fellow shoe. Suddenly a bright thought struck the affectionate husliand. He would send the -h<e to a frier..; of his in the Compiany’s office in San Francisco, and ask him to match it there- No sooner thought of than done. The shoe was despatched, and added more miles to its huge record. The shoe arrived at the frieai , - office in San :i a ■ cisco in due course. It had come half out of its covering, and as the friend was an unmarried man. created a x art amount of chaff at hi* expens.-, H-_- v. r--- baek to Mr Z. ;.* follows :— Tbe 10-t shoe. lam exceedingly obliged fee the ru<e little •*: m-mis-jt-n that vou me. You might refiec-t. et cr. that w*, u a dilatdd.ate'i-joc.kirig package amves through the Post < Office, through which can be plainly sen the heel and :• * <_•: a prc-ttv femimne -bee., considerabk- interest i* likely to is- aroused ail the office. Fortunately steadiness : - wellknown to C.A.. ctiserw ise there might le trouble ir.tlfiat ■, uarrc Oi Bourse ••. I : ...... made out in your .-.noe is <dear. aad I leave the rest in the band* of Prowdenoe. I don't know what made you think the *bc*;s were man ufa<" ured in phila.dejj.hia_ After calling at eighteen hundred and 3BU n : : -:. - -: 1 ..-*■•■. red : heat 3 ■ ; : ■ g and Barnard, of Lynn. Mas*., had made the artieje. I wrapjod .t up carefully and maijed it to them, a:. . ‘ : . the imI.rcdiable story : whether they believed it ■ r n-.t 1 cannot say. i.ut they have replied (the reply enclosed, that 'mey wm make 'me a mate as soon as p's-ible. I did not a-k them to make me a mate, for I do not want <tre. and am able te. go alone just at j re— nt. I presume they meant a mate for the *h-'el I: win cost tw o dollars and seventy-five rent.* and probably next w e< k I -m,.. uat e the tiair. li»ey will arrive toc> late to fc-rward by this mam but 1 will send them by express. j*aying charge* bene. to< a plain Morse. me Alameda.tfia.t steamer leing the next t'? sail frem san Frat, course I -bal. have to explain the -ituatmn him *o that 1.-, may guard again-t trouble, hi-w ife teirg remark .■ , .- 1« . j fet j Ikn wnextm nthbow - ■■ ary disbursement.* : the comp- : - ■ :. f : ■ of character must be left toyourself: je-rha;*-;. *>u "... not think it worth much. In concdusatm I would state that Id ■ rd t your story : it is altogether t«x. thin. The- shoe* were purchase; in san Francisco from Nolan Brother*, their mark being very ;-A.:n on the sole. It i* considerably more than a year since y u w■nt to New Zealand with you, and Id. n■: : body else wilh that any woman on earth kept a t«-r of -L ** !..r m re than a year, wearing them only 1 wire during the whole i f that tn ri-od. I would ha'- c res-jnsded tl ’_ mu-, hm- .re had y ..-u a,; kt. w. .■■Lvcl'l.- i-.i; : 1 s.ar. Fr..* :*■.■■. v -.- had just followed you down to Auckland. I bar address this letter and the pa< kage to b< *ent next month : ;• ._r - tl it she ' : ■r- 1 ■ • -. I hate to deceive any w ;<m*n. and am surprised at your action. Naturally Mr Z. was highly amused, but considerably surprise*! when tbe shoe dra not turn up.. The •• had now travelled an additional 5.300 mile* from Auckland t>. Philadelp.liia. and 3.500 from I’i.iri. .elpkia to "a.-. } ran-ci-co. making a distance of 31,900 mile*. Hut it* trouble* were not vet over. The shoes were addressed to Captain Morse, bat missei him. and were therefore sent onto Apla to await him there onhi* retun. trips This made another 3.9oomiles,andas< ap rain M.rse ret .'re*! . ■ ‘■ kt ■ ’ ••.*■; ... : . ■ ■ : 3.000, or togel!>er 41,000 mile* When the *l.oe* again arrived in tbe < solden Gate it w a* thought wonderful, ar.* the American new*p<ap«rs got bold of tbe story. At last :: ey were ship.pe*; off to Auckland for tbe la*t time, an i i.aie at la-t arrived, adding another 8,800 mile* to the record. The w hole distance travelled by the odd *i«e is therefore 4t .C<>o miles.