Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-11-18

six-and-thirty. had cost little fortune.
The afternoon was spent in trying them
on. 1t was weary work on this line /
summer day, pinning this, lengthening |
here, Tightening there, hustled by one
sister, scolded by the other. My head |
was weary, my legs were aching; felt |
utterly depressed and Inundated. l had |
for. the first time asked favor, and been
not only refused, but refused with SCOTS |
and jeers. Jack had proposed taking |
nae to see the rehearsal of the wonder
full tableaus, arranged after Mrs. Freake's
style. / had prayed to be let go; Cor
nelia had drawn me in front of the long
glass, and she and Adelaide had laughed
over the notion of my presenting my
self in such garb before the people up
at the Castle.
"They would take you for kitchen
maid" Adelaide had said, still giggling.
81 can fancy Colonel de Molyns put
ting his eyeglass into his eye and won
dering where she came from.
"Cindy thinks herself so lovely that
every one would bow down before her.
Look at her face! Oh, child what a
temper you have!"
Don't attempt to show me any OF
your airs, miss" says my 'tepmother,
turning on me suddenly. I'VE know
why you want to go to the rehearsal;
don't we, girls. It's a shame of you to
turn son against his own mother and
sisters. You are designing, migrate
| full creature, and outside these doors
you shant stir"
would't not give them the satisfac-
tion of seeing me cry; but, later on,
when got away from them, L wept
bitterly. was so disappointed; did
wish to see the tahisaus-those beautl-
full women as 'Elie Deans and 'Rebecca'
and my own dear favorite Mary Stuart;
| knew them all so well. l sat down in
the deep window seat of the hall and
cried and cried again. Suddenly the
door opened and Jack came in quickly.
"Cindyl" but l didn't stir till lie Game
and stood beside me.
1T was no use, Jack" l said; they
wouldn't let me go to the rehearsal. l
don't think l can bear it much longer,
Jack; they are so very, very unkind to
mew
Don't cry, Cindy; you'll have the
whip-hand of them yet. never fear. l
say. what do you think? I've settled it
all: : you are coming with me tO-nightP'
"Ob, jack" cried; "nonsensel How
could l? They'd never let me-"
They'll know nothing about it; you
just as | tell you" And then he sat
down and told HE all about it. One of
the beautiful women had got a bad
toothachs; her face was all swollen and
disfigured, and the tdbleau i'll which she
was to appear was spoilt 1t was i'm
possible TO fill her place; so l promised
that you would do it" Jack went on.
Its Rothing; only just to stand for
minute. She has her dress ready for
you to put on, and you'll see all the fun
afterward, and no one will know you"
1t was really very tempting, and l
couldn't resist this glimpse of the great
world, but think l deserved all the
seedlings got during the toilette Of the
sisters. My head was running on what
was to come, and l could not remember
where single thing was.
81 do believe the girl is feverish; look
at the color of her cheeks" l heard Cor
nelia whisper to Adelaide. But this idea
did not make them a bit more consider
ate in their demands.
At last they finished, and the sound of
the retreating wheels of their carriage
was like music to my ears. l flew to my
own room and made myself ready.
l don't in the least remember how we
got to the Hall. 1t all seemed like
dream. But presently l found myself in
large bedroom, getting on somebody's
dress, with a tall, quiet woman helping
me. She took in here and let down
little there, and the gossamer fabric fit
ted as if it had been made for me. Then
she asked me to look at myself, and
when stood before the large mirror l
started. Could this be the same girl
who few hours ago had been Knocked
at by Cornelia and Adelaide Spicer?-
this lovely apparition the shabby fearful
child, the Cinderella of the house?
| Presently Jack came for me, and his
delight showed that my vanity had not
deceived me.
bravo, little Cindy," he said; Il knew
you only wanted fair play. All the wO-
men will be madly jealous of you"
don't think this prospect gave me as
much pleasure as he expected, but it
was certainly a delightful experience to
find myself such an object of general
attention. My part in the tableaus was
not much. Once L stood for few min
utes before gauze with two other ladies,
while Lord Lavender. as Paris, offered
the apple to the center figure, very
lovely girl. She was Lady Sybil Len
nard. "a dukes daughter and a great
beauty Jack whispered to me.
1--WE must have another set of tab
leaus next week." said Lord Lavender,
coming up to us. "If your sister will
help us, Spicer, we could have Faust
and Marguerite and The Sleeping Beau
ty' and 'Pygmalion and Galatea.'
His bright young face was little
! flushed with excitement, and his dark
eyes sought mine with an expression
that, novice as was, l could not mis-
understand.
I'm afraid therell be two words to
that" said Jack, laughing. "Cindy is
kept in glass case; 1 slipped her out
by mere chance. But, listenl they're
calling for The JUDGMENT again!
AS soon as the tableaus were over l
had to doff my borrowed garments and
make the best of my way home. | had had
my glimpse of Fairyland and must re-
turn to slavery-a slavery more unen-
durable now than ever. could hardly
believe that it was real when found
myself at home, waiting for the return
of my stepmother and her daughters;
Stillmo unreal did it seem when the
morning light stole through my windows
and had to take up my weary work
again.
ut was all dream" l thought; "im
possible that all those compliments were
paid to me, all those tender speeches and
loving looks. Ridiculousw But there
opposite, on my table, stood the bunch
of lovely roses given to me by Lord
Lavender himself. 1t was all true, ,thenl
L got up; l sang to myself as l dressed.
1t was one of Adelaide's songs and the
words were all of love. They had al
ways seemed rubbish, but now they
struck me as pretty.