last they had to give it up. Then Cinderella came forward, and modestly inquired if she might be permitted to try on the slipper. Her sisters received her request with a shout of laughter; but the herald looked gravely at her sweet face, and

said his orders were to let any one who liked try on the slipper; so he made Cinderella sit down, while the sisters looked on with an ugly sneer. In a moment it was slipped on! The

little shoe sat on Cinderella's little foot as if it were a skin of glass; and the sisters looked on speechless with amazement. But how much was their wonder increased when Cinderella quietly declared that she had been at the ball, and had danced with the Prince. They looked contemptuously at each other, as if to say, "However could such a kitchenmaid have been let in ?" But Cinderella looked so calm and self-possessed, that they began to think there must be some mystery; and the thought was changed to certainty when she

quietly put her hand in her pocket, and drew forth the other slipper, which she had carried about with her ever since the famous night of the ball!

Now, at last, the sisters began to see in Cinderella's face some resemblance to the beautiful and condescending lady whose notice they were so proud and happy to attract at the ball; but their wonder was not to end here: the fairy godmother entered the room unperceived, touched Cinderella with her wand, and the humble maiden was transformed into the beautiful Princess in the gorgeous dress, who had excited so much admiration and envy at the state ball.

It was now quite plain that Cinderella was, by some mysterious agency, the beautiful Princess whom the Prince had fallen in love with at the ball; and the herald returned joyfully to the palace to announce his success to the Prince.

You may well imagine the sudden revulsion of feeling which took place in the breasts of the hitherto proud and arrogant sisters. Amazement, which for a few moments held their senses in suspense, gave way to remorse, humiliation, and unavailing regret. To say that they truly repented of their past conduct at that eventful moment, would be to endow their stubborn and haughty natures with a redeeming virtue they did not possess their vanity had received a blow, and their arrogance a rebuke, which completely humiliated them; and they were about to retire from their injured step-sister's presence, covered with a confusion which effectually checked the bitterness of their tongues, and which showed that they were really ashamed of themselves.

But Cinderella looked at them with such bright goodhumour in her face, that for very shame they were obliged to turn back and offer their congratulations with good grace; for nothing could be more forced than the

well-turned but hollow excuses and compliments they would fain have uttered; but Cinderella detained them, and told them to forget the past as readily and willingly as she would; she also assured them that prosperity would never make her forget the ties of relationship which bound them together, and begged of them to command any interest she might possess at the Court which was very kind of her, considering that the two sisters had in their days of prosperity used their interest with their mother chiefly to get Cinderella worse treated than ever, and to exact heavier work from her than their mother, if left alone, would have given her to do. But gentle Cinderella nobly used her newly acquired influence

in furthering their future welfare and happiness. This last unhoped-for and noble act made the first and deepest impression their wordly natures had ever received, and for once in their lives a grateful and sincere tear dimmed their eyes.

A royal escort soon arrived to conduct Cinderella to the palace, and great was the joy of the Prince to behold her

again. To him Cinderella appeared more beauteous than ever. That no chance should again separate them, he at once offered her his hand in marriage, with the prospect of being Queen when he should succeed to the throne; which, judging from the very advanced age and failing health of the old King, promised to be at no very distant date.

Cinderella consented to become his wife; and their marriage was celebrated with a degree of regal pomp and splendour that furnished the chroniclers of the period with ample materials to fill the page of history. It is worthy of mention that a dowry proportioned to her station was presented her on the day of her marriage by her kind godmother; and that nothing might be found wanting upon the happy occasion, the wedding bells were rung by royal command in all the churches throughout the country, and all the ringers had a groat apiece and a good supper given to them for their trouble; and the children in the villages had a holiday, which they enjoyed very much, and a dinner, which they enjoyed still more; and for the wedding itself,

renowned Gunn-Turr, of whom we have before made honourable mention in this history, was commissioned to provide a mammoth wedding-cake; whilst his no less celebrated and talented friend Swoi-Yer was entrusted with the responsible and important task of preparing an entertainment worthy the

event. It is but just to add that those great men performed their tasks in such a manner that they added fresh laurels to their already o'ercrowded brows.

Cinderella, we need scarcely add, more than fulfilled her promise to her sisters. A place of honour was assigned to them at the wedding banquet; they were, through the liberality of Cinderella, enabled to eclipse the whole of the guests so far as the splendour of their appearance was concerned, and as they looked far less ill-tempered than usual, I have no doubt that on the whole they got on very well; nor did they make any objection to dance at the wedding with the young lords who were introduced to them as partners; and these noblemen, it is said, were very much astonished