Marian I. Hurrell

“ Ella's eyes were shining like stars. "That's just like father," she said, her voice all a-quiver. "Please, did he say," she added, half pathetically, "when he was coming home?"
"No, little girl, he didn't. He's working pretty hard out there, I can tell you. One of these fine days he'll pay you a surprise visit I suspect, like I've done to these youngsters—that'll be first-rate, won't it?"
Ella nodded her head. Tears of excitement and delight were too near the surface for speech.
"Didn't I tell you, Cinderella," said Kenneth, "that Uncle Phil's yarns would make your hair curl? ”

“ It was Gertie who spoke, with a slightly veiled sneer which was quite lost upon Ella.
"I don't know exactly," she answered; "only we shall be ever so happy."
"He'll put a glass slipper on Cinderella's foot, and just carry her right away," said Kenneth.
"Then I hope he won't come yet," cried little Marcia; "'cause we can't spare you. You'll have to go to school with us, won't you, Ella?"
Ella sighed a little sadly. "No," she said; "Grannie can't afford to send me to school—she's going to teach me herself."
"H'm!" muttered Rupert. ”

“ Russell, the lady who has taken Rose Cottage, used to be so rich that she could have curled her hair in banknotes if she had chosen to do so."
If Nurse had wished to create a sensation, she had succeeded. Four pairs of eyes greeted hers with excited interest. It was little seven-year-old Marcia, however, who first spoke—
"Oh, how funny!" she cried. "Fancy curling your hair in banknotes. Do people ever do such things, Nurse?"
"Of course not, you little silly!" cried Gertie, with the wisdom of ten years. "Be quiet, and let your elders talk." ”

“ Little Marcia, thus snubbed, relapsed for a while into silence.
"What made the old lady poor, Nurse?" asked Kenneth. "She must be jolly hard-up to take a place like Rose Cottage."
"She lost her money in a big bank smash," replied Nurse; "and since that time she's been so proud and unsociable she won't have anything to do with anybody. My sister used to be her maid; that's how I know."
"I wonder if she'll let the little girl be friends with us," said Marcia, with a wistful note in her voice.
"I don't suppose she will. Poor little motherless Ella!" Here Nurse sighed and looked very sympathetic. ”

“ And so it was settled, and before twenty minutes had elapsed, the three younger members of the Snowden family, unknown to either Nurse or Kenneth, were enjoying themselves to their hearts' content on Barwell's pond.
"What a silly Ken was to be afraid!" cried Gertie, her cheeks glowing with the exercise. "Why, the ice is as firm as a rock."
"Yes. I only wish I'd brought my skates," replied Rupert. "I will to-morrow if it lasts like this."
"Do you think mother would mind about our coming here this afternoon?" said Marcia, who possessed a very tender conscience. ”

“ Instead of weighing us down to earth, it will lift us nearer to His beautiful bright heaven above."
Ella's eyes were full of tears at the close of the little story.
"It's a lovely tale," said she, "and I'll just try and see if I can't be like the birds."
So successful was little Ella in her endeavours, that when Mrs. Snowden called next, she was greeted by a sunshiny face and the brightest of welcomes.
"Grannie is ever so much better this morning," said she. "I tried to be patient and good, and now she's quite forgiven me. Oh, I'm so happy, I don't know what to do with myself." ”

“ Gertie looked at the little blue-cold face, with its closed eyes, and then burst into hysterical sobbing.
"Oh, Ken, she's dead; I know she is, and Rupert and I have killed her," she cried. "Oh, what shall we do—what shall we do?"
"She's not dead," answered Kenneth gravely. "I know, because I saw her eyelids move, but we must get her home as quickly as we can."
It was a very sad and subdued little party which wended its way into the lonely country road towards Berryland Hall. Kenneth found Marcia's weight too heavy to allow of quick walking. ”

“ By the time she had reached Rose Cottage, her arms began to ache terribly. As it chanced, Ella was in the garden planting some primrose roots.
"Marcia, whatever have you got there?" she asked, catching sight of the big basket. "It's my monkey, and she's—she's dying," replied Marcia with a sobbing catch in her voice. "Mary says she's homesick, so I'm taking her back."
"But you can't carry her all that way by yourself," said Ella.
"I shall take the train if I can," was Marcia's answer. Then, a sudden thought striking the little girl, she added: "Oh, Ella, couldn't you come with me? ”

“ Snowden next, and her voice was very sweet and tender as she spoke. "Has your Grannie forgiven you yet?"
"No, I—I don't think so." The answer came out with a long-drawn sob.
"Poor little girl! I'm so sorry," said the lady, who knew that Ella's penitence for her disobedience was very deep and real. "But for Marcia and her monkey this sad business would never have happened," she went on. "You're a brave little maid, Ella, and I feel sure it will all come right by and by."
"Oh, I'm not brave a bit," cried the child despondingly; "sometimes I feel so cross and unhappy. ”

“ That self-same afternoon Mrs. Snowden, bidding the four children keep out of mischief, wended her way to Rose Cottage to inquire after the little sufferer. After which she was going to the village, bent on various errands of mercy.
"I vote we have a bit of fun this afternoon to amuse ourselves," said Rupert, soon after his mother's back was turned; "what say you youngsters to a slide on Barwell's pond?"
Gertie and Marcia looked delighted at the idea, but not so Kenneth. Barwell's pond was deep, and the ice there was showing signs of a thaw. He knew, for he had tested it that very morning. ”

“ From that moment Mary hated the little creature with a hatred too deep for words.
About a week later Marcia discovered her pet lying prone on the floor of the kennel, looking almost as if she were dying.
It so happened that day, that Mrs. Snowden and the three elder children had gone for a drive, to visit some friends who lived at a distance. Nurse also was absent on a day's holiday, so Marcia was feeling rather desolate. The sight of Jenny, who looked on the verge of a collapse, completed her woes and she burst into tears.
"Oh, Mary," she cried, "do come and look at Jenny. ”

“ So said Rupert, suddenly catching sight of his sister's face, which had grown very pale.
"There's nothing the matter!" replied Gertie irritably. "How silly you are, Rupert!"
"Gertie is, like the rest of us," gently interposed Mrs. Snowden, "troubled about Ella. However,—" this with a look of kindly sympathy into her little visitor's face—"don't worry more than you can help, childie; the clouds will all roll by one day, you know."
"Yes," said Ella, brightening up; "everything will be right when father comes home. ”

“ A couple of days later, Gertie was sitting alone in one of the class-rooms during the dinner hour, poring over a sum which wouldn't come right.
"If I'd got a Key," she said to herself, mindful of Dorothy's words, "I should get the silly old thing done in a minute—I wonder—" here a sudden temptation came into her heart—"if there is one anywhere on the shelf."
As it chanced there was one, and no sooner did Gertie spy the book, than she prepared to make use of it.
"You are doing wrong," said the voice of Conscience, as loudly and clearly as ever it could speak. ”

“ A monkey, and all for my very own!"
So cried Marcia on her birthday morning, when Rupert presented his novel gift.
"How I shall love it!" went on the child ecstatically, stroking her treasure as she would have done a kitten.
But Jenny, as the monkey was named, did not approve. Opening wide her mouth, she made a hideous grimace, and snarled in a very unpleasant fashion.
Mrs. Snowden, who was secretly far from pleased at Rupert's choice of a present, looked on anxiously.
"Don't go too near her, darling," said she. "You must make friends with her first." ”

“ Russell's ready "Yes."
"All right," replied Ella, "I'll be punctual. I do wonder what school will be like," she went on; "I expect it will be very strange to me at first."
"Oh, you'll soon get used to it," said Kenneth good-naturedly.
"I suppose I shall—I wish you and Rupert went to Farley House School as well; what fun it would be!"
"I fancy I see myself," retorted Rupert, "at a Dame school. Why! Girls' lessons are play to ours."
But Ella, who had learnt to take Rupert's teasing for what it was worth, shook her head. ”

“ Rupert was in no wise offended at his brother's personal remark, nor at the giggles with which it was greeted by his sisters, Gertie and Marcia.
"I'd rather have long ears," said he, "than a freckly nose like yours, old chap. But now," he went on, "what about Rose Cottage? Did you see anything of the people who have taken it?"
"Yes," was the prompt reply. "I saw an old woman and a little girl get out of a cab. They were plainly dressed, both of 'em; but somehow I don't fancy they were common people."
"Common people!" It was Nurse who here spoke. ”

“ Russell in a thin querulous voice. She was sitting, with little Ella by her side, over a small fire in the tiny parlour.
"Poor little Miss Marcia, up at the Hall, has been nearly drowned," was the reply; "the baker's boy don't think she'll live out the day, and Mrs. Snowden is fit to break her heart over it."
Little Ella's face, pale already from the effects of her accident, grew paler than ever.
"Oh, Grannie," she cried, "it can't be true. I saw her pass only a day or two ago, and she looks such a darling little girl." ”

“ There was quite a note of command in Kenneth's voice.
"Well, it was like this," said Grey unwillingly; "my sister Dorothy happened to look in the class-room window just at the time your sister was using the Key. She saw her, too, put the book in Ella Russell's desk all in a hurry."
"Then why didn't she speak up?" cried Rupert sharply.
"Because, you see, Gertie is her own particular chum, and somehow she didn't like to."
"I see," said Kenneth, looking as humiliated as though he had been caught in an act of theft.
"I shall never forgive myself," cried poor Grey, "for being such a mean cad." ”

“ She thinks as how you're all burnt up to a cinder in the fire."
"Where is Grannie?" asked Ella half-distractedly. "I thought she was in London."
"She came back the same time as I did from my shopping, and we found the house alight."
Poor Grannie! Ella had indeed much to answer for that afternoon. In her anxiety to help little Marcia, she had forgotten all about Molly's behests concerning the linen.
Mrs. Russell was amongst the crowd, looking terribly ill with the shock she had sustained. In her eyes, too, was an expression of fear, which as soon as she caught sight of Ella died away. ”

“ But presently she forgot about herself altogether, and consequently, when one of the governesses examined her as to the extent of her knowledge, she answered the questions put to her without any shyness, and, moreover, with a clearness which surprised her questioner.
"Who's the new girl with her arm in a sling?" asked a certain Dorothy Grey of Gertie, during an interval of the morning's lessons.
"It's Ella Russell, a girl who lives close by our gates," was the half-scornful reply.
"She looks rather a jolly little thing," said Dorothy. "I wonder if she'll be in our form." ”

“ Rupert here gave Gertie a knowing look, as much as to say, "Hold your tongue!"
And a few minutes after, Kenneth, thinking the matter settled, went out of doors with the object of taking Bruno—his own magnificent Newfoundland—for a run.
As soon as the lad had passed out of earshot, Rupert turned to the girls.
"Did you ever know such an old woman as Ken is!" he said, looking a trifle cross. "I believe, because he's the elder twin, he thinks he's 'father' to us all."
Marcia, in Ken's defence, spoke up bravely: "Ken isn't an old woman," retorted she; "he's better than any of us, really." ”

“ Russell were now on the best of terms. The old lady, upon knowing that he had met her son in South Africa, so far unbent as to make him welcome at any time; as for Ella, her pleasure in seeing him was undoubted.
Dr. Carteret found the child busy dusting the little parlour, Mrs. Russell being occupied in the kitchen beyond.
"Hullo, Cinderella!" said the young doctor cheerily. He had taken a fancy to Kenneth's name for the little girl, and rarely called her anything else. ”

“ DR. SOAMES then re-seated himself in the carriage, with the poor little dripping burden in his arms, the coachman being bidden to drive with all possible speed to Berryland Hall. Little did Mrs. Snowden dream, as she made her way homewards in the January dusk, of the trouble and anxiety which were awaiting her. Her visit to Rose Cottage had been of a most unsatisfactory nature, the little maid there informing her that "Missis didn't want to see any visitors, and that Miss Ella was suffering great pain with her arm." ”

“ The days after this flew as on wings, and to add to Ella's happiness, her Grannie's health was steadily making progress in the right direction.
* * * *
"I beg your pardon!"
So said Dr. Carteret courteously as, coming out of a bookseller's shop one evening, where, as a matter of fact, he had been buying a book for little "Cinderella's" birthday, he ran full tilt upon a gentleman who was walking along the busy London street. "Why!—" Here the doctor's voice changed to one of intense surprise—"Russell, it is never you?"
"Yes, old chap, it is," was the pleased reply. ”

“ Fairy Godmother left the house with a very thoughtful expression on his kindly face. Strange to say, instead of making his way straight back to the Hall, as he had originally intended, he went to Berryland Grange, where lived old Sir James Crofton, a man possessed of considerable wealth, and of one of the kindest hearts in the world. The result of Dr. Carteret's visit was very soon made apparent.
A few days later, whilst Ella and her grandmother were sitting at breakfast, the postman brought a letter, the contents of which caused the old lady considerable surprise. ”

“ For a moment Ella looked doubtful as to whether to be cross or pleased at her new name, but her natural sweet temper soon came to the fore.
"If I'm Cinderella," she said, "I know who's the Prince."
"Who?" questioned Kenneth with interest.
"Father is," she answered confidentially; "when he comes home, Grannie and I are going to live in a big house again, and we shan't be poor any more."
"That'll be jolly for you, won't it?"
Kenneth was beginning to feel much interested in this little girl with the pretty blue eyes and brown curly hair.
"Yes, I should just think it will," said Ella ”