cting wonder, suspense, and
wild impatience to know "what was going to happen."

At last, after much rustling, hammering, and very audible directions
from the stage manager, the curtain rose to soft music, and Bess was
discovered sitting on a stool beside a brown paper fire-place. A dearer
little Cinderella was never seen; for the gray gown was very ragged, the
tiny shoes all worn, the face so pretty under the bright hair, and the
attitude so dejected, it brought tears, as well as smiles, to the fond
eyes looking at the baby actress. She sat quite still, till a voice
whispered, "Now!" then she sighed a funny little sigh, and said, "Oh
I wish I tood go to the ball!" so naturally, that her father clapped
frantically, and her mother called out, "Little darling!" These highly
improper expressions of feeling caused Cinderella to forget herself, and
shake her head at them, saying, reprovingly, "You mustn't 'peak to me."

Silence instantly prevailed, and three taps were heard on the wall.
Cinderella looked alarmed, but before she could remember to say, "What
is dat?" the back of the brown paper fire-place opened like a door, and,
with some difficulty, the fairy godmother got herself and her pointed
hat through. It was Nan, in a red cloak, a cap, and a wand, which she
waved as she said decidedly,

"You shall go to the ball, my dear."

"Now you must pull and show my pretty dress," returned Cinderella,
tugging at her brown gown.

"No, no; you must say, 'How can I go in my rags?'" said the godmother in
her own voice.

"Oh yes, so I mus';" and the Princess said it, quite undisturbed by her
forgetfulness.

"I change your rags into a splendid dress, because you are good," said
the godmother in her stage tones; and deliberately unbuttoning the brown
pinafore, she displayed a gorgeous sight.

The little Princess really was pretty enough to turn the heads of any
number of small princes, for her mamma had dressed her like a tiny court
lady, in a rosy silk train with satin under-skirt, and bits of bouquets
here and there, quite lovely to behold. The godmother put a crown, with
pink and white feathers drooping from it, on her head, and gave her
a pair of silver paper slippers, which she put on, and then stood up,
lifting her skirts to show them to the audience, saying, with pride, "My
dlass ones, ain't they pitty?"

She was so charmed with them, that she was with difficulty recalled to
her part, and made to say,

"But I have n