THE CINDERELLA FROCK. 43

live in,—what a shame it was to her to make
it all so dreary!

He was a thoughtful, dignified looking man,
was Alice’s father, and at first Rovina was
exceedingly afraid of him; but when he
greeted her, as he did, very kindly, and took
hold of her hand, and called her his little
girl, she grew quite bold and confident.

Many a time had Alice with her brothers
clambered into that old Hilton house when it
stood empty ; many a time had she gone up
and down the stairs, and taken note of how
the mould accumulated upon the floors, and
counted the rat holes in the closets, and lis-
tened to the wind roaring in the chimneys,
and the creaking of loose boards, and clatter-
ing of shutters, and gone away wondering if
ever anybody was gay or laughed there.

But now, as though Alice’s good spirit
made all bright about it, it was a very para-