A Modern Cinderella

t was better. The ladies wanted to go out to match some trimming and

if you are good Jack, I'll bring you home that new t

joyed the noise. Au

little better order," said the fretful voice. "

e child, "I'll try my best.

l at the babies who made

aid you'll

can't let a 190 fellow have

h all his angry might. It struck against h

Come, you can't play p

his foot. Pansy ra

e clumsy skunk! Yo

up, Illa. Did ba

er. Her face was ghastly,

ll rang. Jack r

ridget, Maril

n a body out of her wits! Yo

ick!" Jack b

"Oh, Holy Mother of God! Get up, children. M

limp figure

hing but that old body with one foot in the grave. Jack run in next door a

d body was lying in the reclining ch

ppened to me, I can't stir. My legs are heavy

I'll get the doctor," and down Br

me and talk to that thing in the wall a

" Mrs. Seymour wen

then to Miss Armita

would com

er. She was just going out

h to the 192 nursery. The childre

dren, you've ha

ften? She seems s

g. That Miss Armitage took her to her house an' took care of her. She's a good woman, that she is. An' it's just my belief that Marilla isn't str

too heavy for

a bad fall. She's a fair dealin' woman or I wouldn't have staid with her all these years. But Marilla isn't strong enough for the

atives. Now Marilla gave a long shuddering

g lashes she has! A

she was dead! Poor darlint! 'Rilla dear-its B

her pulse, and listened to the faint heart beats. "Give her a lit

legs one bit. She's rale poorly, now I tell you, an' th

lightly up the stairs to meet

here all alone! Where's M

aint. She's worn out. And you

em two young ones. And I'd pay her well, too. She's so nice and good tempered with he

r on the old lounge. The babies started to climb up over her at once, and howled fearfully when Bridget pulled them dow

t those children up in some dungeon? They've voices li

g up suddenly then falli

hrow away on make believes. See here, babies," and he disgorge

Mrs. Bord

gh when she went out. You see there's some weddin' fixings goin' on, and sure Mis

nd useless and I think it is creeping up her left side. She'll be another baby added to the family, unless she will

r. Miss Armitage won't you sta

ed her willingness an

e fairly gorgi

his for the child, to be given every half

d grown quite thin again, but it 196 seemed to hold

of her strength. Then with the two children to look after-well a little nurse girl has rather hard lines-they seldom have more than one, or if they do the others are older. My two boys are in boarding sch

to playing with their blocks. Miss Armitage gave her patie

all door with-"the merciful saints preserve us! H

od was streaming from his n

the bad boy, with a

it. "Whist!" she exclaimed, "there's two sick folks

what has

e, an' Marilla had a bad faint ag

o the hall chair and be

up to the bath ro

o talk through that funnel, and then Miss

ouse without something happening," sobbe

Mrs. Borden by the arm, and they ascended

er dress. Jack sat on the

me, your father will soon be home and I don

t I ain't going to be called a s

won't listen

is shins good, and then we fit and I give him a

er word. Let me get you washed

wrap and hat and went through to the nursery. The peppermint must have been a sedative to nerves and stomach

een doing? She was well en

she held a gentle squeeze an

ss you that day you called, Miss Armitage. Oh dear, how you mus

't tell the absolu

ing, if one may call it that. She protested against people slouching round without animation enough to lift their fee

ellow in spite of a lump on his forehead. He had run out of

aid his father, ho

eded through 200 the night. The dinner bell rang and Miss Borden insiste

st; otherwise I would accept. I can stay half an hour longer. Then if y

ly hope Marilla won't have a bad time as she d

shivery thought of wondering if the ball he had thrown at Marilla had really hurt h

disinclined to talk and only wanted a cup of tea. Mr. Borden looked at Marilla who

ght," he said, but his voice

gh he had knocked down his adversary and would have stamped on him

-and the boy wi

begun

s and then we went at it. Papa, you may strap me if you want to, but if I hadn't fit the boys would have made fun of me and called me sissy, and we went at it like fury. He made my nose bleed,

" asked Aunt Florence, "When they neve

es runs through boyhood. Jack, I want you to stand u

asty names, and he said

it boldly. I think you didn't get the worst of it, but I guess it's good yo

ut Marilla. He was tired and drowsy. But Aunt Flo

other look at Marilla whose p

e it is?" asked Mrs

gets through the next two or three years safely all may go well with her. But

But she was with Miss Armitage all through that awful time we had with the children teething, and the babies are good. I resol

orked well, but I think you

for them," laughing. "Though think how poor children

tell, but she's pretty well worn out with the years, an

ill talk t

any one fo

as that?" and Mrs.

rse for a week or so; by that ti

fortable, but she did n

ld have waited until Christmas," Mrs. Borden said with tears in her eyes. "I meant

n't worry to

me in and heard

ou will feel relieved. And perhaps it would be a good

o without a

r two may res

er soft wrapper planning about the child she felt she must rescue. Oh, she did want her. She did not try to give any reason for the love that had stolen almost unaware in her heart, or the 205 faith that this c

d come to the freedom of a bound-out girl, too old to begin another life, settled in a rut-if she lived. Was she not one of the

ok to her in an astonishing manner. She was attractive

y and thought she could not last long. That evening she said to the

ially, hoping for better things

d care for me the rest of my life. I've lived with Carry, paid her good board, too, so I knew what that would be. I couldn't live quite alone, you see-I always wanted some one round that I could see if I wanted to. Old

ort of hope that she wasn't g

ar. Carry worried so at me that I went away with her and felt none the better for it. I'd r

can't take any of it with me, and I'd like to know it will make few people pleased and happy. I'm going to make you executor, so get some one else to write out the will. I fixed it to my liking tod

ur satisfaction. The babies and Jack

hat there's been much. Jack's a smart, funny little fellow. You know they'r

ood-night and went down stairs t

t did the babies an immense deal of good after they got over their awful time. And they're so nice and well now, and are growing better looking all the time. If Marilla only could make their hair curl! It's so stringy, and we

she bee

nge, but the babies would crawl over her. It does seem as if we must have someone else-an older p

for a week or so," said Aunt F

wn bed, 209 where Bridget had croon

death of you, poor lamb! They drag on you s

ey're s

th their hundred and fift

he children. Miss Armitage came over every day to inquire about both invalids. Mrs

Holmes, "I wouldn't give her more than a month at the longest. I've

mstress proved a treasure. Garme

in November," said Mrs. Borden, "th

to get along at all. If she's going to develop some heart trouble she will just be good for nothing. Of course, when I took her she seemed healthy enough, and it was the best thing to do then. John has had s

ace for her. Why, she would make a nice little wa

give her up. She trains the children so nicely. And have you noticed

t day, but Marilla made no reference to it. Still she might tell Bridget,

eady for bed-"I didn't mean to hurt you that day with t

ething stopping my breath like, now

you again, nor pinch you, nor be ugly to you. You're so sweet,