The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-10-09
CINDERELLA.


lsh days not so Tar away, for she was not
yet seventeen, before her father filled her
dear dead mothers place with the over
whelming presence of the Widow Hum
pheries, whose twin girls had quite
thrown Eflie into the shade from the time
that they entered the house.
81 should have been christened Cinder-
ella" she used to say; "only certainly
have no fairy god-mother, and no one
will ever change the rats, that frighten
me so when go down the kitchen stairs
in the dark, into horses, or one of the
big pumpkins / am forever stewing for
pies into carriage; and certainly, GER
tainly, certainly the young prince will
never fall in love with me or one Of my
shoes.h
And then Effie would give the stout,
serviceable boots, which her step-mother
always bought size too large for her,
contemptuous look, which would have
withered their soles, had they been any
thing more sensitive than leather and
prunella.
Efiie never said all this TO any one but
herself, certainly not to her step-mother,
who, now that she was widow once
more-for Eflic's father had not lived
long after his second marriage-was
completely mistress of the house. Every
thing had been left to her and she had
her own ideas of justice. She neither
abused nor illused Ellie, but she had soft
way of coercing her that was just as bad.
Melissa and Amanda, her two girls, were
older than Eiiie, and of this fact the
mother made good use. Etfie was ''just
a child, "and she could wear calico dresses
and serviceable boots, while Melissa
and Amanda must have trained dresses
and dainty coverings for their feet
Efiie was so young that she could "run
of errands, yet Efiie, being a mere girl,
needed sleep at nights and must retire
early; and as the young ladies sat up
later she must rise earlier than they and
help get breakfast. A woman was kept
to wash, and cook, and scrub, and Effie
only had "nice things, that child should
learn to do" to attend to, said step
mamma; but the little hands were always
busy and the little feet tired, and, like
Cinderella, when there was nothing else
to do she had her sisters handsome
dresses to work upon.
1t was provoking, with nothing for
herself but her every day calicoes and
step-mamma's old brown silk, made short
and scanty, for Sundays church going.
1t was only lately since it had seemed so
hard, though-only since Leslie Good
wood had come home from college, and
she had seen, as plainly as young eyes
do see these things, that he admired her,
even in the brown silk and Melissa S
las, years hat, which was, in step-mam-
mas estimation "quite good enough for
q mere child
Since then she had called herself Gin
derela oftener than before, and when at
last the Goodwoods gave an evening
party, and not only Mrs. Merwin and her
daughters were invited, but also Miss
Efiic Mervin, in little note addressed to
herself, she fairly rebelled as her step
mother expressed it to be her opinion
that she might take Amanda and Melissa,
but that ''Etiie could not really GO"
"Why not, l should like to know,
when I've an invitation9" asked Efiie.
'You're not in society yet, dear, " said
Mrs. Mervin, blandly; "and it isn't good
for young girls to go out in the evening.
In few years"
sin few years the Goodwoods' party
will be over" said Efiie; ''and l want tc
go so much. Oh, do let me -
''My dear!n cried Mrs. Mervin, "therC
are only three days to get ready in, and
you have no party dress"
81 ought to have, said Efie. "It's {
shame
"Dear me-" said Mrs. Mervin. GAS il
I didn't know better what you ought tC
have than you"
"She might alter my blue grenandinC
to fit herself, - said Amanda.
And Effie gave a start, for the second
daughter of the step-mother in Cinder,
ella, being more good-natured than hel
sister, cried: ''Giye her one of my olo
dresses!" when the famous ball was il
question.
But though Mrs. Mervin did not cry
out frankly, as did the step-mother OF
the fairy tale: my dear, the Kings sol
will be there" she thought much tho
same thing. Size remembered Leslie
Goodwood-such Il good match for any
one who was happy to catch him; ano
she remembered also that Eifie was much
prettier than her Melissa.
''No, my dears; no, she said, with {
smile that she could always command a
will, and that gave her such a reputa
ton as an amiable woman. "No, chill
dren; l know what is best for young per
sons. Effie will be a woman soon enough
and wish her childish days back again,
With which words she left the room t
dress herself for shopping expedition
for lace and flowers and ribbons anC
dainty shoes, were needed for her girls
even though they had handsome dresse
enough already for the Goodwoods
party.
So Effie was not to go. She was Il
remain at home and sit up for the Others
And her little face was as long as
well could be as she took her seat besid
the CRATE fire, aud put her feet upon tn
! fender.