Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-02-04

in your mind. want to help you to
decide yur future. Are you willing,
that I shuld?"
The Belle" "You mean with regard
to"
The Mirror (blandlN-"I mean
with regard to the five proposals you
received tonight"
The Belle latter a pause)-"Which
shall ] accept?"
| The Mirror-"That I may not tell
you. 1 can simply help you to judge
for yourself"
The Belle (anxiously)-"How can
you do that?"
The Mirror-''By showing you
yourself, your surroundings and your
condition of mind, five years after
your marriage with any one of your
would-be husbands of this evening. "
The Belle--"Oh, dear! This is
worse than ehiromancy. Wouldn't
| eh-wouldn't it be wicked?"
The Mirror-"Not so wicked as it
would be to marry the wrong man. "
The Belief suppose that must be
true. Well, what must l do?"
The Mirror First, turn down the
gas. Then place yourself facing me,
and light the spirit lamp of your curl
ing-iron apparatus. Now, take some
of your pearl face powder, sprinkle it
on the flame, and wait. (She does so.
The surface of the mirror becomes
heavily clouded). Which would you
see first?"
The Belle Laughing hysterically)--
"Oh, take them in their regular Or
der"
The Mirror-"Then, Mr.. Totterlv,
the eighty-year- r-old millionaire, first.
What cap you see? Speak, I" (The
cloud on the face of the mirror gradu-
ally clears in the centre, disclosing
picture.)
The Belle lin low voice. 90 see
myself, handsomely dressed, covered
with jewels, at an evening reception.
Many men are around me offering me
attentions. For some reason I dare
not accept them. In corner, jealously
watching me, see Mr.. Totterly. He
scowls every time man pays me a
compliment. Everything is bright
around me, but the very brightness
seems to weary me, and remind me of
something lacking"
The eMirror (grimly)-"Are you
happy"
The Belle (shuddering)-''No. AL
though bored to death where l am, 1
dread to go home, because I shall be
alone with him, my husband. I see
nothing but despair and waiting, con-
slant waiting for release" picture
vanishes).
The Mirror or-"You will not forget
that Now look upon this again
picture forms). What do you see?"
The Belief see myself again, but
alone. I have been reading, but have
tired Of it. There is something 1 want
to do, something I want tosfeel, but /
cannot. In little room nearby I see
Philip Egerton Denning, my literary,
intellectual husband. He is very busy,
writing. lu my utter loneliness, get
up and go to him. STOPPING over, [
gently kiss him on the brow. He
frowns, pushes me away, and tells me
l destroy his ideas. sign, turn away,
and go to bed.
The Mirror (ironically)-"Are you
happy?"
The Belle (bitterly)-''No. All the
warmth in my heart is gradually be-
ing frozen by the cold indifference of
the man l have married. He is too
brainy to lavish any affections on his
wife; his growing fame is more i'm
portant than domestic ties. Show me
the next"
The Mirror-"Well, what see you
here?"
The Belle-"Another reception. [
am sitting alone, however, utterly
ignored by the many women present
except in the way of an occasional
supercilious glance at my gown, or a
whisper to some one else about me be-
hind n fan. | think it must be in
England. Some of the women have
red noses, and they all look tired and
bored to death -
The Mirror-''1t is. 1t is the fifth
year of your reign as Lady Tuffnutt."
The Belief see myself moving
into another room where everybody
is playing cards. His Lordship, my
husband, is there, gambling like the
rest. | tell HIM 1 do not feel well and
would like to go home. He advises
me to go home alone or amuse myself
in the conservatory. He says there is
too much of his money on the table
to go then. He means my money. /
have seen enough of this.
The Mirror lmockingly)-"Are you
happy"
The Belle (sadly)-''No, but am
gradually becoming deadened to my
misery"
The Mirror las new picture ap-
pears)-"Now you are Mrs. Tracy de
Puyster Van Treffer, member of the
native aristocracy of New York. Can
you see yourself?"
The Belle-"Yes. 1 see myself once
more alone. The room is handsomely
furnished; everything looks rich and
good. But l am waiting anxiously
aud listening intently. At every
sound get up and look through the