Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-30
Another voice made answer "Many of

hertz associate with them, She has lifted
her eyebrows disdainfully at her fathers 6
after-dinner jokes, and turned her head aside
wearily when her mother gave advice. Shc
has spoken no loving words to them she
has given them no loving looks. She has |
shown herself selfish; ungrateful and cold
hearted where she should have been consi-
derate and thankful and affectionate."
ssYour flavor is somewhat sharp, Northern
Spy," returned the first voice, $ but you ',
have only told the truth.
The picture had wholly died away now, {
and Alice felt herself at liberty to look to-
ward the speakers She could distinguish |
little of them except their heads and faces,
that portion of the room in which they were
being more dimly lighted than the rest.
Que, whom she judged to be the first
speaker, was of round and full c5unte-
nance, the prevailing color of which was a
shade of green tinged with faint golden
| hue, but mottled here and there with little
| crimson dots. His appearance was stately
and his aspect kindly severe, as if his natu-
raj tendency. were toward jollity but crcum,,
stances had compelled HIM to be stern and
| look frowningly.
The other was smaller in size, and had q
rubicund visage, as if sun and wind had
brought the color to his cheeks, and it had
fixed Itself there permanently. There was
nothing fOrbdding in his looks ether,so that
Alice, though filled with wonder at all she
saw, and with shame at what she had heard,
was much less terrified than she had been at
first.
But she was not long permitted to gaze at
these unknown figures. A new voice asked,
"What is your majesty's pleasure, now 7"
and the first speaker replied, ''The mirror"
At the words Alice turned toward an old |
mirror that was leaning against the wal, and |
! saw herself reflected as plainly as II dust
and cobwebs had not gathered upon the ne
, elected glass.
She was looking her very best. She could
not help but feel so, even amid the singular
circumstances in which she found herself
, Her eyes were never brighter, her cheeks
roster. or her lips more like ripest strawber-
) ries. Her hair fell in a golden show
: er that equalled the dreams of the old
: mythologists. She looked SO lovely to her
self, that she could not repress o smile oi
complacent standardization.
But even as she looked, a curious change
@ came upon her reflected likeness. The fea-
lures were the same, but their expression
/ altered swiftly. The brows contracted with
: : a naughty frown, the eyes darkened with
. look Of pride, the lips took on contemptu-
it GUS curl, the very nostrils curved disdainful.
n ly. She was sorry for herself, and
: frightened at herself She tried to control
her countenance, to lay aside that arrogant
. men. In vain. The muscles did not obey
q her will.
d "What do you see? y asked her question
~ or. She slowly shock her head, in token
: of surprise and dismay, and inability to res
% pond.
II 'sWhat does she see, my lord Count Bald
(, win p was then enquired
= .sMy lord the king" was the response,
J. "she sees herself as Others are begin
"a ming to see her, as they will see her still more
D plainly in days to come"
sis the sight pleasant one, my lord Z"
sNay, your majesty, it is sad and sorry
= sight to all. Methinks my great ancestor
at who was King at Jerusalem in the Crusades,
I'd would never have laid lance in rest for lady
q, of such scornful demeanor. 1t makes me
- think of the Belle Dame Sans Merci' OF
" whom the troubadours used to sing in the
er glorious days of chivalry. Queen of Beauty
its She may be-. but not the Queen OF Love. IN
be her queenliness she is only tyrant and
against tyrants every true heart revolts.'
'n "What follows then?" the first voice
Nv asked. -.
To sBitterness and pain, without relief The
H., proud heart cannot be sufficient for itself,y
u' it will have no sympathizers. The naughty
ng spirit will grow lonely upon its cold heights
IRE but will find none to befriend or comfort u.
or ssDesolate pride, isolated haughtiness
- beauty that does not win, a presence avoided
nu not desired Is this her DOOM"
m .'Your majesty has spoken 1t"
Sc, Alice trembled with apprehension Coult
N they be true-the dreadful things that thes,
nat mysterious voices were saying in the night
led Was such destiny before her and could sh
bear it? To be proud of her OVID beaut
.qe and yet be unloved to prize herself s.
ss,I :, highly and yet have no one else care for he
led She could hardly endure the thought.
,os She put out her hands as when one mo
az tions away something disagreeable. IN
emf image faded from the mirror until only sue
In dim reflection remained as such dust
ich glass could really give. Alice heayed sig
MI of relief, and raised her eyes. They en-
al countered an old picture hanging upon tn
zoo wall. 1t was not any more valuable by res
rem son of its age, for it was by nameess arti:
,od and had been executed in nameless style.
inv To Alice's amazement it represented no'
strange Scene. Two mountain summit
the lifted their peaks high into the air. Betwee
no them was deep and wide valley throug
of which river ran. By the river stood toWi
rv and cities with all the signs of busy life. b
gbt yond these lay the open country, with con
FEs;r Portable farm houses powered in trees an
On surrounded by rich meadows and golde
her harvest fields.
,;Sa The distance between those moupta
nd peaks seemed very great indeed, and the
-ist sides toward each other were so precipitol
was as to be inaccessible. One of the SUNNI
IDS glittered with ice and snow. The sun shol
ale there with a spectral brightness, and
etv rays were reflected from the frozen suriac
,nid as il from diamonds. The whole atmo
,s If phere seemed one of unmtigated coldnes
the 1t made the girl shivcr to look at it.
,ost The other summit showed no signs
she frost The sunlight beamed upon 1t in
tho kindly way Grand trees. pines and &C
q Of ars and hemlocks, were rooted on the slop'
aces Here and there were little patches OF delics
atlv color, where graceful wild dtlowcrs had ?
, in. forth their blossoms. Yet the impression
and the whole place was that of loneliness.
was was solitude, not altogether hideous or
raw tolerable indeed, but still scene ir'
hers which the eyes turned with rellef TO me
are a lev below, where there were signs OF hum
rent companionships and tokens of happy hum
,ctor homes. :.
Who Upon each Of those high peaks hum
their figure Stood Amid the sparkling coldn
,ern- of the icy summit woman was depicted,
1ues- If she might be the genius Of the paia
Her form and aspect were stately, her DIR
dear was rich. Her hair was gray, and rest
HOW upon it was circlet of gems that spark
cold and keen, like stars in frosty mig
thew The face matched the hair 1t was cd {
cold. The features were regular, but
dis. kindly expression relieved their mai
chiIliness. The eyes had notlost their brig
oanv ness, but still it was like the brightness
n the sun-lighted ice. There was no CLEAN
read, trace of happiness upon the countenance
never
their looking as if, with arduous toll, he
q for climbed there. His attitude and demea
bnt were indicative OF power, strength of
ssr for for and greatness of purpose: 1t was eyit
eness. that his youth was long since past B'
,auty, and hair were gray, anu lioni eneeA d.. a.
father the hush anu nash were sono - '
paler glance was STEADY anu leso,u'e as haart a
and had known sorrow but had not sunk bent
wear its burdens The brow was frank
right though upon IL cioau res,eu as
ain of be The shadow Oh some o,sappoin'inens
night. had never been compensated.
wist, Beyond question that face was, en-
Useless Oakhearts. Ihe signs Oh ase hau no
i, ~ altered it that Alice did not clearly re
lat she nize it.
'as en-. She looked again at the woman, A
allow nicion she had felt was confirmed. 7
sharn, hard outlines, that icy expression di'i
nalitv hide herself from her cleared vision.
?" tRe "Tell her upon what she is looking,
n alys.