The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-03-02
A FRIEND or CINDERELLA
BY ELSIE VERNON

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The new girl gave her name as
Honora Harding. Some of the pupils
looked at her sweet, sensible face ap-
proyingly, and thought they would
like to be friends with her. But most
of the girls of No. ~ were ruled by a
rather spoiled and over-dressed girl,
Lucille Blake.
"We can't take her up" Lucille
said, loftily, when they talked it over
at the noon recess; "she looks so CON-
mon, and her clothes are dreadful.
If we make friends with every nobody
that comes into the school, our set
will be spoiled"
Nora walked home that night with
her pretty head held high. Not a
girl in the school had spoken to her.
I'm glad," she said vehemently to
herself, that we must stay in that
little cottage for while, and I'm glad
that the trunks didn't come, and |
had to wear this shabby old sailor
suit to school the first day. Now, l
shall see just what those silly, stuck
up girls really think of me. If had
gone as Miss Harding from Oak
Place, they would have been friendly
enough"
Then chidingly she went on "TIon-
ora Harding, you are actually calling
them names because they didn't like
Jou. Are you quite sure that you
would always recognize a lady, even
II appearances were against her? Oh,
do hope so! l should hate being
such snob that I could not"
Nora soon reached the house on
a back street where the Harding fam
lily were, as they called it, camping
out until the big house was ready for
them.
THE trunks came to-day, Nora"
said mother, cheerily. You can have
another dress for school tomorrow.
That old thing is really too shabby to
wear again"
"If you don't mind, mother, I think
will wear 1t few days more" said
Nora.
"Oh, very well!" said mother, with
a twinkle in her eyes. She could
make guess at the reason.
The next morning Nora went
straight to her seat when she entered
the schoolroom. She had received no
encouragement to join the group of
girls at the reading-table. She opened
the unfamiliar books to look for the
lessons.
Il wonder If I could explain a bit
about the history" said a gentle
voice close beside her.
Nora looked up to see a girl whose
dress was even more shabby than her
own despised sailor suit. But the
girl was smiling in shy yet friendly
way, and Nora smiled back.
II noticed that you seemed con-
Iused over our topics yesterday, and
/ thought might tell you how we use
them. ] am Barbara Franklin"
sit down with me, Barbara. It's
lovely Of you to help me, and it's
twice lovely of you to come to speak
to me. I thought I wasn't going to
have a friend in the school,"
They bent over the history lesson,
and when the bell rang Nora looked
at Barbara, and said, II believe we're
going to be the best kind OF friends"
oh, I do hope SOL" said Barbara,
20 fervently that they both laughed.
And they were. They spent the
hrst day getting acquainted, and
after that, as they said, they "just
fitted each other"
II must tell you," said Barbara.
conscientiously, that my mother is a
dressmaker."
MY mother used to be a music
keacher," said Nora, with a queer lit
tie smile.
Il suppose that's a bit more ele-
CANT" said Barbara. II thought l
ought to tell you. because some of the
girls think 1t will not do to associate
with working people"
Dear mel" said Nora, ''Ill never
do. then, for all of our family are
working people, and there are eight
of us. Father earns our living, and
mother says she earns several livings
looking after the rest of us. I'm
afraid we are quite hopeless. weIl
just have to hold together. Barbara. /"
And Barbara agreed to that.