Middletown transcript., 1903-03-28
CINDERELLA & CO.. LIMITED
BY IDA PRESTON ROBINSON

made as she sat by the fire, and
at the table that night she
surprised the family with the
outlines of her trip, with occa-
sional touches of detail. She
would go down a few days ahead
of time and make Aunt Rebecca
a short visit; she could have her
gown made while staying there,
and not go near Maud until the
day of the dance, for she had
reasoned that to play the role
properly she m must surprise every
one, even Maud being no excep-
tion.
For the next week she lived in
a state of joyous anticipation and
preparation for her visit, going
about with her eyes carefully
shut to several things that SEEM
ed to cry out to her to check her
foolishness, and which, when she
found herself at length in the
great shop with its bewildering
mass of silks, chiffon and lace,
came so vividly back to her that
she would have rushed from the
temptation had not pride stepped
to the fore. And with a resolve
to abide by her decision, the sug-
gestions of her aunt, who had
been taken downtown simply as
a guide, were politely ignored,
and she selected and re-selected,
following the clerk into mazes OF
extravaganza that as tonished
even herself. And when she
finally decided upon a material
whose price could not be excused
on the old plea of making over
well" she dared not face her
aunt's reproachful eyes, but
hastened away to buy the nec-
essary finishing touches before
her courage failed. Fan, gloves,
stockings, slippers, whose dainty
little buckles suggested a pair
Maud had worn on that last joy
GUS occasion-all were purchased
and sent to the quiet little home
Eloise was so glad the superior
looking clerks were not to see.
The dressmaker sought out, she
passed the succeeding days in
frequent excursions to the un-
pretentiols establishment her
aunt had recommended as doing
good work, and with each trip
there she became more and more
elated over the prospect of the
delight to come, for the dainty,
exquisite fabric had touched the
artistic sense of every needle
woman who had put her hands tc
it, and it turned out to be thing
Of such beauty that Eloise was
seized with a sudden and nervous
dread of not being able to do il
full justice.
But when the wonderful day
arrived, with the trip to the i'm
posing mansion that stood for the
fairyland in her dreams; with the
eager creating by Maud and the
other members of the family;
with the hustle and confusion that
reigned in the lower portion Of
the house, as movers, florists and
caterers laid their magic touches
upon it: the Punishment to the
upper room, where she was put
so that she could fest-she awoke
to the fullest enjoyment of her
holiday, and the blood rushed
wildly through her veins in an
ticipation of the evenings de-
light. Hints of a secret that
Maud was keeping from her add
ed to her enjoyment, and although
she suspected she understood,
her proffered congratulations
threw her friend into such a gale
of merriment that Eloise was
greatly mystified. But she for
got the mystery when she was
left alone after the dinner she
and Maud had eaten in her room
Her door locked, she opened
her trunk and laid the dainty,
fluffy gown upon the bed. All
hers! She could scarcely be-
lieve it, and as she turned away
to do her hair in the manner that
best became her she laughed
softly to herself at the way her
fingers trembled. But in spite
of this she was ready at last, and
with a sudden feeling Of shyness
she went up to the mirror and
stood looking at herself with eyes
that hardly dared to meet their
own reflection. SO conscious of her
own beauty had she suddenly be.
come.
Beautiful! She said it softly
two or threetimes and then blush.
ed at her own audacity. But she
knew it was true, and Ii she had
had any misgivings about spend
ino her money in that racklass