88 THE CINDERELLA FROCK.

were, and not mere mute faces, there was the
reality, not a mere picture, but lovelier and
better far; and Alice now felt that she too
was one of the children of the blessed group.

It was a never-to-be-forgotten day. And
when the company dispersed and the inter-
mission came, how much we had to tell one
another !

The painting was an actual gift from Alice
Lisle’s father. He had not come into the
neighborhood merely to be selfish, but had
been aiming to shed happiness about him ;
and if the gift could do good, he would
feel himself a thousand times recompensed.
The splendid gilt frame was a contribution
from the children. Everybody had had a
share in that. That had been planned in
that recess time when Rovina studied her
atlas, four weeks ago, and Mr. Lisle was in
the school-room sketching ; he had come in