Fairy Tales Utilised For The New Generation.

her , ( I believe they have heard of her , though I doubt if they could spell her name ) , Cinderella has always appeared to me a very charming impersonation among tbe heroines of Fabledom . She is like some charming young Avomen you and I know—so good and so useful , and so industrious , and so stay-at-home ; she is such a contrast to her idle and conceited and

gadding sisters , who are all for flirting and dancing on elevated heels and in depressed dresses ; Avho look-out for husbands and " partis" and settlements and diamonds , and a seat in the country , and an operabox in London . But such is life , and though paterfamilias growls and objects "

, and materfamilias quietly deprecates , this young Avorld of ours will go on its noisy " gait , " as they say in Yorkshire , and will have its own way . This Cinderella in her work-dress like

the old Cinderella , has her attractions , though her admirer , like the magic Prince , is generally a nice young man who quotes the " Corsair , " and has a " soul aboA * e buttons , " and makes himself so handy at a tea-fight , or a Spelling Bee . If you ask me my private opinionI

, think the modern Cinderella is an impostor . She stays at home to write letters to her clear Humphry Peter—or because it suits her little game , or because she likes to be considered the bee and the rest the drones in the family hive , or because she thinks that men like Avomen who cau make

themselves useful . But when Cinderella marries , her Humphry Peter , poor fellow , will find that his own dear darling pet has no idea of working any more for anybody , much less for him . " No , my boy , " she will say to him even in the full fervour of the honeymoon , " all work and no play makes your Cinderella a dull girl , and as I haA e worked for others so far , let others now work for me ! " Tbe mask has fallen

from the fair deceiver ! The next time you see her she will be in very elegant dress , rather low ; she herself excessively agreeable , and flirting vigorously Avitb some good-looking young man , heedless of the imploring looks of her disconsolate Humphry Peter . As I said before , I don ' t believe in our modern Cinderella at all . She is generally a young Avomau who reads in bed and munches biscuits , ( think

of the crumbs !) , and she is very self-willed , and not a little unaccommodating . Now , I don ' t wish to bs too hard upon her ; but yet I cannot , and do not , admire her . And principally for this reason , that Cinclerellas of this kind Avant both realit y

and dignity . She is not like Cinderella of old—Avorking on simply because it Avas her duty to do so—but she is like too many of the present time—she thinks that artificial colouring and dressy makingup , cover either the inroads of time , or add

freshness to youth , and captivate the out-Avard eye . A grave mistake , and the modern Cinderella makes the same blunder when she thinks that people don't see her hand , or find out her leading suit . I have tried to paint a moral , perhaps clumsily enough , but , such as it is , accept it , oh , ye fair ones , for Avhom I mainly Avrite !

Cinderella—our clear old Cinderella—is a type of educated womanhood—kind , considerate , cultivated , patient , gentle , courageous , not querulous , not backbiting , doing her own duty , envying no one , making no remarks on other peoples ' s dresses , very

unlike those doAvdy and caterwauling , ancl slipshod and ill-tempered young women , who venture to term and consider themselves Cinderellas to-day . AVell , the world has changed much since Cinderella of old had her hour of ri ghteous

triumph , since all Avent with her merril y as a " marriage bell , " since grace and virtue Avon the day against ill-temper and unseemly behaviour . Ancl yet perhaps Ave IniA-e , after all , many real Cinderellas ( not mock Cinderellas ) amongst . us

still , whom we hardly know ; and for them , let us trust , tbe hour of happiness is yet to come . So I wish heartily to-day for all real Cinderellas amongst us , Avhether in high places or humble , " upstairs or doAvnstairs , or in my

lady ' s chamber , " that some " Prince Parfeet from the Immerald Isle " may step in , and lo and behold the rags disappear , and Cinderella is radiant before our eyes in all the grace of beauty , of youth and life , and trust and truth . " Ohmy Cindewella" as

, , a young man once said , " may you be appy with the man of your ' art , " and so say we all ? Do Ave not ? I think we do !