New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-17
CINDERELLA.
AND COUSIN JANE FROM SOUTH Africa


It was Christmas Eve The country round TN, ,ne
| fine old mansion of Osmanton Hall was thirk,y
| shrouded with snow: the grounds, with their
frosted laurels and large-limbcd WHIT eus u.s.,
| trees lay sparkling in the moongh. WIN qul.e
Christmascard erect: Inc a"no - 80 ,be
| uresuue old house added to the romance Oh Tue
| scene. Christmas was kept up gayly at Osman-
| ton: and rudy lights shone our IRON, I,'a"' "
window though 1t was close upon ihlu" TX, ~;
In some Of the rooms pretty girls sat by pia|,ns
fires brushing fair locks or dark, ana gossipins
merrily. Young men fingered IN the smok,hs =
J room-it may he not gossiping pul fnsaseu -,
conversation on profound topics connected win
politics or philosophy. The elders were propapiy
slipping costly into their first sleep; whlle ,ne
servants had gladly put out their iignts' anu u'n
nosod themselves seriously to slumber-as ioiK
who must make the most of a too short night
In poorly furnished and ireess room al the
top Of the house sat girl, young ana pretty. pu'
with no Christmas JOY sparkling In her DARK
owes She was still dressed: and as she crouched
on the edge Of her bed. huddled a shawl about her
TO keep off the keen cold and read and reread n
letter which she had taken from her pocket
II was a love letter. but Theresas tears fell
upon the warm protestations and blurred the
emphatic declarations OF constancy W hat Is
the use Of Dicks making mo miserable by saving
how miserable he is" she said To herself we
can't marry on eighty pounds year and we
can't even see each other until get free from
slavery. ! will br free-some day. Anything
would be better than Lady Barleld's shabby
patronage, | wish had never come here. but
Of course ! thought that relations would treat
one decenty ! wish-oh, how wish that
something nice could happen. III there were only
fairies i'm these days"
Theresa smiled at her own folly: and then
sighed at the mpossibility OF anything nice
happening Then she kissed the letter, and put
II away in little box: and, shivering with the
cold began To undress. when suddenly a loud
peal at the hall doorbell echoed through the
house.
the dormer window and flung ii open. She was
lust i'm time to see a coach drawn by four horses.
with narng lamps which made dazzling light
on the white ground turn away from the en-
trance. The driver. large with many layers or
thick coats. whipped the horses and shouted
hoarsey to them and the coach vanished down
the moonlit avenue between the black and white
trees.
II was very strange. Theresa knew that no
other guest was expected. The house was full.
Who could have arrived, at midnight. and With
out any warning?
She ran down the back stairs into the entrance
hall, where she heard voices.
The white moonlight which streamed in by the
orel window put to shame the glimmer from the
splutterng candle held by Thomas. the footman.
who. having been kept up late to supply the
smokeroom demands had been the first TO open
the hall door at the mperious summons OF the
bell Right In the moonlight stood the oldest
figure Theresa had ever seen. little old woman.
dressed in shabby f1nery Of about quarter of a
century ago, looked calmly at Thomas. and.
blinking tired light blue eyes. said: Young man.
tell Lady Barfed am here"
But before the sleepy and bewildered Thomas
had turned to go Lady Barf1eld herself fastened
into the hall. followed by her son and one or two
young men with cigars in their hands. BY this
time also. quite a gay little crowd Of girls In
dainty pink and blue dressing-gowns had col
lected on the landing above. and were peeping
over the banisters with low ripple OF laughter
at the grotesque figure In the crinoline and
spoon bonnet" which were once, before they
were born, the height Of fashion.
Lady Barfeld FASTENED forward annoyance
plainly expressed on her arlstocratic features
who are you? There must be some grave
mistake You must have come to the wrong
place" she began with mingled surprise and vex-
alton For Lady Barfield hated the unusual to
occur and was keenly sensitive to ridicule. The
alfsmothered laughter of the girls on the stair
case irritated her from the first.
The stranger clutched her black bag with large
hands clad in black. wOrsted gloves. and shaking
her head with its high bunch OF brilliantly hued
flowers answered slowly:
There's no mistake. ma'am. Amt you Lady
Barfeld?' r, 1,
Before Lady Barfeld could speak Theresa had
caught her by tht sleeve Of her gown. and said In
a low voice: - -,
1T is Cousin Jane. from South Africa You
know Aunt Barfield. have seen her photo-
craph and know the bonnet
Frederick and Patricia twho were at tneir