Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1905 — A CINDERELLA [ARTICLE]

A CINDERELLA

Lucia Caldwell bad often seen Admired Mr. Laurence’s portrait and bad heard so much in his praise from Cousin Dick that she had quite expected to 'fall in love with him. They met first at Mrs. Pickerings dinner, and she was led in to table by him. Unfortunately during the progress of the meal she had arched her Instep in such a way as to lose her dainty little slipper. She tried in rain to recover it with the aid of the toes of the semidenuded foot, but had succeeded only in pushing it so far away as to lose it She left the table without the slipper, and the result had been that Mr. Laurence had found himself bored In the company of a young woman who had fidgeted and appeared Intensely preoccupied. It was several months later when they met as members of a yachting party to the Bermudas that they came together again. And now a Mr. Arthur Stephenson was Lucia’s Inseparable gallant. At last Laurence understood why Lucia was admired. He could not be on board ship many days without seeing that she was not only beautiful, but very charming and interesting os well. The only thing that puzzled him was her lack of wit and sparkle the night he first met her. She was so very ordinary then, except for her beauty, of course!

Now it was all so different, and he would give a good deal to feel sure of her favor and friendship, but she seemed to repel all advances. She was the life of the party. She played the guitar and sang Spanish love songs on deck moonlight nights. She arranged Impromptu dramatics in the saloon when the weather was not suitable for sitting upstairs. She knew all sorts of games, was the most graceful partner in (lancing and the best sailor he ever knew, and she grew more beautiful each day. The mutinous feeling against Arthur Stephenson grew. They were only three days out from Bermuda, and they decided to sail for Nassau. Happy opportunity! Now he would succeed! But she was always surrounded. One night the skipper came up and said a few hurried words to Mr, Jackson, the owner. No one noticed it until r the yacht seemed to go slower and slower. Then a shock came, and it was known that she had struck a bar. Fortunately Cape Fear had been passed. Then something went wrong with the engines, and the skipper had steered for some near port, but had gone aground. There was nothing to fear. The sea was calm, and plenty of ships passed near every day. But two days had gone by, and they had seen no vessel. The clouds were growing 1 black. A storm was near. It broke in fury at midnight, and those on board the yacht could only watch and wait and hope. The waves dashed over the deck and beat heavily against the sides. Then some way they saw the yacht had been driven off the bar, and they were drifting helplessly out to sea. It was a fearful night, and it seemed gs if morning would never come—that every moment the yacht would be wrecked—when a shock came, and they know they were either driven upon some reef or had collided with an ocean ship. Mr. Laurence went swiftly to Lucia and took her by the arm, saying: “Come with me. The boat is filling with water.” The confusion was horrible. The sailors were shouting, running to and fro. The women were pale and weeping. Lucia alone was calm. Mr. Laurence half carried her to the deck, and in the darkness they saw a great ship, the one that had run them down. But, oh, Joy, it had stopped and even in the fury of the storm was sending boats to rescue those on board the yacht! It was none too soon, and it was a perilous Journey in the lifeboats, but in spite of wind and wave all were saved and taken on board the ship, which proved to be a steamer from Jacksonville to New York. The rest of the Journey it was no longer Mr. Stephenson who was always at Lucia’s side, but Mr. Laurence. The last night before home was reached Lucia was standing by the side of the vessel when Mr. Laurence came toward her.

Her color rose, and she only asked: “Are you sorry the journey Is over?" He was struck by her new expression. Her eyes had a dreamy look, and there was a touch of sadness In her face. The moonlight was shining upon them. Then suddenly a cloud veiled the light, and he bent near, looking down at her tenderly. “It has been the happiest and the most wretched month of my Ilf eyas Indeed has the whole year since I met yon,” he whispered. Her head drooped a little. “Look at me, Lucia. I love yon. Look at me. If I could hope—do not treat me so proudly. I have loved you from the first” Bat her light laugh rang out “No, no! Do not perjure yourself!” “But I did! I do!” be cried, Impetuously taking her In his arms. “Oh, do not speak of that first night! It was dreadful! I lost my slipper and was so stupid!” she exclaimed a little later. “What?" be asked in astonishtoent And then the story was all told, and he calls her his Cinderella and keeps tbs slipper safe in a little glass case in his smoking room.—New York Journal.