Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-26
CHAPTER XXI.

tentous night, full or heat anu shehee
and mysterious darkness. A nameiess
disaster seemed brooding In the air
Even Paulette, in the midst OF all mel
happiness, felt 1t, as she looked IRON
her window out into the GROUNDS
where colored lamps flashed in every
tree and thicket
something is impending" she said 70
herself lightly. II feel 1t In my
bones-either an earthquake, or one ol
Hilda's teapot tempests, which guardy
fears a great deal more. Let 1t not be
tempest. Hilda-'
She had chosen the dress OF Cinder-
ella at the eball-embroidered train, and
bodice laced with silver, and the IA
nous slipper Of matchless mold. Her
lustrous hair was bound In a long,
fragrant fetter of eglantine. A white
satin mask covered her lovely, piquanr
face.
Through a blaze Of light, she went
down the great staircase. Above and
below. the wide, airy halls were lined
with plants, through whose bloom and
greenery masks of elves and dryada
peeped grotesquely out.
The rooms were thronged with guests
ogling, quizzing, laughing at each oth-
er in their fanciful DISCUSSES. Here was
Hilda Burr, in an abbess's dress OF
black velvet, with a cornelian rosary at
her girtile-Paulette's bright eyes were
quick to recognize her arch-enemy.
There, In a corner, stood the general,
disguised as Bluebeard. She knew him
by his lion front, and lordly Guilte air.
There was Marie Antoinette, sweeping
past on the arm Of Charles L; Lucy
Lammermoore, making eyes at hood
ed Carmelite through the bars OF her
fan; Pizarro, flirting in another corner
with a Swiss peasant girl. Sea-nymphs
and monks, angels, gipsies, kings. court
beauties and brigands mingled together
in delightful confusion.
Cinderella glided into the midst OF
this jovial company and looked around
for her prince. He was not visible to
the naked eye, and, as the crowd began
to thickeil, she was fain to retreat into
the nearest window, to watch for his
coming at her leisure. There she was
standing, surveying the fete in great
delight, and saying to herself, "Ah, 1t is
all like a play at the old Museum!
when she heard behind her q distract
ing futter, and in from the piazza flap
ped an enormous black bat, his uncan-
ny wings tanning over and all about
her as he passed.
Where is the prince, godchild?" ?"
asked the bat.
II don't recognize the relationship"
answered Paulette, smartly.
Very unlsind of you," said the bat;
81 am your godmother. lay my spell
upon you. When the clock strikes IL,
you shall see it work! Till then, adieu,
my beauty Of the cinders."
He tapped off to Hilda's piano in the
corner, and began to strike out from
its keys the maddest, merriest music
that ever set feet to waltzing. At the
same moment a cowled Dominican
came pushing his way in from the hall,
and, dropping his. white woolen cloak
and hood Of black, before Cinderella, To-!
out stepped the prince, curled and
scented, and gorgeous in velvet doublet
and diamonds.
Let us dance" said he; and off they
swung to a gay redowa which the bat
was playing from his roost in the cor
ner.
Who is our winged friend?" asked
Cinderella, as they fioated to the mad,
merry music, his arm around her, his
dark, tender eyes shining upon her
through his mask.
Il haven't an idea," he answered.
There's but one disguise here that in
terests me in the least, and that is
yours"
Il seem to have put it on very bad
Iy," she pouted, "since you and the bat
recognize me at a glance"
He regarded her with a mock earnest
air.
Let us consider. You have not con-
cealed your matchless hair, nor this
marvel of a throat and arm, nor yet q
certain wild grace which exhales from
you, like perfume from a flower
Therefore. / do pronounce you fail
ure."
Directly the bat himself came flap
ping into the dance.
When the clock strikes 12!" whis-
pered he to her.
We shall unmask for supper" added
Cinderella, lightly.
She whirled with the prince ill her
bright head began to swim, and then
Bluebeard of the lion front appeared
and, snatching her from his arms, car
ried her off into a sober quadrille.
THE next time all these fine people
gather here" said he, 1T will be at q
wedding"
Hotter and closer the night seemed to
grow. Into the shadow of a curtain
Cinderella slipped, at last, to cool her
throat with an ice which the prince
brought her.
Come out on the lawn-it Is sitting
here" he said; and they stepped forth
into the hot, dark, odorous night to-
gether.
The colored lamps burned like globes
OF prismatic fires. among the trees
F1refiies flashed through the dense
shrubbery. The sound Of Strauss
waltzes followed them, mellow and
sweet, from the rooms behind. At the
foot of the lawn, in a round, open pavil-
ion, with a red light swinging from its
top. they sat down together
She sat down to recount the old, old
Story-old and sweet as the heaven
above them. The lamp overhead flung
"a ruddy glow along the sleepy tangles
of nower-vines which made a frame
around them; it glistened on their
brave attire, on the handsome face OF
the man. on the handsome face Of the
girl, as they unmasked and looked with
laughing eyes at each other.
Surely" said Cinderella, "all this
ought to put Hilda in good humor fol