thany Home where you only had so much for
supper and one little cracker. And here there was plenty. It made her
laugh.

And then suddenly there was a pretty little woman in the room dressed
in something soft and shining and in her hand she held a stick with a
bunch of gay bows at the end. She was so sweet and smiling that
Marilla couldn't feel afraid.

"You don't know me, Cinderella?" she began, looking at the child.

"Oh, that isn't my name."

"You don't sit in the ashes any more but I dare say you brush up and
carry them out in the morning. But I don't find Cinderellas often at
this time of night."

"I wish I was Cinderella. I have a little foot though, only it don't
look so in these big brogans. I put some soles inside of them, bits of
velvet carpet and they keep my feet nice and warm. I do think if the
glass slipper wasn't too teeny weeny I could wear it."

"You're a cute one. About the soles, now. Most children haven't any
useful ideas," and she laughed. "I knew who you were; now can you
guess who I am?"

"Why if I was Cinderella you'd be a fairy godmother. But there ain't
any such things; nor Santa Claus. I like the stories about 'em and I'm
awful sorry. I'm only Mrs. Borden's bound-out girl, but I like it
here."

"You think so?" She gave the most curious, delightful laugh. "You are
Cinderella and I am the fairy godmother."

Marilla sprang up and studied her. She was so pretty and her gown
looked as if it was sprinkled with diamond dust. She had never seen
any one like her, but at twelve her range of observation had been
rather limited.

"Well, what do you think of me?"

Marilla stood wide eyed and speechless.

"Why--you are very beautiful. Oh, I wish you were a fairy godmother!
I'd like to go to fairy land. I don't think any one would mind much,
but I do believe the twins would care. Bridget says there isn't any
such thing and then she tells about a little girl who was toted away
and had to stay seven years."

"You couldn't stay that long, and times have changed, and you have no
envious sisters. You're a rather lonely little body with no father or
mother."

"Oh, how did you know that?"

She laughed, the softest, merriest laugh.

Marilla looked and looked, the little body was so sweet and
mysterious.

"Oh, fairy godmothers know a great many things. They keep watch over
the Cinderellas and then when they find one to their liking they
appear to her, and then strange things happen."

"Yes t