( Ai 5

‘J come with urgent orders from
His worship the Lord Mayor,

To bring a box of sweetmeats
To you three ladies fair,

And all that were invited
To grace the ball last night,
And ask you all to try this shoe,
If it fits loose or tight.

He found it on the staircase,
And wishes to restore
It to its rightful owner ;
Perchance, you guess wherefore ?’

 

Then Maud, whose fect were clumsy, |

Declined to try, and smiled ;
‘That shoe to me appears to be
‘the slipper of a child.’

But Jane, who down to toes has pride, |

Resolves to get her foot in it:

She tried and tried, and nearly cried, |

But no, her sole can’t put in it.

‘Now let this other lady try,
Her form is slim and slight.’

‘What nonsense!’ both the girls reply ;

‘She stayed at home last night!’

The Sheriff smiled, but gave a chair
To Cind (whose hands were greasy):

‘ Allow me, miss, to try your foot.’
(The slipper went on easy.)

‘I’ve but one other message,
To ask you all to dine

This evening at the Mansion House— |

All three ; pray don’t decline.’

|

| They went, and Cind her partner

Found out to be the Mayor;
And he failed not to recognise
In her his lady fair.

| Of course they soon got married,
And though she was no heiress,

| In splendour dressed she matched the
| best,

For she was Lady Mayoress.

 

Hark ! what is that ? a knock—a ring!
And Cindy, with surprise,

Starts from her seat in wonder,
And yawns, and rubs her eyes.

’Tis Maud and Jane come home ;
They did not like the ball.

Had they but known how stupid,
They’d never gone at all.

In fact, poor Cinderella,

Although she'd never been,
Enjoyed the ball far better

Than they who graced the scene.