ame out to see it.
Information was quickly taken to the king's son, that a beautiful young
lady, evidently some princess, was in waiting. His Royal Highness
hastened to the door, welcomed Cinderella, and handed her out of the
carriage. He then led her gracefully into the ball-room, and introduced
her to his father, the king. The moment she appeared, all conversation
was hushed, the violins ceased playing, and the dancing stopped short,
so great was the sensation produced by the stranger's beauty. A confused
murmur of admiration fluttered through the crowd, and each was fain to
exclaim, "How surpassingly lovely she is!" The ladies were all busy
examining her head-dress and her clothes, in order to get similar ones
the very next day, if, indeed, they could meet with stuffs of such rich
patterns, and find workwomen clever enough to make them up. "What a
lovely creature! so fair!--so beautiful!--What a handsome figure!--how
elegantly she is dressed!" Even the prince's father, old as he was,
could not behold her with indifference, but wiped his eye-glass and used
it very much, and said very often to the queen, that he had never seen
so sweet a being.

[Illustration: CINDERELLA IS PRESENTED BY THE PRINCE TO THE KING AND
QUEEN, WHO WELCOME HER WITH THE HONORS DUE TO A GREAT PRINCESS, AND IS
THEN LED INTO THE ROYAL BALL-ROOM.]

The king's son handed Cinderella to one of the most distinguished seats
on the dais at the top of the Hall, and begged she would allow him to
hand her some refreshments. Cinderella received them with great grace.
When this was over, the prince requested to have the honour of dancing
with her. Cinderella smiled consent; and the delighted prince
immediately led her out to the head of the dance, just about to
commence. The eyes of the whole company were fixed upon the beautiful
pair.

The trumpets sounded and the music struck up, and the dance commenced;
but if Cinderella's beauty, elegant figure, and the splendor of her
dress, had before drawn the attention of the whole room, the
astonishment at her dancing was still greater.

Gracefulness seemed to play in all her motions; the airy lightness with
which she floated along--as buoyant as thistle-down--drew forth a
general murmur of admiration. The hall rang with the loudest
acclamations of applause, and the company, all in one voice, pronounced
her the most elegant creature that had ever been seen. And this was the
little girl who had passed a great par