The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-29
DAME DEXTER'S LOOKING
GLASS.

Amy was vain little girl. Some one
had once told her that she was pretty,
and she asked her old nurse what che
thought about it. Nurse answered at
once: Handsome is that handsome
does
81 don't understand it," said Amy,
EITHER I am pretty or | am not pretty
which is it?"
Little children shouldn't think Of
such things" said nurse. THE great
thing is to behave prettily."
Then she told Amy the story of Dame
Dexter's Looking glass.
There was once upon time little
girl like you, she said, only her name was
Charlotte, not Amy. Charlotte was
very vain. She liked to look at herself
in the glass, and whenever she did go
she thought to herself: "How pretty /
amp One day, when she thought no
one was near her, she said it out loud.
When she turned she saw that she was
not alone. Close behind her was little
old woman very plainly dressed in
poke bonnet, a stuff gown, and a wooden
shawl This little old woman had nice
face, with very sharp, shrewd eyes.
Charlotte was very much surprised to
see her there.
"Who are you?' she asked, land how
did you come here?"
II am Dame Dexter" said the old wo-
man, land one of these days you will
know how came here"
Il should like to know now," said
| Charlotte.
but she asked another question.
what are you doing in front of the
looking glass?"
"Oh, I'm only just looking at myself
for moment" said Charlotte.
do you look at yourself often in that
way?'
Charlotte felt little ashamed of her
self.
Yes, pretty Often she said.
"And what do you see?'
"Why. my own face, of course"
"AIe you sure of that?"
"Of course, lam" answered Charlotte
! She began to think the little old woman
must be mad.
"Shall we sit down and have little
TALK" asked Dame Dexter.
So they sat down. Charlotte was still
very much surprised. She could not un-
derstand how Dame Dexter had come.
there. But she was not at all frightened.
Dame Dexter had such a nice face.
perhaps you have never thought,
said Dame Dexter, what it is that a
looking glass does" AS she spoke, she
took up little morocco case that lay
shut up upon the dressing table.
What is this?" she asked.
at is the case of one of mammals
rings"
Now, if I hold this up before the
glass, shall we see the ring?"
No, of course not, the ring is in
side'
.Then a looking glass only shows you
the outside of things?"
"Yes," said Charlotte.
Did you ever think Of that when you
looked at your face in the glass?" asked
Dame Dexter.
"No, don't think I ever did" said
Charlotte.
And you thought your face was very
pretty, didn't your
Charlotte colored up at this, but she
did not answer.
II know you did," said Dame Dexter
"for heard you say it,"
"Did say it out loud?" asked Char
lotte. 81 am sure didn't mean to-
"Well, now" said Dame Dexter, sup
pose you have peep in this looking
glass;"
AS she spoke she drew from under hel
shawl very curious looking thing. II
was like large fiat crystal, beautifully
bright and clear. 1t was set in frame
of gold, with golden handle.
"Oh, how beautiful it isl" said Char
lotte.
"Aud is this looking-glass?'
Eyes; now look at yourself"
Charlotte held it in front of herself
and looked into it. One glance was
enough, She turned aside in disgust.
"That is not me- she said-"that can
not be me-"
look again" said Dame Dexter, "ant
tell me what you see."
al see a girls face" said Charlotte
"but-oh!-it is SO ugly-it can't b'
mine, I'm sure"
what is the color of the hair?"
"Yellow."
$50 is yours. And the color of thu
eyes?"
"Blue."
so are yours. And the shape of th'
nose?'
at is turned up little
$50 is yours, and it is you-you ma.
be sure oft That glass cannot make
mistake"
oh dear! oh dear!" said Charlotte
'to think that | am like that, after all
How is it look so different here?"
"How do you look?"