The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-23
CINDERELLA.
could not helm Ii. M

profnse became Cecil,s tears, and
h~eart-brOken her sobs, for they had
3oft her behind alone with nobody but
tho servants and Aunt Aphroditc, q
crfpple, but the only one in the great
fray stone mansion who ever thought
sO1 her youth and her great longing Tor
bit OF sHjajyfiHssat hut she was bv
nature sympathetic and had been
Young once herself.
Az tho sound Of the carriage wheels
vas lost amid tho tumnlt Of the noisy
street, agsob slonder than the rest, q
sin which her entire grief seemed
to be concentrated. awoke Aunt
Aphrotite from a deep slumber, and
she sat bolt upright in her chair and
rubbed her eyes in d dazed sort OF
way until they fell upon Cecil's bowed
head. why. dear me, Cecil" Aunt
sApIArOdite said. Il had such q terrible
dream, but it must have been YOUR cry.
ing. but it is too bad" Her voice
growing tender and full Of sympathy.
ut is all nonsense ard seliishness that
Marin and tho girls didn't take you
along. Your cousins both deserve to
marry poor men, and then wonderhow
they would like to be denied pleasure,
and all that money will bring, though
goodness knows both are transient
enough
but. Aunt Aphrodite, i am sure
they did not know how much Iwanted
TO Co..
.Fiddlesticks, Cecil, they did know.
only they wnnt the best the market
affDrds for themselves. they have no
fancy for q rival, and one produced by
their own fathers house. But see
here, child she said, as ii a sudden
idca had struck her, II bought a ticket
Just for sweet charity's sake. and il I
did not fear the consequences. or that
something might happen to you, I
would say, take ii, buy d mask and go
and dance TO your hearts content. but
of course when they unmasked you
would be obliged TO make your adieu
like Cinderella in the fairy tale"
Cecil sprang up, all yistage Of sobs
dying out Of her voice as she clasped
her hands together, Ego to the charity
bal, Aunt Aphrodite," she said ex-
cltedly Are you really in earnestp''
Then she fell back again detected
s1ittle droop Of the head and shoulders.
you are too kind, AuntAphrodite,''
Cecil sud. ..But 1t Is to be a fancy
dress ball and Ihave no costume, not
eyen d garment that would represent
IL domino, unless it is Uncle Pudding
Con rain gossomer.n
Aunt Aphrodite was silent for a mo-
nlent, 81 didn'tthin Of that. she re-
turned, 'sbut, ah! I have it. give me
my cane. dear. and bring q light, and
then, give me your arm to the garrett.
You shall be made rs fair MS any maid
en who will grace the floor, but YOU
\ must promise me solemnly. never to
tell.
Aunt Aphrodite,n said Cecil, with
. suspicion OF scorn in her Young
voice, ..have / ever BETRAYED any Of
yolr confidence by etthcr word OF
4O0kp,s
my dear, Aunt Aphrodite re-
i turned smiling, .sbnt this is most
especially . profound secret.
.sOf course. Aunt Aphrodite, " Cecil
replied, ..conspirators seldom betray
each other."
Up the three flight Of stairs went
Cecil and her aunt to the sgarret, that
great receptical for queer looking
chests and boxes containing treasures,
perhaps, and discarded clothes, rich,
but made worthless by the stamp of
fashion of past years. Aunt Aphro-
zdite feeling. the sensation Of pleasure
i q the possibility of making her niece
happy as kcenly as did Cecil in the
anticipation ofthe JOY in store for her.
d. course II Maria should ever dis.
cover that had been the means of
yOnr attending the charity ball, she
would eve cease reproducing me for
my folly and accuse me OF giving you
the first start upon the road to dis
truction. but do hate to see young
peoplesdepriyed Of pleasures which in
after years are sure to loose some OF
their charms
Al Cecil turned the knob OF the at
ticdoor, it creaked solemnly upon its
hinges as it opened, making the flame
OF the small lamp fare, then GO quite.
out. But it was soon lighted again,
and when once within the gloom Of
these upper rooms the dim light of
the lamp seemed to make the darkness
even moro appalling. Aunt Aphrodite
walked directly into the second room
and knelt down before u large IRON
bound oak chest, one in which Cecil
thought young LoveI's hapless bride
might lave hidden on that fatal christi
mss. AS the key turned hard in the
rusty lock and the great lid with a
9 OF groan slowly opened, Cecil
closed her eyes and for a moment held
her breath. Young and eager for
pleasure Al she was, the inciduous
OdOrsof musk that suddenly pervaded
the room and settled like a pail about
her, made her SILVER and feel almost
~ It she must see the pale face OF the
bride OF long ago, still arrayed in .her
puptial robes. rise from tho dark re-
Of the old oak chest. The mo-
ment she stood there was brief enough,
but the imaginings Of that feeting
time were engraved upon her memory,
there TO remain inetfacible though she
lived to be as old as Methusela, when
other Impressions were blotted out by
the strange happenings of time.
Meanwhile Aunt Aphrodite had
drawn from the chest q dress OF fine
white = o. q fine intricate pattern,
scarlet satin boddice whose graceful
curves might have been made to tit the
slight simple form Of Cecil herself, s
dainty pair of white slippers, and last
at all a jewel case in whose velvet-lin-
ing lay jewels that any princess might
WEAR
But Csc;l laughed her old. careless,
happy laugh half an hour later as
standing before the long mirror she
saw looking back at her a strangely
beautiful Image resembling herself,
still unlikH the half-frightened little
girl who had stoodsnute withssurprise