Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-24

the curls shading her fair brow. "Well,
she and / were good friends, but never
went away, for he-she / mean-is rich,
and l am poor. and our ways in life lie
very, very far apart. But she has not for
gotten me. See, madame. here is an invi-
tation to ball to be given on her nine.
teenth birthday at her aunt's house, only a
few miles away. And-and her brother
signs it too. He writes handsome hand,
does he not, madame?"
"a strong, handsome hand, my dear,
and ne is strong, manly fellow. / do not
forget the messages he used to bring me
from you, and deliver with such courtly
grace. You must go to the ball. ;"
"0h, madame, It is impossible. could
not go if it were to be the simplest of par.
ties, and it is to be fancy dress. ! have
nothing to wear. You know the crops failed
last year on account of the drought. But
what folly for me to let SO slight thing
distress me for a moment, when all at home
have health and strength, and you are fast
getting well"
For which we should be-and no doubt
we are-devoutly thankful, said the old
lady, and all the more reasons why you
should go to the ball. You said just now
must be fairy. will prove my right to
the title by being fairy godmother. You
did not know that my name was Violet.
Take the key you will find under the clock
ON the mantle, and open the ottoman that
stands yonder."
"0pen the ottoman, madame !"
Yes it is simply chest in disguise,
and in it lies your ball dress"
The lid of the disguised chest was raised,
long box was lifted out and opened. An
exclamation of delight burst from Viola's
lips. There is satin dress of dreamy
whiteness It unfolded into a miracle Of
old-fashioned loneliness. Purple violets
were scattered here and there upon the
scant skirt, as though dropped from some
careless hand, and the pulled sleeves and
short waist were made of wealth of am.
ber-hued lace. And then came large
quaint fan of sandal wood and peacock
feathers, a necklace Of pearls, high tor
toise-shell comb, and pair Of satin shoes
with low fat heel and queer pointed toes.
But you never mean that should wear
these, madame" said Viola.
That do !, most surely" said madame,
gsyly. 81 wore them, child, many years
ago. And now another Violet needs them.
There is fate in it. And l will put spell
upon them, and who knows they may
help you win a true lover as they did me. I"
But the shoes, madame-theY are too
small, I'm sure"
Try them, my dear"
Viola slipped one On. 1t binds across
the instep, said she.
"Take the scissors and cut it, them"
"Oh, madame, it would spoil it then"
"Do as l bid you. FAIRY godmother
must be obeyed. Now take the rosettes
still remaining in the box and fasten one
over each shoe to hide the damage done"
And with the beautiful rosettes of satin
and lace, and with "V" ercircled in seed
pearl in the center of each, hiding the gaps
the scissors had made, the toilet was com.
plete.
And so Viola went to the ball not in
fine carriage drawn by pranciDg steeds, but
IN her fathers covered wagon, behind the
old farm horse. But when she appeared
in the brilliantly lighted room it was rather
late, for the horse travelled slowly-the
creamy white satin dress clinging to her
slight graceful figure, the pearls clustering
around her smooth throat, her golden hair
wound about the tortoise shell comb, her
dimpled arms and shoulders just showing
through the ancient lace, her innocent blue
eyes looking shYly over the quaint fan, and
her feet clad in the queer pointed shoes,
half hidden by the great rosettes-the gay
crowd felt, some of them THE fair maidens
these) with bitter envy, that an unknown
Princess of Beauty was among them.
And the Prince OF the reigning house
quickly followed his sister to welcome her,
leaving a Knight with diamond stars to
sparkle for some faithful worshiper. And
again and again he and the unknown Prin.
cess danced together until nearly daybreak,
when, servant summoning her hastily
for the farmer father was tired of waiting
she flew to the dressing-room and one of
the rosettes bursting from its fastenings on
the way, away went the shoe it had helped
to hold in place, down, down through the
well of the winding staircase, to regions far
below.
And Viola, having the enchantment of
the night still upon her, never missed it,
but hastily drawing on her stout boots, ran
to the old wagon, jumped in and drove
away in the dim first light in the morning
from the Prince and Fairyland.
But when she awoke from the deep sleep
into which she sank as soon as she reached
her heme-the sun was ON its westward
way-she discovered the loss, and while
she was bewailing it the Prince rang at the
door.
81 have found slipper, or shoe, or
something of the kind, he said, taking it
from the breast pocket of his fur.trimmed
coat, and as it will not fit either of my
sisters, or my cousins, or any of the lady
friends who with them bide, / thought it
might fit you"
1T does not, really, said truthful Viola,
with her lovely blush, " l could not have
worn it had it not been cut open in the
instep-I have not an aristocratic foot
and that is how the stitches that held the
friendly rosette giving way came to
lose it.
That l, thank fortune might find it.
And now, Viola, dearest"
But what need of saying more You
can all end the story for yourselves, / am
sure, even to guessing that madame lived
to be hundred years old, and that never
was fairy godmother so loved and petted as
She New Orleans Times Democrat.
How WHIST BORED Four PEOPLE On