Fireside Scraps.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 163, 31 July 1886, Page 3

Fireside Scraps.

The Original Cinderella.— The origin of this nursery tale is sufficiently curious. About the year 1730 a French actor of equal talent and wealth, named Thevenard, in passing through the streets of Paris, observed upon a cobbler's fetall tho shoo of a female, which struck him by the remarkable smallness of its swe. After admiring it for some time ho returned to his house ; but his thoughts ro\ cited to the shoe Avith c uch intensity that he reappeared at the *t.ill the next day ; but the cobbler could ghe him no other clue to the o\\ nor than that it had been left in his absence, for the purpose of being lepaired. Day after day ilid Thevenard leturn to his post to watch the reintegmtion of the slippor, which proceeded slowly; nor did the piopiietor appear to claim it. Although he had com pleted the sixtieth year of his age, so extiavagant became his passion for the unknown fair or>o, that he became (were it possible ior a Fi enchman of that d.iy to be so) melaueholy and mist-rable Jli-i pain \\a*, howexoi, somewh.it appeased by the appearance of the little foot itoclf, appertaining to a pretty and youthful ghl in tho very lramble«t clas.s of life. " All distinctions ueie levelled at onre by love; tho actor -ought the parents of the female, procured then con.-ent to the match, and actually made her his w ife.

Taking Rim at His "Woud. — - Edwin Booth \\..i.v oulu performing with an activs.rthuwu- cuiiMuc-iably tailor than himself, jmd lie thou^ut t>he lor <^> t lift, whip too u ,v lily when, a» l'etrui'hio, lit* wrested il hoiu the hand of katlu-iiiif. .So, after the play was over, lie th;.» addiessed her . " You must hold on to the whip with moie finiiiH'Ss to moriuw n'ght. Gra^p it at haul as you can I'll get it away i>om you —never fear."' At the ne\t performance of the " Taming ot the hlnow, 1 ' the melanL holy -eyed tiajredian, who, for the nonce \\a& e.-sa>injr comedy, attempted to texktt'te lii-trunient ot iia<rellatioi» fiom hi^ icm.tle. ••Mtppmt/' li va" no iii-e. She 'ield on to it with a gr.^p of non, and tluauii.'iiie, i-oou becriunin^ to fee ilie joke, »p >i lUued the uctie^ to the \ery echo iimn, out ot |iuo got(]-natine, the Lid\ 100-ed her hold, and the pluy proceeded U h^n tlie our Una fell, the actor had no tuitter ad lice to oiler.

A.V Aucctionatk Wife. —In several of ihe ullages- of the J'j> rente-., the monn caineei*. ;ue in the habit of tiumin^ animalt\ r the purple of exhibition The prefect jf Pc! [.ign^n p<.->-ed rmouph one vi tliem n. -•uinpany with .in i.ilu-ti ot '_*eii(l.iiinc». Tliu vi tji pointed out t.> the uiagi;.tiato a woman whone hu-biind — a bf.av tiainer ! iad b^eu devoured hy In- pupil.it a moment when instinct jzot tn« be rer of education. ■• 1 h«v\e notlui'vf left," tad the woman, " I mi absohi'oiy withour a. loof to flicker mo j hik! the poor animal" " Animal r' ox- ! claimed the piefect, "you dou'c mean to -ay that you keep the bern that dmoured Jour husband V" "Alk? ' ' hhc leplied, "it ill lhafc is lefo to uao of the poor dear man."

j Ai*\iM'*oFFoußiliL,T.iox\ms. Nicholas I Lniirrworth, the Citai mati millionaire, i-<i\s>, ** I have always had xl>e-e two tlnnj.'* jbei'oio me: J)u what you mul-i-take itlioionghly. Be faithful to all m cepted i tnista. ' Stephen (4n.trUS fundainenial j maxim wa>, tl 'lako care ol the cent;?, the ■ lollais Mill take caio of themselves." Amos Laurence paid, when a.^ked for advice. " Young man, bate all your actions upon a principle of right. l»ry-,erv o j our integrity of character, and in doing this never reckon tht- cost." n. T. Stow ait, tJ>o merchant piiree of New "j'o 4 !;, -..id, "No abilities, liou»j\cr .-pk'i.ui.;, can cvimi^uH' -u. ee-s without mtLiiiiO labour ami poisuveiing ipplication."

A v Extl.nmvk \Y vicDKOiii:.—Mnstfii^luonible women luia o had the reptoiich of extiav.,MAUfo in .liefc* k:\tJled at them ; per!wpf> nona (keened it moie than the l.xte Pixiicc--, aMetteundi. A cuwis of her «ai riroU a\ .T, taken J»y a porbe\ trmg statist jf I'aiit, lost no time m j)ubhs,}nng the te-^ult of his investigation-* to the world. She uut-ir an>ouined ti< about this: 120 -,iIL tlio-sfcf, l;i{- inomin^ Ul) ualkm;j « J r.^e-, GO clo.ik.-, 50 rlia^ls, 150 pvitti'uat-, 2SO c!ien:i*ts-i and other unclerniotit-,, !-,<)' pairs of *t<jckiii'_'ss (a hhoit -'ipj-lyj, ir.C, p, m^ of jrlo\cs ">0 juiin of hotb and -hoc-, 70 buiN and s.it>hc*, 04 Uorxln-, J'2 iiaiife of cartings, :}l tans, 24 pam^ul.-,, bonnets not taken' :nto account, ditto veils,.