Middletown transcript., 1903-03-28

Very pretty, carelessly. But
I wouldn't wear white, if I were
you. You should wear pinks
and blues-old pinks and blues
that's your style; I should judge.
Eloise escaped without hearing
more. 1t was the one elaborate
evening gown she ever-dreamt
of possessing, and it was not her
style! It was the last drop in
her cup of woe, and, bidding
goodnight to the girls as they
stood at the foot of the stairs un-
til she was safe in her room, she
climbed up hurriedly, in her anx-
iety to be alone. She caught a
few stray words. Miss Done
gan's, Wasn'tita shame!it would
have been such a delightful sur
prize, and Maud's eager, Why, I
forgot to tell Eloise what it was.
Eloise, Eloise! But, hating her
self for her second deception,
the girl on the stairway stood
still, to give the impression that
she was already in her room, and
she heard Miss Donegan's voice
again. 1t will keep till morning
Maude. Come, let's 60 to bed,"
And, with a sigh of relief as the
sound of their footsteps died
away, Eloise stole into her room
and locked the door, forgetting
even to be curious as she sat
down on the edge of her bed to
think it all over.
Tomorrow she would go home,
with nothing in her purse, and
nothing to show for the money it
had held but a flimsy chiffon
gown and other useless articles,
which in all probability she would
never use again. The parlor's
faded tidiness would greet her
reproachfully, her room would
seem more plain and severe than
ever, and Johnny's face rose in
sistently before her. How much
wiser she would have been to
play the good fairy to him and
buy that cherished gramophone
he had so long craved. Not only
he, but the whole town would
have been entertained, and there
still would have been enough to
put in the bank to buy other pre-
sents with. But, instead of this,
she had dreamed that fine clothes
could make a society belle of her,
and had had the most miserable
time she had ever known, and
she was forced to admit that Gin
, derella as her own god-mother
was not a success. Cinderella!
she gave a bitter little laugh.
Cinderella without fairy prince
unless, perhaps, it was Captain
Dennis, and the thought sent her
among the pillows regardless OF
her cherished gown, as she
smothered the choking laughter.
When she sat up again it was
Fwith serious face. AS a Cinder-
ella I am a distinct failure, she
said slowly, as though to calm
herself. For who ever heard of
a Cinderella coming from a bali
with both her slippers on? and
she thrust her feet out from un.
der her gown and studied them
thoughtfully. They looked very
white, very different from Maud's
and Miss Donegan's. They told
, the whole story of the stupid
evening. and she was thinking of
this as she studied the dainty
shoes, so that it was some min
, utes before she noticed that the
small ornamented bow had fallen
from one of them and her face
frightened. Of course! she mur.
INJURED. In Captain Dennis 'pock.
ct. I might have known it! She
glanced around the floor, then
back at the slipper. 1t certain
ly did show the marks where it
had been, and the slippers were
the one thing she had felt that
she could get some use opt of,
laterop. The servants would be
at work early in the morning
and SO small q thing would be
overlooked by them. She hesi-
tated an instant, and then, light
ing the candle that stood on the
desk, she opened the door, and
after listening, to see if all were
quiet, she stole downstairs, past
the closed doors where all was
still-doWp until she reached the
scene of the late reyelry. She
forgot her search for a moment
as she stood looking thought
fully at what the Pickering can
die revealed. After all, what
did it amount tp-the glitter, the
success, the popularity? Like
great empty tomb the rooms lay
open before her. Like death,
! SIo L,aotha1 cbuddorinn nt tho