Connecticut western news., 1893-04-27
THAT MIRROR.


 as carefully as be knew how. and had arrived at the entirely reasonable con- clusion that he was in love. He had every symptom of that malady. When Miss Marian Chapman was within range of his vision there was room for no one else there. He suffered from that pe- culiar optical condition which enabled him to see but one thing at a time when she was present, and she was that one thing, which was probably the reason why in his minds eye she was the only woman in the world. for Marian was ever present before Jingleberry's mental optic.
 He had also examined as thoroughly as he could in hypothesis the heart of this ''only woman" and he had-or thought he had, which amounts to the same thing-reason to believe that she reciprocated his affection. She certainly seemed glad always when he was about. She called him by his first name, and sometimes quarreled with him as she quarreled with no one else, and if that wasn't 8 sign of love in woman, then Jingleberry had studied the sex all his years-and they were thirty-two-for nothing. In short Marian behaved so like sister to him that Jingleberry. knowing how dreams and women go by contraries, was absolutely sure that a sister was just the reverse from that re- lationship which in her heart of hearts she was willing to assume toward him and he was happy in consequence.
 Believing this, it was not at all strange that he should make up his mind to pro pose marriage to her, though, like many other men. he was somewhat chicken hearted in coming to the point Four times had he called upon Marian for the sole purpose of asking her to become his wife, and four times had he led up to the point and then talked about some thing else What quality it is in man that makes coward of him in the pres ence of one he considers his dearest friend is not within the province of this narrative to determine, but Jingleberry had it in it's most virulent form He had often got so far along in his proposal as, .'Marian-er-will you-will you and there he had as often stopped. con- tenting himself with such commonplace conclusions as '.go to the matinee with me tomorrowT' or "ask your father for me if he thinks the stock market is like ly to strengthen soonr and other amaz- ing substitutes for the words he so ar dently desired yet feared to utter.
 But this afternoon - the one upon which the extraordinary events about to be narrated took place-Jingleberr had called, resolved not to be baked in lt Ioto k<1 Is c. had come to propose, and propose he would, ruat coelum. His confidence in successful termination to his suit had been re-enforced that very morning by the receipt of note from Miss Chap man asking him to dine with her par ents and herself that evening. and to accompany them after dinner to the opera. Surely that meant great deal and Jingleberry conceived that the time was. ripe for blushing "yes' to his long deferred question. So he was here in the Chapman parlor waiting for the young lady to come down and become the recipient of the interesting inter- rogatory," as it is called in some sec- tions of Massachusetts.
 "Ill ask her the first thing" said Jingleberry, buttoning up his Prince Albert, as though to impart possibly needed stiffening to his backbone. "She will say yes, and then l shall enjoy the dinner and the opera so much the more. Ahem! l wonder if 1 am pale--l feel sort of-um- There's mirror That will tell.' Jingleberry walked to the mirror-an oval, gilt framed mirror, | such as was very much the vogue fifty | years ago, for which reason alone, no | doubt, it was now admitted to the gold | and white parlor of the house of Chap man.
 Blessed things. these mirrors" said | his face. ''So reassuring. I'm not at all pale. Quite the contrary I'm red as a sunset. Good omen that! The sun is setting on my bachelor days-and my | scarf is crooked. Ahp
 The ejaculation was one of pleasure. | for pictured in the mirror Jingleberry saw the form of Marian entering the room through the portieres.
 How do you do, Marianf Been ad. miring myself in the glass" he said turning to greet her ''l-er"-
 Here he stopped, as well he might, for he addressed no one. Miss Chapman was nowhere to be seen.
 Dear mei'' said Jingleberry, rubbing his eyes in astonishment. How extraor. dinaryl 1 thought sure saw her-why did see her-that is, saw her reflection in the gla- aa! hal She caught me gazing at myself there and has hidden. 7
 He walked to the door and pulled the portiere aside and looked into the hall There was no one there. He searched every corner of the hall and of the din ing room at it's end and then returned to the parlor, but it was still empty And then occurred the most strangely unaccountable event in his life.
 AS he looked around the parlor he fol the second time found himself before ths mirror. but the reflection therein. though 1t was of himself. was of himself, witl his back turned to his real self as hs stood gazing amazedly into the glass and besides this. although Jingleberry was alone in the real parlor, the refiec tion of the dainty room showed tha there he was not SO. for seated in he1 accustomed graceful attitude in the re fected armchair was nothing less than the counterfeit presentment of Marian Chapman herself
 Ii was wonder .Jing gIeberry's eyes did not fall out of his head he stared SO
 What situation Ii was to be sure. tt stand there and zee ii the glass a scene which. as far as he could observe, haC no basis in reality; and interesting |
 was for Jingleberry to watch himself
 gong through the form of chatting
 pleasantly there iu the mirrors depthi
 with the woilian he lvvel. lt Rlmos