Once upon a time, the banks of the stormy, fast-flowing Tich River in Louisiana were inhabited by the most colorful people. And hardy working farmers from Canadian Nova Scotia, and enterprising Yankees, and pampered French, and hot-tempered Spaniards.
At that time, the Conrad family lived in those places. They were not rich at all, but they had a good reputation and an honest name.
Their house stood in the river delta, which was decorated with all the riches of the Louisiana region. Huge bright flowers, tall willows with lace of thin silver leaves, dark slender cypresses, mighty oaks.
Another decoration were the four Conrad sisters, lovely and graceful. Their cheeks were softer than fresh roses, and their ringing laughter did not get tired of sounding all day long, delighting everyone.
One fine evening, when the full moon was shining, guests were expected in the Conrads' house: four gentlemen were to come to the four pretty sisters.
But I must tell you that courtship in Louisiana was not at all the same as in the North. Here in the South, when a young man in love came to visit his beloved girl, she tried to dress up as if she was going to a ball. She chose the best dress and lace shawl, and she was supposed to wear elegant, pointy satin shoes on her feet.
On that cherished evening, the Conrad sisters dressed as expected, but alas, their shoes! - there were only one. Such an important occasion - and only one pair of blue satin shoes for all four sisters!
However, the cute girls had not only lively eyes, but also a lively mind. And before the young people arrived, they had been secretly talking about something for a long time with the faithful maid, giggling and laughing and even flushed with excitement.
Four young men appeared in their best suits - tight trousers, elegant frock coats. They sat in soft armchairs and waited for the chosen ones of their hearts.
Soon the first young lady appeared, the very pretty little Miss Mary Conrad. Top, top, top! — she ran down the stairs in shiny blue satin shoes. Her face shone like a clear dawn.
The four young men rose from their chairs, and the tallest and slenderest of them, David Weeks, flushed with joy. They greeted the girl with a low bow, and she answered them with a joyful smile. She smiled most tenderly at young Weeks and soon drew him towards the wide window. They sat down on a couch hidden behind a curtain, and she began chatting cheerfully with him. The young man spoke little and listened more.
Speaking of this and that, the girl quietly took off her satin shoes and threw them out the window. The maid, by agreement, was already standing under the window, she picked up her shoes, ran around the house, climbed up the back stairs, and soon... pretty sister Conrad number two came down into the living room along the front wide staircase. The blue satin shoes were shining on her feet.
Three young men politely rose from their seats, bowed respectfully to her, then one of them, to whom the girl smiled the most tender smile, followed her to another window. They sat down and immediately forgot about everything in the world. The girl chatted animatedly, the young man did not take his eyes off her, and while the tender conversation was going on, she deftly threw off her satin slippers and, leaning out of the window under some pretext, threw them straight into the hands of the maid who was waiting below.
The maid quickly ran around the house and went upstairs through the back door.
A few minutes later, the pretty Conrad sister number three came down the wide, brightly lit stairs into the living room. There were blue satin shoes on her little feet.
Two young men stood up to meet her and bowed. When one of them looked up, he saw a friendly smile and followed its owner to the window, which looked out onto the dark green lawn.
Miss Conrad number three chirped cheerfully, like a bird, and the young man admired her gentle face. The blue satin slippers slid off her feet and made the familiar path through the window. And soon...
Coming down the stairs in blue satin slippers was pretty Miss Conrad number four. A young man stood up to meet her, bowed low, and the two of them sat down in one deep chair in the middle of the living room.
This evening was very fun for four loving couples. They were treated to tea and biscuits, served by Miss Conrad number four in blue satin slippers, while the other Conrad sisters were having intimate conversations with the young people, each sitting at her window in only stockings. However, this did not stop the young people from declaring their love and proposing to the girls. And for the young ladies to accept their offer...
Years passed, and one day the Conrad sisters told how a single pair of blue satin slippers had served them, and their husbands laughed for a long time, admitting that their wives were as witty as they were sweet and charming.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru