Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-10-18

NO. 251.
Gales ano Skettbes.
A MODERN CINDERELLA.
CONTINUED from yesterday. }

Continued from Yesterday
"What do you think of doing? Sit on
that stair?"
"Yes, until my family come and take
me away
| away? Why. you've but just come:
and my mother told me she depended on
your staying two weeks"
II was silly to come, though Twill not
be enough so to stay. Besides, we are at
perfect liberty to go where we please.
Uncle John saidhe wouldn't be tied down."
"Oh, certainly, Just as Uncle John
pleases. | shan't tie him, and when
mother comes she will make it all
straight"
'She can't help my ankle. Oh, it was
all those stairsr' and l felt tear fall on
my nose. said, Don't touch that boot!''
"My mother neglected to tell me how
stubborn you were
"Becuse she didn't know. II l had
known you would be so disagreeable, l
should have gone to a regular boarding.
house.
"You are very honest. That boot is to
be pulled off.
"Oh that hurts me dreadfully; and
didn't tell you you could - and | didn't
try to keep back the tears which came
fast.
"Now if we had slipper. Have you
one ?''
"Yes-no. can't get at it." My face
was in my handkerchief. and | was Civ
ing up to my misery when the outer door
opened, and found myself in the ample
embrace of someone, who was calling me
dear Alice; and the son was explaining
the accident, and my persistency in sitting
on the stair.
"T'm not Alice at all I'm some other
IDIOT" / sobbed, freeing myself from the
elderly ladys arms. Tell me is this a
boarding-h house p--no, not that, but is it
place where they take boarders, and she
has a worthless sonp'i At that point of
my confused tale heard litter, and the
son left his mother alone with me.
This is mistake. was expecting
dear young lady. 1t was SO dark"
"Yes there is dreadful mistake, and
have made it,
"Where do you live? Perhaps we can
send to your friends
"Oh, don't live; stay sometimes I'm
an orphan,'' and that dismal confession,
that would have drawn tears from flint,
or would have been a good stock in trade
to professional beggar, | sobbed harder
than ever.
Cant YOU think of some one l could
send for ?'' Were you told to go to 7O7
Maple street,"
Yes they told me to come here, and
they would meet me. She said it was a
fine house, and not boarding-house so
came here.
IL am very sorry indeed that there was
mistake made. The city, though, is so
full of strangers, that | do not wonder
at such mistakes" The kind old lady
had to leave me there on her stair, and
welcome the right Alice, who arrived,
looking as fresh and pretty as possible, in
dark blue travelling dress. felt my
self to be the most pitiable spectacle that
the Quaker City ever harbored, not except
ing the spectacle Of the hungry b. Frank
lin and his rolls. imagined from the low
whispers that came from the drawing
room my melancholy position was being
explained to Alice. was too depressed
to mind being pitied by anybody.
''Perhaps you would letme put this on!''
| | put down my handkerchief to see the
Young gentleman who had been SO man.
fully struggling to entertain his mothers
visitor standing over me holding an en-
broidered Turkish slipper. l telt had
said quite enough that day, and if should
ever attempt to explain my rudeness,
could never appear anything else than en-
ergetic and insolent. When pushed out
my loot and saw its unusually grand pro-
portions so swollen, could not help say
ing. and believe even had the spirit to
smile. You need knife. It's a regular
step-sister's foot, and guess you'll have
to cut heel and toe.''
| "No. indeed; no surgery is necessary;
and there's fit that proclaims you
Cinderella
"Thank you; it feels very comfortable.
am going now, and please always think
it was a dreadful mistake, and forget it
ALL"
''lf you promise to forget that worst of
all mistakes about the son - and saw he
struggled to keep from laughing out
right.
''Oh, don't, please; but get carriage,
and let me GO"
"Yes, but where ?''
''Oh, nywhere-orphan asylum, or
insane, am fitted for either. No, seri-
ously. don't know where to 60"
''Do you know no one in the city? Ii
not, tell me to whom can telegraph"
''Oh yes, do know somebody's lady.
| came with her. She's at the Continen-
tai Send for her." | was glad to be
able to think of some way out of the diff
Guilty, for every minute of such perplexity
was telling on my weakened intellect.
Martha was sent in a carriage, as Mrs.
Ray was suffering with neuralgia, tobring
me back to the Continental. where should
have first gone. How grateful l was for
Julia's sake. when Martha and l were
tucked i'm the carriage, and the trunk
marked 81 W." on the rack, that the in
mates of 707 had no clew to my identity Il
could have kissed the little trunk with its
mysterious letters Tor the secret it had
helped me to keep.
''Where have you been ?'' was the way
Mrs. Ray, Julia, and Uncle John wortied
their first remark.
..Never YOU mind; but. Julia, look
therer' and pulled her postal card from
my pocket. "You were right in its not
being boarding-house, and it was swell
E I've brought away some inmy foot; but
/. it was 707 Maple Street. Now ask me
| where have been, as though had done
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