Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-10-10
CHAPTER XIX.
In dine Mngic Mlrror.


When her daughter tainted at the
mention of the name, Shirley Austin,
Mrs. Martin carried Bertha to the bed,
and tendcrly laid the slight form on
that resting place.
What can it mean?" she asked her
self.
What is it, Bertha?" Mrs. Martin
asked, with affectionate solicitude. She
was kneeling at the bedside, and she
tenderly caught her daughters hands
and kissed them as she drew them from
her blushing face. TELL your mother
what 1t Is that distresses you, darling"
Promise not to be angry. mamma
Bertha pleaded, taking her mothers
hand beteen both her own and softly
pressing her cheek against 1t. 81 have
done nothing really wrong, but I can
never find courage to confess all my
foolishness unless you promise me not
10 be angry"
II PROMISE" Mrs. Martin answered,
gloomily.
1.-THE reason I was so overcome, mann
ma. when you mentioned his-name Is
shat--I love himi''
You love Shirley Austin!" Mrs. Mar
tin echoed, but there was little surprise
In her tone, for she had felt what was
coming. and only wondered that she
could so long have been blind; for now
that she reflected. she saw plainly that
10 any watchful eye Bertha's secret was
an open secret from the first. you
love Shirley Austin, Bertha? But how
ran II be possible, child? You never
saw him until the unlucky evening
when we % him in here to nurse him
back to health. Would he had died on
the doorstep first!" she added. bitterly.
"Don't say that. mamma! Oh. you
don't know how dearly ] love him! You
think 1t a hopeless owe because he was
once engaged to Clarice: and h is so
beautiful! But I can't dare not
think 1t hopeless. I would die IL I
thought so. No, don't interrupt me,
mother. Listenl IT is fate itself that
made me love him. and fate will give
him to me. / must believe that, or /
cannot live.
"But let me tell you my poor, silly lit
tie story-only don't laugh at me, for
that would break my heart! One day
last spring when Lefty and I were out
w W. SbAA4 Vs. AAAA0 ~
chance as it seemed (but It was our
fate, as I have always felt ever since}'
In front OF a celebrated fortune-teller's
Madam Durand's. We stopped and
read the sign, and just for fun, we
thought we would go in and have our
fortunes told.
Something seemed to pull me back,
and, turning about I said: Come, Let
ty. / will have my fortune told. It's
waiting yonder for me-, and I'm going
back to know just what 1t is. Gomez
I hurried back toward the house of the
tortune-teller as IL my life depended on
II. and Lefty had to almost run to keep
pace with me.
'As Lefty and I walked into the
room, a heavy silken curtain at the far
thest end was slowly drawn apart, and
beyond 1t, seated in a magnificent chair
on a raised platform, sat the magician.
like a queen on her throne.
".And what do you wish to know, my
pretty child?' she said, addressing her.
self to me; but why need / ask? All
girls wish to know whom they will mar
ry. and when. and where. But these
questions i cannot always answer.
Sometimes there are clouds upon the
horizon which even my prophetic vision
fails to pierce. / can only show you
what the mirror chooses TO reveal. One
thing IL always reveals. however-that
Is, the face OF the man you love. III he
is already your lover, II will be easy for
you to recognize him; but IL he Is yet
unknown, be sure o will never forget
his face, and you will know II again for
that OF the man who holds your future
destiny. wherever or whenever you may
see II. I can only show the face to one
OF you. young ladies. My fee for look
Ing I'm THE magic mirror is $500. The lit
tie trife contributed by both of you
scarcely amounts to one-fiftieth part OF
that sum; but at first sight or your
fresh young faces I made up my mind
thai YOU should not be wholly disap-
poinasd, Come. now--whose sweet
heart liz to be shown? Yours?--and
she nodded her head at me--sor yours?'
and she turned toward Lefty.
she pushed q small, square seat.
which moved on rollers toward rnA,