eir places, the faery
said to Cinderella, "Well, my dear girl, is not this as fine an equipage
as you could desire to go to the ball with? Tell me, now, are you
pleased with it?"

"O yes, dear godmother," replied Cinderella; and then, with a good deal
of hesitation, added, "but how can I make my appearance among so many
finely-dressed people in these mean-looking clothes?"

"Give yourself no uneasiness about that, my dear; the most laborious
part of our task is already accomplished, and it will be hard if I
cannot make your dress correspond with your coach and servants."

On saying this, the old woman, assuming her character of Queen of the
Faeries, touched Cinderella with the magic wand, and her clothes were
instantly changed into a most magnificent ball dress, ornamented with
the most costly jewels. The faery took from her pocket a beautiful pair
of elastic glass slippers, which she caused Cinderella to put on, and
then desired her to get into the carriage with all expedition, as the
ball had already commenced.

Two footmen opened the carriage door, and assisted the now beautifully
dressed Cinderella into it. Her godmother, before she took leave,
strictly charged her, on no account whatever to stay at the ball after
the clock had struck twelve; and then added, that if she stopped but a
single moment beyond that time, her fine coach, horses, coachman,
postilion, and footmen, and fine apparel, would all return to their
original shapes of pumpkin, mice, rats, lizards, and mean-looking
clothes.

Cinderella promised faithfully to attend to every thing that the faery
had mentioned; and then, quite overjoyed, gave the direction to the
footman, who bawled out in a loud and commanding tone to the coachman,
"To the Royal Palace." The coachman touched his prancing horses lightly
with his whip, and swiftly the carriage started off, and in a short time
reached the palace.

[ILLUSTRATION: CINDERELLA'S ARRIVAL AT THE PALACE IN HER ELEGANT GILT
CARRIAGE, WHICH ATTRACTS GENERAL NOTICE AS IT DRIVES UP TO THE MARBLE
PORTICO; OF WHICH INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED TO THE PRINCE, WHO HASTENS
TO THE DOOR AND WELCOMES CINDERELLA, HANDS HER OUT OF THE CARRIAGE, AND
GRACEFULLY LEADS HER INTO THE PALACE, WHERE THE NOBLES WELCOME HER AS A
PRINCESS.]

The arrival of so splendid an equipage as Cinderella's could not fail to
attract general notice at the palace gates; and as it drove up to the
marble portico, the servants in great numbers c