Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-02-17
RELUCTANT CINDERELLA
BY JOHN GREGORY.

uOW luutH " WOulu mean W TIE Olhcho
to have you settled with your Aunt
Adeline! How you can dare ~ look a
gift horse In the face"
Ella Lou gave big, explosive sigh
and went back to the supper dishes.
Nancy and Dot were at their lessons
In the sitting room. and the boys
we're getting In wood AMI kindling out
doors. She glanced out of the door to
call for pail of fresh water. Up and
down the street stood rows Of white
mill houses, all just alike. Below the
railroad tracks was the great cotton
mill itself, covering acres Of ground
In the heart Of the little New England
village. dominating the whole land
scape.
Ella Lou was used to II all. She had
been born In the village, had worked
In the mill awhile like most of the
young girls, and had graduated into
the Office now, at eight dollars week.
It wasn't much, but, with what the
boys managed to pick up at odd Jobs
after school, 1t kept them going. And
they were so contented all together
before Aunt Adeline's letter had come.
She had never seen her mother so
reused over anything. Yet II was just
an offer to take Ella Lou for the win
ter, dress her and give her chance to
do better than she could at Millvale.
All at once there came the sound of
an automobile up the hill from the
e.Ur int hn
mill house road and stopped before the
Gilman gate. Nancy ran to open the
door, and stood wide-eyed at the appa
rition there. 1t could only be Aunt
Adellne.
swell, so here you all are!" she
cried. "Sue, bless you, I'm glad to be
here" She bent tenderly over the in
valid In the rocker.
Ella Louis brown eyes opened as
widely as Nancy's. This was not the
Aunt Adelne she had always ina
gined. the social leader at the state
capital, the one rich member of the
family.
81 thought I'd better come myself"
Mrs. Chalmers said. ut was long
time since ! had seen you, Sue, not
since l left for Europe after Nancy
was born. and you have no idea how
lonely its is for me in the big house
now that Bob has gone. Somehow. as
the years drift over us, we get a per-
spective on things, and begin to miss
what is dearest and most precious.
I'm missing companlonshlp and love
Of those who really belong to me-"
Ella Lou went through curious
week. Before she had been with them
a day. Aunt Adelne had won over the
! family. But Ella Lou held aloOf. At
night when her mother told her what
q lucky girl she was. and planned her
winter ahead. she said little. but there
was sparkle of rebellion in her eyes.
II was all very we'll for them to dis
pose of her like that. but she'd never
leave the family. Why hadn't Aunt
Adeline shown this sudden change of
heart years ago?
Then. too there was Ted. He
worked In the mill. too. Ted with his
hopes for their future. and his steudy
eighteen dollars week that must ex-
pand into so much more before they
could think of marrying.
Ted and she We're talking all this
over. walking slowly up the hill after
the mill closed one evening when
she reached the house after Them,
Ella LOUIS mind was made ny, She
went straight into the little side he'd
room which she had given up for her
aunt's use. and closed the door behind
her. her cheeks flushed. her eyes brii-
full of resolution.
"Aunt Adeline. on. want to talk
plainly to you so much"
well. 90 ahead. child" Mrs. Chal.
mers exclaimed heartily. We'll have
many II little confidence This winter
and wsnt you IN come 10 me freely
But that's it," Elm Lou returned
eagerly. Il don't want Ia go. | cam
go. Can't you See that It wOuldn''
h. fair? Mother. needs me here In d
thousand ways. Dots only nine ant
Nancys thirteen and unreliable yet.
wouldn't be bit happy away from
. them ALL"
~But, Ella Louise. it's your one biz
chance"
4 II don't care. i want them to hav,
nice things. too. You see. Aunt AIDE
line, all that doesn't mean as mucf
10 ms-pretty clothes and ndinl
around in the car with you. and tina
sort Of thing.
Tim engaged, and we've been try
ing to plan how we could be mar
ried. don't you know. after we hat
; both done all we could for our fam
lilies. II you really and truly want Il
. help
Mrs. Chalmers smile was reassur
ing. Il seemed as II her eyes wer'
just a bit misty with tears as SIN
looked ut ELLA Louis young. anxiou
face.
sWhv can't Won take mother homi