Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-05-10
CINDERELLA In BRIEF.
Her Story as Told by "Gris, the Fat
Contributor, in One of HIS Biographies
OF Eminent Women,

tFrom the Fat ntributot's sa,urd ay Night
Cinderella was the only child Of dotlng
parents, but her mother dying when she
was little girl, her father married a
widow with two grown up daughters.
Her step-mother Instituted several re.
forms in running the establishment, chief
of which was discharging the hirod girl
without recommendation, and putting
Cinderella at work Ia the kitchen. Re-
grettiug how poorly informed her own
daughters were on the subject of general
housework, she resolved that Cinderella
should enjoy the advantages Of a liberal
education In that particular. Step
mothers are proverbiai for this. They
neglect their own children rather than
see step-daughter come up ignorant of
work.
But the proud sisters, instead of grow
ing envious when they found how much
more Cinderella was learning about
washing dishes, securing pans, emptying
slops, etc., than they knew, used to
laugh aud jeer at her. They wouldn't
allow her in the parlor when their beaux
came to see them, bnt compelled her to
sit In the kitchen in the chimney corner.
One evening the two proud sisters were
In high glee because they were invited to
a grand ball at the Exposition building,
given by a hook-and ladder company,
and taunted Cinderella, as she was hook
ing up their dresses, because che wasn't
invited, too. One OF them got oil cruel
and atrOciOus pun. She said Cinderella
was better at hooking dresses than she
would he at a hook-an-ladder ball.
When the hack came for the young ladies'
and they rode gayly away, Cinderella
was left sad and weeping In the chimney
corner, and this is where tie fairy comes
IN.
The fairy was very pleasant and en-
gaging young fairy indeed, one of the
best that the boss fairy sent out. OF
wings she had a "palr," which was
good enough to dlaw to, and she had
often made her mile inside of 2.1774,
when she couldn't make anything else.
She knew Vwell enough what wab tue
matter with Hannah II was the ball.
So she told Cinderella not to bRwl any
more, for she should 20. She touched
the poor girls six-cent calico with her
wand, and II was Immediately trans
formed into the most magnificent tulle
morie antique, with bombazine puflings
huted, and an overskirt Of ginger popin.
| am thus particular about her dress be-
cause all little girls will be interested In
it. Then the fairy fitted her out with
pair of the tlniest Of glass slippers, worth
at least twenty-five cents glass at any
bar in the city. She took pumpkin and
scOoped it out (she had previously scooped
some farmer out of the pumpkin); she
| transformed Ii into magnificent six-in-
| hand drag she manufactured horses of
| lizards, footmen of mice, and a big old
rat she made into rattlinC coachman.
/ As Cinderella mounted and rode away,
the fairy admonished her that she must
! leave precisely as the clock struck twelvei
| for II she danced moment longer, she
would find she had danced her flne gown
into rags, and would have to come home
! afOot and alone, across lots and a-crying.
Great was the sensation created when
/ Cinderella entered the ball. The band
stopped. walters paused as they were
bringing In beer, aud all were momentar
lily dumb with amazement and admira-
tiOn. The kings son saw hef and
engaged her to dance with him every set,
or set with him every dance he didn't
care which. He couldn't bear to be ont
out of her company. He had rather be
out of tobacco, or "out" with the Old
man. Her proud sisters figured for an
introduction, and allowed she was ''real
sweet"
Finally the prince invited her to Join
him in glass of beer and pretzel, and
the moments flew so rapidly it was twelve
o'clock before she knew il. As the clock
was striking she suddenly recollected the
fairy's admontion and started away as
fast as she could run, knocking over the
floor managers and policemen. When
she reached the door some lizards croak-
ing away were all that was lett of her
six-iH hand. She saw her fOolmeh scam
pering of as mice once more, her coach
man was big rat engaged in deadly
struggle with a terrier, while her coach,
which was some pumpkins when ii came,
was all pumpkins now Her magnificent
dress was turned to rags, and she had tO
hOof ii home barefooted.
But why 20 on Every body knows
how she lost of slipper and the Prince
fouud il; how he offered to marry the
Young woman whom it fitted how all
the women in the kingdom particularly
the big-footed ones, who always Imagine
their feet are smal) tried TO put their foot
in il; how 1t was at length found to fl,
Cinderella TO a nicely, and how the good
fairy gave her an outfit when she mar
ried the prince.
Little girls, who are inclined 10 mur.
mur and repiue btbause compelled to per-
form kitchen work, should draw encOur.
agement from this, and have a paTticu-
larly nice pumpkin, and a choice selection
of lizards aud mice on hand, when thcli
proud sisters 20 TO the ball 10 which the
Cinderellas of the chimney corner are moi
invited. That fairy may come around
again.