The Winslow mail., 1919-06-27
IIIIIUlIIIIIIIIIIIjIIIIIIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIl
KHAKI CINDERELLA
BY RUTH w. BAKER.

Ight, 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)

he was, without doubt, very lone
some and very homesick young sol
der; but why, he asked himself, had
he stepped forward so eagerly when
the captain had read the carefully
worded invitation to dinner "for the
lonesomest and most homesick soldier
boy in your camp?'" Already he felt
depressed and irritable at the thought
of dining with strangers. The party
would probably consist of giggling
girls, he told himself bitterly. How
ever, here he was, and evidently near
ing his destination.
'Will you let me off at Van Dyke
street, please?" he said to the con-
ductor
"Get off at Arbuckle. Van Dykes
at the top of the hill," replied the con-
ductor.
"Top of the hill," thought the boy.
Good heavens, and it is beginning to
snow. too! Back to camp for me be-
fore it is too late!"
"Arbuckle! Arbuckle!" roared the
conductor, and Stanley G., like a
beaten animal skunk from the warm
car into the driving snow.
''Ah, my boy" called cordial voice,
II was afraid you weren't coming"
and to Stanley's amazement, luxur-
1ous Limousine rolled to his side, the
door snapped open, and he found his
hand being vigorously shaken by
very portly and very likable gentle.
man. "Drive like mad, James," called
the gentleman, cor that roast won't
be fit to eat"
"Glory be-" wondered Stanley, "am
Cinderella?"
He became firmly convinced that his
fairy godmother had at last remem-
bered his existence, for all through the
wonderful evening that followed gifts
from Paradise seemed to be shower
ing upon him. The dinner was not to
be passed by lightly, but he was never
quite sure what he'd eaten, for di-
rectly opposite him a vision in pink
dimpled and smiled, and he caught
feeting glimpses of wonderful dark
eyes, eyes which he had never be-
lieved existed outside of books.
After dinner the vision, Miss Mar
Jorie by name, played wonderful,
dreamy music. Stanley was quite sure
that he saw the pOrtly gentleman kiss
his slim little wife when Marjorie
played an old love song. He had
very pleasant feeling of belonging in
this happy, intimate little family cir
Gle, and wonderful visions unfolded
themselves before him. The voice of
his host recalled him from the build
ing of his air castles.
"Our boy is in France, you know"
the older man was saying, "and we
would like to think that over there an
other family is taking a lonely lad into
their home tonight"
II hope so, SIR" replied Stanley,
earnestly, "and assure you that my
own mother and father will thank you
from the bottom of their hearts for
your kind hospitality to me. had a
pretty fine case of the blues this after
noon," he laughed. 1t was easy to
laugh when the most beautiful girl in
the world was smiling at one in such
friendly fashion.
All too soon the clock struck 10 and
Stanley rose to depart. "At least Gin
derella had until midnight" thought
the boy, enviously. But it was time
for him to say good night to the. kind
people who had taken him, a stranger,
into their home and treated him like
son and brother. Brother? Well,
not If he knew it!
He could hardly be blamed if, when
he said good night to Marjorie, he
held her hand bit more closely and
q bit longer than convention de-
manded.
81 do hope that you will come
again." said the girl, shyly, and STAN
ley, drawing long breath, exclaimed: !:
''You just bet will, and beginning to-
night my fairy godmother has place
in my prayers"
Marjorie looked slightly puzzled, but
the arrival Of the motor prevented fur
ther conversation. AS she turned
away from the door, dark object ~
It was a glove, a mans glove, and she
picked it up. 81 will send it to him
tomorrow" she thought, calmly; then
tossed it upon the table and ran up
stairs, furious to find that her cheeks
were burning and her heart humping
strangely.
The mornings mail brought the fol-
lowing letter:
"My Dear Fairy Princess -Cinderell
(is that the masculine form of Gin
derella?) has lost his glove. His fairy
godmother informs him that it may be
found at the palace of certain prin-
cess. Reversing the old tradition may
Cinderell come in search of his lost
hand-not foot-covering?"
1t ir almost needless to add that the
answer of the Princess Marjorie was
"yes," to the letter, and also to the
question that not long after was asked
In tha fragrant 1tmnaSS NJ tho rcn.