Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-02-12
C|NDE RELLA.
A Latter-Day Cinderella Who Capt.
ured Her Prince.

her SineWy, lean arms. Charlotte makes no
pretensiOns to beauty, and rather fl6uts femi
nine adornments as an aid thereto. Johnny
and Kitty long ago settled it to their OVID
satisfaction that Charlotte had been at some
dim, remote period disappointed in love.
This explained away her fits of gloomy medi-
tation and lent halo of romance to her
past, Of which Charlotte was happily I'M
aware.
Her hair, of pale drab shade, was drawn
tightly back into hideous little pug; her
face, with its sharp eyes set under heavy
brows, wore a dO-gO-awayand-let-m
expression which had secured her the right
of the way for score of years and more in
Mr. Winchester Coles kitchen.
Times have changed since Charlotte first
came to live with Mr.. Winchester Cole and
his pretty, delicate young wife. The little
bride, inexperienced and lonely, soon came
to regard Charlotte as a fit subject for small
condolences and friendly oyertures. The
contrast between them was so sharp it may
not be going too far to say Charlotte seemed
like watchdog keeping guard over a fairy.
When the blue-eyed, giriish creature would
steal away for little from her cold, jealous
husband to sit in the kitchen, Charlotte came
as near laughing as Nature would permit at
her curious questions and comments.
LA, MiSSuS! you're nOthin' but butter
fly, and butterflies shouldn't be troublin'
their heads about kitchen work an such
like" Charlotte would say, with telling
glance at her mistress fine silk dress and
soft hands.
Charlotte, Pm tired of being considered
doll. / know he is disappointed in me.
He thinks | am silly and babyish, twas Mrs.
Coles rejoinder one morning as she tapped
her little slipper nervOusly in the doorway
of the dining-rOOm.
II wish you would teach me how to do
things, Charlotte" she urged in such visit
full tone that Charlotte melted forthwith,
and proceeded to spend an hour or two
day in giving her lessons in general house
work
But young Mrs. Coles successful bread
and cake baking did not bring her happiness.
The rosebud mouth had trick of dropping
at the corners, and the big, blue eyes kept
on telling tales which a damp pillowcase
confirmed. And Charlotte-how she longed
to take Mr.. Winchester Cole by the Shout
ders, shake him until the filing was loose in
his teeth and compel him to get down on
his respectable knees and beg his little
wife's pardon for his neglect. But there
was that in the little wifes face, no less
than the steely CLEAN of Mr.. Winchester
Coles gray eye which restrained her from
Interfering in the family difficulties.
And then, by-and-by, Kitty came, and af-
ter five years, Johnny; and one snowy night
when Johnny lay a little pink mite in his
crib, young Mrs Cole Qor she was barely %
them called Charlotte to her bedside.
charlotte, feel as if [ should not live
through this. You have been so good and
kind to me always it will be comfort to me
to know you are with my children. Promise
ne to stay with them if possible Charlotte,
until they are grown, and see to them, and take
care of them. You can do much better than
I. Twas never very clever, / am afraid, at
anything. And if Ga red flush struggled
painfully up over her cheek he ma Ties
again-he is not very old, you know, and it's
quite likely-Charlotte, l want you Ihen,
more than ever, to promise to stay with the
children"
And Charlotte had promised, and when
the little wife, SO young and so unhappy,
was laid under snow no whittier than her
cheek she renewed the promise to the dead
as she carefully tucked Kitty away tUr the
night and hushed the baby's fretful cries.
''Ah, yes, indeed" thinks Charlotte as she
goes on lncading busil. ''times have chang
ed" Her eyes fall on itty stoning raisins
in sunny corner. Kitty, with her slender
shape losing none of its graceful outlines i'll
her faded dress. An awowy sunbeam chances
from her head, and descending in golden
GOD, converts her into veritable Danae.
And Johnny, too, is there. 1t being Satur-
day, he is home from school, and he is de-
irous of being as Sociable as circumstances
will allow with present company. He en-
plOyS himself meanwhile in attempting to
shoe the long-suffering cat with empty hick
0ry-nut shells.
81 say, Kit, did You know the milk-mau
was dead gone on Charlotte? He Is, for q
fact. He's young thing and can't leave
his mother any longer than to fetch the
milk, but I slid down the baniSters this
morning just in time to catch him winkin9
at her, and the milk was all running over Oh
the floor. The worst of it was Charlotte
was winling back; you'd have thought her
left eye-lid was gaIyaniSed. Keep still.
Spotty."
Charlotte bangs the oven-doOr
You mightgiye starving wretch a raisiD
once in while, Kit Did you ever hear the
interesting tale, Charlotte, concerning you1
naIaeSake and-a fellow by the name Of
Mr.-Mr.-By jinlls, Eve forgotten his Other
name?"
you mean, Werther, Johnny Don't
tease Charlotte, and don't eat another one
of those raiSinS.'
''About all sisters are for is to say Don't ,"
grumbled Johnny. "This here Charlotte Fir
telling you about was married, and Werther,
he didn't have no more gumptiOn than to
fall in love with her. He hadn'tsand enough
to go away, and he just staid around and
made eyes at her, about the way the milk
man does. and finally he blew his brains out.
most likely right on her clean doorstep.
When they carried him past the window
where she was cutting bread she didn't faint.
or holler, or nOthin', but went on cutting
more till she had enough for supper That's
the kind of Charlotte she was. | don't
suppose you could have hired her to have q
milkman around signing signs big enough tc
blow open the front door,
Il hear Mrs. Cole, Master Johnny and
your kindling-wood is not in yet" Char
lotte's warning was scarcely out of her
mouth before the sound of the Ratchet was
heard from without and MIS-. Cole No. s
sailed into the kitchen.
She had been Mrs. Cole No. for several
years. n snowy, daShing widow, her dol
lars more than cOunterbalanced the incum-
brance of her daughter Juliet in the admir-
ing eyes OF Mr.. Cole.
Charlotte, mindful of her promise, con
Snued to make sceptre of the rolling-pin,
though the new regime was diStaSteful tc
her. AS for Mrs. Cole, she knew the value
of the trusty, faithful creature, and if her
iron hand made itself felt all through the
household, below stairs it was usually glov-
ed.
II declare, Kitty, you are the most provok-
ing girl. Did you not hear Juliet say we
We're going out at 5? She has been waiting
fully fifteen minutes for you to do her hair.
She is sure to take cold sitting such an age
in a dressing-sack. There, no excuses. Char
lotte can do very well without your assis.