Omaha daily bee., 1921-04-03
THE FAIRY PRINCE AND
AN UNWILLING
CINDERELLA.
BY LILLY WANDELL.

friend.
ITS the house party invitation
from Mrs. Tyndale, my future
mother-in-law. No backing out,
young man, want you to meet
Marie. She's wonderful besides.
you're down as best man and you
might as we'll get acquainted now
as later. And Marie has a little
sister. a peach. know your taste.
and you are going to fall for her"
Don't tempt mew yawned Her
man, but he did show interest with
an unsuppressible, Whats her
name?"
Marie, said--oh, her sister? Jes-
sica.'
At the end of the week they left,
Herman protesting and Webster.
the happy lover, predicting all kinds
of delightful recompenses. Herman
was obliged to admit that he was
- charmingly surprised by the lovely
flowerlike Marie, but when he was
introduced to the dark-eyed, red
Tipped Jessica and felt the smooth.
cool pressure of her slim fingers,
he wondered how Webster could be
satisfied with the pale beauty OF the
sister.
"And this is my cousin. Barbara
Page" Jessica was saying and he
was forced to tear his eyes away
from her TO politely meet the gray,
calm ones of demure little person
standing i'll back of the dazzling sis
ters.
81 am glad to know you" Bar
bara murmured in low voice Civ
ing him her hand. He felt the
roughness of her fingers and no.
tieed that her plain gray dress
seemed more for service than beau
ty. please excuse me. | have
few arrangements to see about. and
swiftly made her exit.
Barbara doesn't care much for
society life" excused Marie in
somewhat embarrassed voice.
At the delightful little dinner par
ty in the evening Herman looked
in vain for the little gray cousin.
When he accidentally came into the
pantry he found her with flushed
cheeks busily cutting sandwiches
and supervising the making OF a
golden punch.
"Why aren't you dancing with the
others?" he demanded almost stern
ly.
She shook smooth, brown head.
Too busy. Besides [ don't care
very much about dancing
She seemed so embarrassed that
he left, but not without a promise
that he could see her later. It's
miserable shame" he told him
self as he wandered back to the |
party" to make girl into drudge.
To think that Marie. that lovely |
Marie and Jessica-no it was almost
impossible to believe anything mean
OF Jessica, yet the proof was there.
very plain, in the position they !
placed Barbara"
He danced with Jessica because
he simply could not resist her. but
as soon as he could gather suiti-
cent moral strength, he tore HIM
self away and searched for Bar
bara. 1t was later than he had
imagined and she was not to be
found. Then from one OF the maids
he wrested the information that she |
had retired.
The next morning, quite early. he
met her before an immense linen
closet, distributing towels to two |
waiting maids. Very net and cap
abb. she looked in her fresh gray |
cotton frock. She gave him a calm
pleasant good morning. and would |
have gone on with her work had he
not been so persistent. No. she did !
not play tennis, nor ride. and she
had no time for a motor ride this
morning. This afternoon? Perhaps.
il nothing unforeseen occurred.
He walked away filled with tu-
muItuous. utterly disagreeable !
thoughts. Incensed with the injus-
time that was being done to Bar.
bara and thrilled with the idea OF
spending the entire morning with
Jessica. !
He was quite aware that he had
the choice of all the society buds.
that a score or more OF matrons
stood ready with eager, welcoming
mother arms. What if he disap-
pointed them all and played the
fairy prince and turned the little
gray girl into a Cinderella? 1t
would teach those two beautiful
Tyndale girls lesson they sorely
needed. He would make dazzling
queen of demure little Barbara.
He played tennis with Jessica all
morning. He played swift game
on purpose, serving her hard fast
- =, !,
man. He had seen many a girl
wilt at tennis match. but the warm
er Jessica grew the more her hair
curled fascinatingly at her temples,
and when he had her jumping from
one end of the court to the other
the last hair pin fell and two thick
ropes of glossy hair dropped almost
to her knees. II was then that Her
man gasped and missed "a ball. and
realized how adorable she was.
But after lunch he found Bar
bara. She was in a little sewing
room mending a lacy frock. He in-
uuired to whom it belonged and she
told him it was Jessica's. A rush
of anger filled him. Why doesn't
Jessica mend her own clothes! he
asked. She gave him surprised
look and went on calmly with her
-<~ng. II would not do this if |
did not wish TO-" she told him cold
ly.
Herman could not help but ad.
mire her. "She will not be pitied."
he thought, "she does not want me
to see how they treat her, but, my
Cinderella, l am going to be your
prince in spite of your pride
The Tyndales did not see the last
of Herman Lamont when the house
party ended. He was back inside
OF a week and though everybody
tLo,,;+ Il y,s Jessjca who attracted