The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-28
A MODERN CINDERELLA.
The Fairy Comes to Her just In the Mich
of Time.

cinderella was SAD indeed. The tears
coursed down her cheeks as note by note
she picked out her piano lesson. She
stlfied sobs now and then and vainly
tried to think of the lesson only, and
not of her great Disappointment. She
was young, with a complexion as fair
to look on as any ever seem Her form
was more symmetrical than any other
IN the land. Her voice was as a wild
birds, and her words were wise Yet
she was sad.
She had two sisters-mean, hateful
things, who, though exceedingly come
" to gaze upon, were selfish and little
inclined to give Cinderella taste of the
pleasures to which they were accustom-
ed. They cast scorn and derision on
poor Cinderella when she asked if she,
too, might go to the grand parade OPEN
ing the new cycle path from King Solo
mon S mines to Damascus, which they
were to attend.
''The idea; youl'' said they, giving
their not unhandsome boomers twitch.
'What would you wear? What would
you rider"
Poor Cinderella burst into tears. It
was too true. She had neither wheel
nor becoming costume. But the tears
did not melt the sisters marble hearts.
They had merely smiled and gone.
Scarcely had the echo of the door
slamming died away when ''ting-aling-
aling aling," rang the little electric
door bell, and moment later maid
came into the room with card on the
silver plate. Cinderella hastily brushed
tear from her eye and read:
MISS NEW FAIRY.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
A minute later Miss New Fairy was
shown in. Miss Fairy was different from
anybody that Cinderella had ever known,
yet she was not different il a describa-
| BILE way.
Cinderella said the visitor in
voice sweetly baritone, cinderella,
you are sad. You need not tell me why,
for I know. You dropped penny in my
tin cup the other day when mutely
begged behind a wheezy lap hand organ.
I am fairy-an up to date one-and
as I know your wish. Presto Changep'
The footstool and a china vase became
bicycle, the song that Trilby sang be-
came wheeling shoes, and leggings lay
where two rugs had been.
t'Ah!" exclaimed the fairy. 81 near
1y forgot one article. But no matter.
There is an extra pair that brought in
case Of accidents. Now go to the pa
rade. -
Joyfully Cinderella sprang away, and
only a few short minutes had elapsed
when she came back with her hateful
old spirits discarded and arrayed in
lovely style-a style that outdid her sis
ters for splendor-with a wheel that
outshone theirs and a grace that none
could quail With a merry laugh she
sprang lightly into the saddle, for she
had ridden her sisters wheels on the q.
t., and away she spun up the asphalt
pavement toward the new cycle path.
A warning voice came floating after and
whispered in her ear:
''Stay no later than O'Clock, lest a
greater sadness overtake you. "
& wondering populace paused to gaze
after the beautiful Cinderella and her
magnificent equipage. The parade that
was to open the path was about to start,
and hush fell over the throng as tho
grand marshal of the parade, the great
est of the great amateur riders. stood
up on his wheels handle bars and look
ed the paraders over. Who was to ride
by his side and lead them all? Who but
the prettiest and most handsomely ar
rayed girl there? For moment look
of dissatisfaction dwelt in the great
man S eyes, and then he smiled. The
two sisters of Cinderella found them
selves observed by the marshal, who
gazed upon them favOrably. Still he
was perplexed, for the two sisters were
equally beautiful, and he could not
choose. At this moment a vision spurted
around a far corner as if winged and
rode straight at him. Without Il pause
or a glance to right or left Cinderella,
for it was she, rode up to the marshal
and gazed shyly into his eyes.
"Readyl Forward!' shouted the
marshal, and the parade began, with
Cinderella in the place of honor. The
sisters were filed with envy.
On and on rode the mighty host, Gin
derella in heaven and the marshal in
a sea of bliss, when suddenly the clock
in the old church tower began to strike
three.
"Zipr'
Cinderella fed, BICYCLES and in
skirts, across the vacant lots, while the
bewildered marshal stopped and looked
about him, seeking the beautiful crea-
ture who had been riding beside him
and giving him the bicycle neck. At
last his glance fell to the ground, and
there lay the fairy IS extra pair, which
were tailor made and not enchanted,
like the rugs. the Trilby song, the china
bowl, and the footstool Picking up the
one memento of his late beautiful com
panion. the marshal resigned then and
there and went disconsolate to the city,
proclaiming through the evening papers
that whom those boomers would fit he
would marry.
Myriads came, but went away again.
The two sisters came, too, hoping that
they might win the greatest amateur ui