10
THE COURIER.
THE GOLDEN KEY.
"Will you take a little journey with
roe, Cinderella?" the Prince asked per
suasively. "Where?" said Cinderella, pensively,
poking the nmoklns: coals with the toe
of her shabby shoe.
"Into fairyland, dearie."
"It does not exist except In the imag
ination, and I am tired of make-believe
Iwant something- real."
"Are you in earnest. Cinderella, truly
In earnest, at last?"
"No sensible person is in earnest
about anything." She dug her foot
spitefully Into the fire.
"I can make the journey real. Cinder
ella, and It will be better than fairy
land." "I thought we settled that long ago."
the girl said. Impatiently: "it's a tire
iwne subject."
"Aren't you a little cross tonight.
Cinderella? What have I done, dear?"
the Prince asked, penitently.
"Done?" she cried, passionately.
"Everything that Is fine and loving and
good: but I am not satisfied; do you
understand? Tonight I would go to the
ends of the earth with you. I am tired
of being respectable. Tomorrow I
should loathe you for taking me. Now
do you understand?"
"Don't say things like that to me.
Cinderella. It is like putting a cup to
the lips of a thirsty man and then
snatching It away."
"Would you have him drink ioison?"
"A man can die only once."
She went over to the window and
gazed out on the grick walls opposite
without apparently being aware of their
existence. A wild, reckless mood was
on her. born of the discouragements of
the day. She was tired of the struggle
and strife of life, tired of adjusting her
self to her environment, tired of being
conventional. What she told him was
true. Here within her reach was free
dom, luxury, congeniality, love Princ?
Charming standing with open arms.
She had but to put out her hand, and
the grim scene would change as if by
enchantment. AH the rebellion In her
clamored for a richer, fuller life; a sob
rose In her throat and her eyes filled
with tears. "Dear God," she cried,
"save me from the temptation!"
The Prince came over and put his
hand on her shoulder, turning her about
fo that he saw the tears. "Little one."
he said, "we are not children to mis
understand each other."
He took out his handkerchief and
wiped her eyes gently, as if she were in
deed a child. "I am not going ,to take
you away, dear; do you know why?"
he asked, endeavoring to speak lightly.
"Because of the tomorrow when you
would loathe me. That would be worse
than death."
He drew her back to the fire and put
her Into a chair, pulling up a stool on
which he sat at her feet. Then betook
her hands In his, and the clasp of his
fingers seemed to quiet the girl and give
courage.
She bent her head and kissed his hair
before she spoke. "You always under
stand my moods, dear. See. I am reas
onable and repentant now. Ah. you
help me so."
"Do I, sweet? But not as you help
me. Sometimes." he said, earnestly, "I
think I cannot endure this life apart
from 3u another day. and then I re
member all the wIfc and beautiful little
things you say to me. ard I take a fresh
grip and go on."
"It Is curious." the girl said, slowly,
"how desperately one has to strive to
do right. We fight, fight, and for what?
To die with a broken spirit at the end."
"Tou don't mean that. Cinderella."
"No. I don't." she said remorsefully.
"There is always the chance of slaying
the enemy."
"That sounds like my brave little girl.
Do you know her. Cinderella?" The
Prince looked up Into her eyes.
"I have heard you tulk about her."
. "Shu Is everything one loves; sweet
and tender and strong in the face of
tmptation. No saint, mind you. but no
slnnr either. Do you like her, Cinder
ella?" "I detebt her," she said savagely; "I
know her weaknesses."
"Out of her weaknesses comes great
strength for herself and the man who
loves her. Won't you like her a little,
Cinderella?" he pleaded, tightening his
hold of her hands.
"Y-e-s," she answered, reluctantly;
"to please you I would do anything."
"Then smile at me, dear, and we'll be
happy ever after."
"More fairy tales!" she exclaimed
with a laugh, as she pulled her hands
away.
"Cinderella, I've got an idea! Isn't
it wonderful!" he said, gaily.
"I should think so! What will you
do with It?"
"Give it to you fr safekeeping."
"Suppose you never get it back?"
"Oh, I'll get another," he said, confi
dently. "Impossible!" derisively.
"You should treat your elders with
more respect, Cinderella."
"Have you lost your idea?" she asked
flippantly.
"You saucy jade! I'm going to run
away with you just for tonight. There,
it's out. Will you listen. Cinderella?"
"If you promise not to be serious."
"How can I, over so frivolous a mat
ter? We'll have our little journey, after
all. First, you're coming to dine with
me. then we'll go for a drive in the Park,
then"
"Then the clock will strike twelve.
But I never dine out. Prince Charming."
"Are you afraid of the world, Cinder
ella?" "No,"
"Or of me?"
She shook her head.
"I would not make you the subject of
talk. You trust me. Cinderella?"
"Absolutely." Her voice had a til
umphant ring.
The man laid his face on her hands.
The moment was laden with a delicious
silence. Presently she raised his head"
and laughed in a tremulous fashion sug
gestive of tears that had not risen to
the Eurface.
"We're a bundle of inconsistencies
taking our flight into fairyland In such
a ponderous fashion. They won't let
us in!"
"Oh. yes. they will I have the golden
key. We will go to a little Bohemian
place I know, where Madame, in an im
maculate white apron. miles benignly
upon her guests. Shall we start at
once?" he said, rising.
"But I have not a festive gown."
"As If you were not adorable as you
are!"
"Pooh!" making a little moue at him;
"I am not even presentable except to a
prejudiced person like you."
"Then we'll call In the fairy god
mother." "She Is here. Wlat. and you will see."
She vanished from the room, and pres
ently returned, laughing merrily.
"How do you like me?" sweeping
him a curtsey.
He surveyed her from the crown of
her dainty hat to the toe of her pointed
shoe, marvelling at the transformation.
"Dame Fashion has ytolen you away
from me." He gazed at her reproach
fully. "Are we going to dine. Prince Charm
ing?" she said.
He was almost Jealous of the covert
glances qf admiration bestowed upon
htr ly te persons dining about them,
and stared haughtily at one who. with
frank good nature, dared look more
often than the rest. Cinderella, all un
conscious, glowed with happiness, and
her eyes shone with lustrous light.
"You look like an elf," he said, filling
her glass with champagne.
"And I feel like a precious royal."
"Will your Gracious Highness deign
to look at a slave?"
"I do not see him," she answered,
looking into his eyes.
He leaned forward, holding her gaze
by the intensity of his. "I would give
my freedom to kiss you!" he said.
She threw back her head and smiled
bewltchingly. "Reckless Prince, what
is your kingdom?"
"Two principaliteis. One of the
world, where success crowns a man
king a barren soil, yielding only of ne
cessity. Envy, hatred and malice grow
there, born of ambition's strife. The
bitter Irony of Fate hovers round the
throne. The other" his voice grew
soft and low.
"Yes?" she whispered.
"The other is a land of golden dreams,
where sweet-smelling flowers blossom,
holding In their hearts the imperious
bee. The wind whispers love to the
leaves that tremble and flutter in re
sponse to his ardent wooing. A prin
cess reigns over the kingdom sweet
est of all the flowers"
To appreciate the beauties of this season's
millinery you should inspect the line shown hv
MRS- R. E. LLr
Pimie Millinueryo
12S So. llitlx Street
Go
PWVttflS & SUEi&0H
For
Slirpe:rs9 Etc.
1129 0 Street, .-.: Lincolrx Neb
THE PALACE BEAUTIFUL
Malcea ex Specialty o
HaiF Fessins
Shampooing,
Kfankuriaj
And all ldn.cl otMaHsaee.
A Full line of Hair Goods and Cosmetics.
T. J Thorpe Ste Co.,
GENERAL BICYCLE REPAIRERS
In a branches. -
Repairing done as Neat and Complete aa
All kinds of Bicycle Sundries. 320 S. 1ITH ST
Machinist and General Repair Work. LINCOLN.
BENBON.
Forth ricesa knight on a milk-white steed,
Dight for battle, and shod for speed;
The Knight rides under asaint-bless'd shield,
The red-cross blazed on its azure-field:
And his sword is keen.
A king on the earth who marks him ride,
World-hono proffers to sway bis pride;
A maiden beckons him to her bower;
Stronger is love than kingly power
If the sword be keen.
The knight yields nought to the monarch's
guile,
No lure for his soul has the maiden's smile;
He dies on the plain where for Christ he
warr'd;
His spirit, in passing, great angels guard,
And their swords are keen.
-IDYLA.
The second floor of the Harris block, 1134
N street, has been fitted up for a dancing
hall. The floor has received the attention
of experts. It is of hard wood, and the
boards are laid parallel with the length of
the halL Parties desiring to rent it can do
os at the Courier office, in the same block.
Remember the Whitebreast Coal and
Lime Company is still furnishing its cus
tomers with best grades Pennsylvania hard
coal at $8 delivered.
to
- - lamim
from the Factoriea at hard ttau
