Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

Nancy once played fair godmother, but
she isn't saying anything about 1t IN the
bosom of her family for fear of making her
self unpopular. Cinderella was the sixth
number Of a continuous performance pre-
scented by an all-star cast OF irish COOKS.
The first performer stole the silver. The
second drank the brandy provided for the
rince meat and retired in fine disorder.
The third threw fatirons at the washer
woman The fourth broke sixteen pieces or
valuable china In one week. The fifth took
such an interest in the table talk that 1t
was fairly stimulating. and genially joined
in the conversation; but she left In high
dudgeon when told that followers must be
out of the house before II o'clock. Then
came Cinderella, disguised as Norah
O'Toole.
To saw that Norah was charming would
be speaking well within bounds Two years
ago she was the prettiest colleen in County
Kildare, and the two years had changed her
abode but not her face. Nancys mother
looked at the new maid askance and prophe-
sled that she was too pretty to be true
Nancys father, being a man OF dlscreton
said nothing about Norah's looks. Nancy
brother openly proclaimed the girl peach
and moved by an unselfish desire to make
others happy, brought susceptible college
chums home to dinner with him every night
AS for Nancy herself, she was torn between
hopeless envy and grudging ADMIRATION
every time she looked at the dark-lashed
gray eyes and the radiant complexion of
the belle of Kildare.
After Norah had been in the household a
week the nerves of the family smoothed
themselves out like a long cramped SCROLL
and the angel of peace brooded over the nat
The new maid could cook. She was cleanly
almost to the point of goodness. She
handled china as If she had been born with
a Sevres platter in one hand and Cauldon
salad bowl in the other. She was SO dis
tracing in her waitress apron ana cap
that paterfamilias forgot his skill in carving
and made havoc of the napery. She had
voice like birds, q delicious brogue, more
marked at emotional times than at Others
and the disposition of cherub: Converse
ton In the home circle ran IN only one
groove-praise of Norah.
This state of things was too bright, too
beautiful to last. The family were last
lapsng from orthodox grace Heaven lost
flesh 1t was not necessary for them to have
"a bliss to die with, dim deserted" Prob
ably IT was to save their immortal souls
that they were robbed of earthly bliss, but
Nancy was unwittingly the angel of de-
struction.
1t all came about. as so many things have
come about, through a womans tears. one
Sunday evening, Nancy was on her way to
her own room after making an evening al
ternately Elysian and Tartarean for love-
lorn young man. 1t is hard to forgive
man for coming when one expects another
man who does not come. A week before
Nancy had made the man who came often,
seriously angry. Since then he had not
come at all. AS she passed Norah's door
she saw something that made her stop sud
denly Norah the gay, Norah the debonair.
was sitting Imply on the edge of the bed
and forlornly hopping tear-stained race
with q wet wad of kerchief. Inc raster
she mopped. the faster poured the Hood.
Nancy Is democratic young woman, ana
she objects to seeing any girl cry II the
roodgates can be closed; so she tapped at
the door and stepped into the handbook
room Norah gave one gigantic sob,
strangled amidships. and sprang TO atteh-
Now, Just tell me all about 1t" she said
In a tone that would have wrung conh-
dences from an oyster.
Norah blushed. and supplemented the
kerchIef with her apron. as she SAID:
"Shure I'm that ashamed of mesilf. MISS.
It's nothin' at ALL at all. I'm that foolish,
sometimes, that / need good beatin, do
that"