The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-14

II ualulS UIS eiOuRu iot oihoNhNA
there!"
Cinderella was busily engaged in max
ing the bed. She was an extremely
pretty, slight. petite creature, OF seven
Teen years, but looking younger, Her
air was detected and sad, her clothes
were scanty and poor, and. though her
blue eyes frightened at her cousin Min
MICS words, she ventured to make no
reply to them.
Mrs Jasper, a sickly, selfish, worldly
woman, whose sole thought and ambi-
tion was for her girls, looked up dis
contentedly.
Its not suitable for Ella" said she,
reevishly. "A mere girl-a child,
scarcely out Ct her p~inafores yet! That
was quite an expensive dress, Minnie.
The finest of goods, and made so pref
tily. and with yards of lace about it,
too! Perhaps it would fit Flora"
Indeed, then, it wouldn't do any
thing Of the kind" answered the last
named young lady. Indignantly.
"What do you take me for? Proposing
that I should wear Minnie's c~astofS?
I'm Younger than she is, and prettier,
too. and for all she's setting her cap at
Fred Walling 50 industriously she won't
catch him, and what's more, I'm quite
sure he likes me the best; / should look
we'll wearing my sisters old clothes,
shouldn't I?'
"No, you wouldn't" retorted Minnie.
You never look well in anything, with
Your hideous, sickly skin like mas;
you couldn't wear pale blue, 1t takes a
blonde, like myself or Cinderella for
that! And III trouble you not to die
tate who shall have my dresses, ma; for
lust mean to do as / please with them.
ia wear my white organdie trimmed
with Valenci, nncs tonight If it was
. nicely irored out for me. and new, fresh
blue bows to wear with it. Come, Gin
derella, 70 one can do it so nicely rs
you; say you'll fix it for me in good
time, and this pretty blue lawn is
yours"
"She can't! She can'tm came like a
chorus from Flora and her mother at
once. There's mas lace shawl to be
mended, and nearly all the lace torn off
my founce, and must be sewed on
again; and it would take her three
hours to do your dress, and it's noon
already. She can't possibly do it,!
Cinderella came forward timidly, with
her blue eyes tull of eager light.
81 think I can do it ALL" she said.
II shall have to work very hard OF
course, but 1 should like to have the
blue dress; and, Aunt Jasper, indeed l
need it,"
Aunt Jasper turned away without a
pleading words had been a blow, she
--.ll-Sx la-o cl,,r. l. Ero,,, fhop, noNrn
consciously O turned a gutter GRIM
ipal.
So Minnie went out and bought the
ribbon for the bows, and Cinderella
turned 10 work with such good will
that by five o'clock all her tasks were
accomplished and her homework I'm
ished into the bargain. The mother
and two daughters were going to a sum-
me evening garden party; the carriage
was 70 come for them at six o'clock ana
Cinderella promised herself a long
pleasant evening all acne.
"T'll put on the blue lawn DRESS" she
thought, with q thrill Of natural girlish
pleasure, "aEd 60 Gown into the parlo
and practice my dear old music and
songs, and feel one more as l used to
feel when darling papa was alive; when
l was = young lady in my W home,
instead OF Aunt Jasper's poor drudge
and servant"
The blue dress fitted to a charm. Ciu-
6crella took some violets from a bouquet
in her cousins room, and fastened them
at her pretty, white throat, and in her
yellow hair.
Just for memory's sake" she told
herself. To remind me of the dear
old days, gone forever! when l liked to
look pretty tor papa" .
She had a lovely face, girlish and
sweet, especially charming when lighted
up, as it was now by a warm blush Of
innocent pleasure, q dear little lovable
lady she looked as she tripped down
stairs. quite lieht-hearted for once, and
went into the parlor, where she seated
herself at the piano, and presently be-
gan to play.
Bridget, the aid-of-all-work, who
performed all the labor OF the household
that was out of poor Cinderella's prov
ince or beyond her >trength-Bridget
saw her as she came d. %nstairs.
The Irish girl had only been in the
house q short time, and had never seen
Miss Ella" except in her shabby
clothes-shc recognized the blue dress
as Miss Minnie's-and (for the cousins
had her of the same color) supposed
Immediately hat it was her young mis-
tress herself whom she saw q notion
which was confirmed when Ella went
into the parlor and began to sing and
play.
"Shure thin, l thought the poor little
thing ola niece wouldn't get the white
dress done in time" muttered she. Its
a slave they do be making Of her en-
tirely. And miss had to stay at home,
afther all; and 1 'spose the7poor child
has been scolded LONELY, and is ur-
sthairs, cryin' her purity eyes out" .
A ring at the door.bell disturbed
Bridget's meditations. MIR. Fred Wall
ing had called to offer his escort to the
young ladies, on the bare chance Of THEIR
not having started yet.
Miss Jasper is out, / presume" he
said to the maid. II thought l might
possibly"
"'Deed an she is not out" said
Bridget, positively. "Ye may hear her
for yerseli. this minute. in the parlor,
a-singin' an playin' beautiful" and,
mentally, honest Bridget added: "Oi
never knew she could sing 80 swately
before"
Ella was singing sweetly indeed. The
visitor, entering unobseryed by her,
stood like one entranccd, until the song
died away in Il wailing sob, and the
singers golden head was bowed upon
her hands as memory and grief over
came her. Then Fred Walling came
forward impulsively, his whole gener-
Gus heart stirred at the sight Of her
trouble.
My dear Miss Minnie-"he began,
but stopped short in dire confusion, as
the weeping girl turned suddenly and
showed him his mistake.
1T is n t Miss Minniew he cried; Il
beg a Thousand pardons for my intru-
sion. The girl said that Miss Jasper"
lis eyes had searched her sweet, pa
thetic face with eager interest while he
was speaking; and how he paused, then
broke out suddenIy:
-. 1t you now! Yes. I am sure l
knuw YOU. You are Ella Somers-Doc-
tor Su,ucrs' daughter! Your father and
mine were close trlends-l saw you
wears ago when you were quite a lutte
Girl Il, Greendale. Don't you remember
frcd-an the cid swing in the lane?"
She sprang to him Ill glad surprise.
"A!eAou Fred?" she cried. "Oh, L
umcmocry YOU! Papa liked you SO much.
but be is deud!' A -udden pang OF sor-
1uY pierced Ler heart. Papa is dead, "
Sic cried, weeping: o
What could Fred do but console her!
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