Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-12-29
s6cu TINE.

haiti And once more her face was
bright. and she held her head high
Then suddenly she gave a startled
glance under the brim of her hat.
az the door Of great motor car open.
cd and a voice said: Won't you get
In here with met"
The woman who spoke was beauti.
full with the beauty of old age Under
her wide hat her hair was white. but
she held herself with grace and dig
nifty. oh" Marcia faltered. and the
lady said. quietly: Get In. my dear.
will explain later"
SO Marcia. followed by the eyes of
the crowd. stepped into the wonderful
car. which went slowly up the drive
way.
Then the beautiful lady turned to
her with sparkling eyes. Was your
grandmother Martha Witherspoon
she demanded.
"Why-yes-"
The beautiful lady clapped her hands
II knew 1t the minute I laid my eyes
on you," she said. "As you stood there
with your head held high In that
naughty little way. and with your blue
eyes and your red-gold hair-it was as
II my dear school friend had come
back to me-"
Grandmother IL the dearest thing"
Marcia said. land as pretty as ever"
II lost track OF her." the beautiful
lady told her. when l went abroad
years ago. and when I saw you /
| wasn't going to run the chance OF not
finding you again-so ! made you get
In. and made you lose your place In
the line"
"Oh, | don't mind that" said Marcia.
"T can 70 back to the end and wait"
Indeed. you won't" said the beau
uful lady. Il am going to take you
right along with me to the blue room
| am to stand behind the receiving
line. and you shall meet the president
and 20 on to the east room. and walt
from me there"
But am not dressed for that" Mar
cta demurred.
II am going to play fairy godmother,
and put my wrap on you. Your gloves
are all right, and your hat. and you
shall have nay violets. and presto!-
you will be a young lady OF fashion"
Marcia protested. but for Just one
moment the curtains of the closed car
were drawn. as the wrap was slipped
from the fairy goanothar's shou'derr
and transferred to Marcias more slen
Ter ones, and then the crowd, looking
on saw two exquisitely gowned women.
side by side, the ounger one blushing
beautifully over her bouquet Of vioiets
and valley lilies
The rest was q dream to little Mar
cia-the entrance into the brilliantly
lighted rooms. the music. the rustic of
silken gowns. the presentation to the
president. She drew a great breath Of
delight, as she settled herself finally
In corr of the east room
But u was more to follow. for In
few -nents the fairy godmother
sent the prince. He was the nephew
OF the beautiful lady and he was to
take care Of Marcia.
And he did take care of her, most
graciously, and he talked with her as
II she were princess instead Of a
very shabby little girl, with her shah
biness covered by a borrowed cloak
Aren't you warm?" he said to her
once. and Marcia said. hurriedly: "Oh.
no." But when he said again: Il think
you'd better let me take your wrap"
she laughed and confessed:
IT'S your aunt's cloak. and wish
you could see what a very shabby lit
tie suit | am wearing under It."
And the prince said the cloak wasn't
any prettier than the hat, and that
the hair under the hat was the pref
test Of all, and just then the beauti-
full lady came along and asked: Have
you made friends with my boy, Mar
cia?"
Il think he IL lovely" she said. and
blushed prettily.
She was carried on to dinner with
the beautiful lady, and the prince went
too. And when Marcia took on the
cloak he said he liked her in her sim
pie little suit only you must still
wear the violets. because they match
your eyes"
It was all very dear and delightful
but that night when Marcia went home
to her poor little apartment she told
herself that. of course, she must not
expect anything more. II was a New
Years fairy tale. and that was all.
But the beautiful lady came every
day and took Marcia out with her. and
often the prince was there. and at last.
one day, Marcia said: Dear beautiful
lady, you must not. you are spelling me
for everyday things"
But she did not say that the real rea-
SON for her protest was because Of the
prince. He was such q charming
prince, and she felt that for her own
peace OF mind she must not see too
much OF him.
And as Marcia withdrew more and
more, the prince one day demanded OF
the fairy godmother: where's our
Cinderellaf"
She insists" the old lady smiled.
ION sitting In the ashes. She says we
are too fne for her with our pumpkin
coaches and our palaces"
"Humph," said the prince. Il guess