A poor little girl was wandering in the dark cold streets; she was bareheaded and barefoot.
-- Narrator (N/A paragraph 1)

Importance: This is one of the first lines in the story. It immediately establishes the girl's bleak situation; she is lost in the dark winter, and she has no protection from the cold whatsoever. This instantly makes the reader feel sympathy towards the girl.

One of the shoes could not be found at all, and the other was picked up by a boy who ran off with it, saying that it would do for a cradle when he had children of his own.
-- Narrator (N/A paragraph 1)

Importance: This quote is important because it adds perspective for the reader. Until this point, the reader has only learned of the girl's struggles. However, the fact that this minor character appears and has wholesome intentions for the slipper shows that everybody in an unfortunate situation has their own aspirations.

The poor little...
-- Narrator (N/A paragraph 1)