Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-01-02
THE HOUSE In THE MIRROR

1t was late one winter evening. The snow
was falling in thick, fast coming flakes, max
ing white curtain that was perpetualy be-
ing let down between heaven and earth. The
storm was carrying on wild sport around the
house, shaking the windows, beating against
the thick walls and murmuring in deep, hol-
low tones in the chimncys. 1t WIS night
ror warm, cosy, substantial indoor comfort,
and such | resolved to make it.
At the period of which am writing was
still young man, and was prartirins sue
crsS.ully us Il doctor in a town in the west of
Englanha tolerably large, busy country
town which lies very near the borders Of both
Dcvunshivr and .Son"rseshirc. | was I'M
married, and was living with an old house
keeper and one servant girl, who he 'ed her
in turns, now above stairs, now below, with
nI,iacent submission, because the SEMI
blindness and deafness Of the good lady made
interviews with her tiIle swain, the butchers
boy, in the srulcry, not only practicable but
easy. On the evening in question | had come
in what we medical men call 'healthy tired"
after "A hard day, work i'll my professional
duties, and ! now sitting costly by the
blazing fire in my dining room, with glass
of good cllret ON the little round table ut my
side.
Ny thoughts went wandering to and fro
IaMly. no" resting upon some OF the most IN
tcrcStiiE ca ,25 among my patients, now hut
tern5 aIonnd pretty picture of my only
sister and her FIRST baby, which her letter, re-
ceiyc,l iii, morning FROM lnda, had called
up; now StraynS into the stable to visit my
bay horse-a new purchase, which tlattCred
ny.ntt did no snail honor to my judgment in
horse ncsh. Gradually, however, all these
sub jycts Of pleasant reflection siippel into a
mass. ;snl not Contusrily niScd together. l
tpIHd myself gazing, Without feeling the
least surprised, at an odd vision, which
showed me my sister mounted on my pet bay
with the baby in her arms who l'steod of
bahSs face, had the face of my nei.,hb0r
anl patient, MIR. Spiccr, the grocer, and
soon after that WAS sunk into u peaceful
slunlbrr, where no dream even came to dis
turh me.
How long slept | DO not exactly know,
but rrcu!crt woke with Il start, reused
hy tn" clor: on tao chimney piece, which
had 4 peculiar nm S!ng, clear sound, S;rlk-
ng y. sat upward with II jerk and looked
around with tAIt vaguely uncomfortable
feeling Whicn often follows sudden waking.
NJ giuur' happened to wander up to the
mirror wnrI vas over the chimney piece.
Why was ii lnal, AZ g,,I,l at it, ! uttered u
low exclamation, and tncn Shut my eyes,
tAIl.ius ruA. a,@cr I!4'..t a,i!l be retaining It's
power over ne. amt that | mus, be dreaming
strange l.. .)1a;lc dream:
But no, certainly was not dreaming, for
there 1t was just as it mad been before. Fix
my eye, Il, steadily as might upon the mir
vor, with al my wa.niLI cncrSi = concen-
tralr, ulon ii n engrr!iess, 1t was Sill there,
! lo"ted away, and fastened my look for
nL!Gtu OF more upOa ny mothers picture
which hung over the sidcnoard. Then my
eye, N"lc allowed TO rc,urn 10 the glass, but
TIM, ina, cuvrr was useless aso-l: would not
go, do what wouid.
WHAT | saw Was certainly no alarming
vision, though l,a uppo france there in the
mirror, oyc! my dlu4As room chimney piece,
WAS remarkable and startling enough, to say
the least of il. In the middle of the glass,
wAjrh n its other parts reflected simply anl
naturally tho commonplace Objects in the
ruuiA, char, ana table, and window curtain,
there appeared sna!! hu. vividly distinct
pi,,,,r" O! a mouse and garden. 1t was very
pretty h Illoy, its front covered on ono side
with q green cr"rpcr, which was spanslcd
with starry white blossoms, and on tn, other
with j, rra,c, ,,,.n "a | baI h,o,j described
o,.xi>r,u, ON ,h, wnlIs of ho,,sn, of Italy.
-,y,,r. H.. ! ,a,,o,. l,en-, f,,.nn r,ures.nt
i,,nr,Id woman si.tinr v,,h II basket Of
,,,,r,s -, ),p,. feet
y,nr. u.rr,. f,,r ,v;rd,vs +wornst,irs ind
t,y, down ryartIv over rach ntbrr. they
v,ra oll II, sn,,l.i with GREEN blinds and
co,,l! .no ,b,- ,l. rom ON, an thn ri,ht hand
ej,,, was SLIGHTLY omen In 1ln garden
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