Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-05-13
fiction
Cinderella.
BY EUGENE ULRIcH.

She smiled a little deprecatingly
There were times when somehow sh,
wished Hetherington did not find hel
90 Jolly and chummy, though thes'
times had nothing to do with the brier
wood pipe. The comfortable house was
hers in effect and she, the friendless
and kinless kindergarten, must Of
course have felt 1t good fortune to be
saved the lot of the boarding house
and given the companionship Of pleas
ant and we'll set up people. All the
other young women she knew told her
over and over again and reminded her
chat she ought to be grateful for her
mercles.
1t is true that If Mrs. Hetheringtons
oldest daughter had not married and
gone to live in a distant city and her
youngest had not died she perhaps
would not have felt the need Of a girl
1sh presence in the house enough to
take in Winifred.
Winifred watched Hugh Hethering-
ton lift his fine length and move across
Ghe room after light for his pipe. AS
the match fare fickered on his clean
features she thought, as any woman
must have, what a handsome fellow he
was. But Winnie thought also that if
her own mouth had not been so big
her tendency to freckle so hopeless
and the tint Of her hair so uncOmpro-
misingly red Mrs. HetheringtOn might
not have liked her quite so well. More
over she looked bit older than
Hugh, too though she had carefully
figured out that she in fact was a
year younger.
But then Hugh's childhood had
passed in the flush Of pleasure and the
sunshine Of affection-and hers? She
was too humble to be sorry for herself
and too wise not to see in the worst
that had ever happened her the posi-
bilities of still worse and thus be
thankful for the providence that had
kept her in its hand
But yet this evening she thought
more sharply than usual of another
girls symmetry her gowns, her ac-
complishments, her opportunities, all
the things that are dear to the heart
of woman. And why not? Venus her
self was not irresistible until she put
on the right girdle. Hugh had asked
her to help in comparing some lists,
and she knew very well that every
minute of help she gave him this even
ing was an extra minute for the other
girl.
She bent her head over the papers
before her, for the things she was
thinking must steal into her face in
spite of herself
"Are you very tiredY' said Hether-
ington kindly, but yet altogether i'm
personally. She raised her head and
smiled. What was the use? If it were
not this misery it would be something
else for a waif such as she. "Oh, not
at ALL" she said.
81 do not believe there is another
girl who would be as patient as you
are with all my tiresome stuff and
with me too. Even mothers endurance
gives out once in awhile, and she
scolds about my den. If it weren't for
4 4
If you're really not tired l want to 90
over these lists with you now, and
then I'm off for the Kendrick recep-
ton. Gertrude Stevenson will be
there" he said, a happy little smile
playing about his lips. Seems to me
she is getting more beautiful every
day. Don't you think SOP"
Hetherington did not even look at
her for his answer He was indeed in
sisting on being even chummier than
usual this evening, and Winifred bent
her head close over the papers once
more
"Of course" Hetherington went on,
Gertrude is popular very. Sillington
has a mint Of money, too, but l don't
think she's the kind of girl who would
stOop to anything like that"
Winifred had to listen to that and
much more in snatches and mono
logues, and she was glad when at last
Hetherington left. There are times
when it is singularly harder to be
'chummy" than at others.
The next morning Hetherington had
gone when she came to breakfast,
something most unusual for him. In
the evening he did not ask her help
He talked very little, and Mrs. Hether'
ington later said to her husband, "Can
1t be that Hugh is not well?"
Her husband looked up RETROSPECT
lively over his glasses.
Maybe he's in love. Maybe he has
proposed to some girl and she's turned
him down. Every young fellow has TO
have lesson or two. 1t won't hurt
him, l suppose"
"Oh, how can you talk so? ! am sure
Hugh would not propose to a girl with
out talking to me about 1t first"
Whereupon Mr.. Hetherington, ST.,
smiled behind his paper and went on
reading. A long and comparatively
serene matrimonial voyage had taught
him that arguments only I'LL the sails
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