The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-01-15
THE MIRROR.


ous it was o consolation to know that
other women at least could not see that
they we're pretty.
You may imagine that the young girls
of the country were not at all satisfied.
What was the use Of being beautiful II
you could not admire yourselfp
They might have used the brooks and
lakes for mirrors, but the queen had
foreseen that and had hidden all Of them
under closely joined fagstones. Water
was drawn from wells SO deep that it
was impossible to see the liquid surface,
and shallow basins must be used instead
of buckets, because in the latter there
might be reflections.
Such a dismal state of affairs, es-
pecially for the pretty ooquettes, who
were no more rare in this country than
in othersi
The queen had no compassion, being
we'll content that her subjects should
suffer as much annoyance from the lack
Of a mirror as she felt at the sight OF
one.
However. in a suburb of the city there
lived young girl called Jacinta, who
was little better Off than the rest,
thanks to her sweetheart, Valentin. For
if some one thinks you are beautiful and
loses no chance to tell you so he is al
most as good as mirror.
'Tell me the TRUTH" she would say.
"What is the color of my eyes?"
"They are like dewy forgetmenots.
''And my skin is not quite blackP"
"You know that your forehead is
whittier than freshly fallen snow, and
your cheeks are like blush roses. +"
"How about my lipsP"
sCherries are pale beside them"
"And my teeth, if you please?'
"Grains of rice are not as white. +"
Of abRat NV ears--ahopid = he ashamed
eyes, if you would be ashamed of
two little pink shells among your pretty
curls. +"
And SO ON endlessly, she delighted,
he still more charmed, for his words
came from the depth of his heart, and
she had the pleasure of hearing herself
praised, he the delight of seeing her. So
their love grew more deep and tender
every hour, and the day that he asked
her to marry him she blushed certainly,
but it was not with anger. But, un-
luckily, the news Of their happiness
reached the wicked queen, whose only
pleasure was to torment others, and
Jacinta more than any one else, on tac-
count of her beauty.
A little while before the marriage
Jacinta was walking in the orchard one
evening when an old crone approached,
asking for aims, but suddenly jumped
back with shrek as If she had stepped
ON toad, crying, Heavens, what do
seer"
"What is the matter, my good wom-
an? What is it you see? Tell me-. !"
1.-THE ugliest creature ever beheld. ="
"Then you are not looking at me, "
said Jacinta, with innocent vanity.
"Alas yes, my poor child, it is you.
/ have been long time on this earth,
but never have met any one so hideous
as you'll"
"What Am ugly?"
"a hundred times uglier than ! can
tell you.
"But my eyes,
"They are sort of dirty gray. But
that would be nothing If you had not
such an outrageous squintP
my complexion'-
at looks as il you had rubbed coal
dust on your forehead and cheeks. "
my mouth
cit is pale and withered, like faded
flower. +"
my teeth
"If the beauty of teeth is to be large
and yellow, never saw any so beauti-
full as yours. F"
"But, at least, my ears
"They are SO big, so red and so mis-
shapen under your coarse elf locks that
they are revolving. I am not pretty my
| self, but should die Of shame il mine
were like them" After this last blow
the old witch, having repeated what the
queen had taught her, hobbled OFF, with
harsh croak Of laughter, leaving poor
Jacinta dissolved in tears, prone on the
ground beneath the apple trees.
Nothing could divert her mind from
her grief. II am ugly-I am ugly" she
repeated constantly. 1t was in vain that
Valentin assured and treasured her with
| the most solemn oaths.
"Let me alone You are lying out OF
pity. understand 1t all now. You new
or loved me. You are only sorry for me.
The beggar woman had no interest in
deceiving me. 1t is only too true-I am
ugly. / do not see how you can endure
the sight OF me. "
To undeceive her he brought people
from far and near. Every man declared
that Jacinta was created to delight the
eyes. Even the women said as much,
though they were less enthusiastic. But
the poor child persisted in her conviction
that she was a repulsive object, and
when valentin pressed her to name their
wedding day, 81, your wife!' cried she.
"Neverl I love you too dearly to burden
you with being SO hideous as am. :
You can fancy the despair Of the poor
fellow SO sincerely in love. He threw
himself on his knees, he prayed, he sup
plicated she answered still that she
was too ugly to marry him.
What was he to do? The only way TO
give the lie to the old woman and prove
the truth to Jacinta was to put mirror
before her. But there was no such thing
in the kingdom, and SO great was the
terror inspired by the queen that no