The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1905-07-04
A TRIPLE
PICTURE

When Bertha Garland came into the
world every one said what bcauti-
full chlldw As she grew older the com
mcnts ON her beauty waXcd rather
than wancd, and us soon us she could
understand anything she knew of her
rcmgrknblc beauty. II could only be
expected that hearing of 1t from baby.
hood and reminded of II every time
she looked In the glass, she would be.
come conscious of II. She was II good
girl, truthful. aminblc and full of
kindness Indeed there was but one
blcmish resting upon an otherwise
cstimablc pcrson-she became absorbed
in her own beauty
When Bertha was twenty she met
Edmond benedict, man ten years
older than herself, and of strong char.
actcr. lie soon discovered that when
ever she forgot her great charm she
showed herself charming woman
| At such times he loved her, but no
sooner would she lose herself in the
contemplation Of her features than his
feelings for her were cooled. Bertha
on the contrary first admired him for
his sterling qualities and talents, then
he became necessary to her.
This near approach to perfection,
married only by n single blcmish In the
girl he loved, was tantalizlng to the
lover Often when he was with her
she would show unlntcrruptedly the
most engaging traits, but If she hap.
4 ola. l..
come In moment frivolous. At such
times he would turn away from her
coldly and leave her to herself. She
not understanding the cause of his
sudden cooling would go to her room
deeply hurt. Such Interruptions to
their happiness were, to say the least,
wearing and at last Benedict made
up his mind that he must find some
device by which to show her that
beauty quickly fades, leaving nothing
tangible, or ne must give her up.
Often when coming to call on his
fiance Benedict had found her contem-
plating her features In II hand mirror.
She did not seem abashed at being thus
caught. Indeed, ut times she would
continue to take an occasional glance
Mt herself while conversing. She had
grown to womanhood as used to her
beauty as she was to breathing the
air. Why, then. should she suddenly
grow ashamed of looking ut itf Sc
unconscious OF anything amiss was she
that had not the fcasting on her beauty
changed her nature for the moment her
lover would not have objected to H. II
was this change that troubled him.
one summer evening after dinner
Bertha sat In II nook on the piazza
! screened by vine waiting Tor Bcnc
diet He did not come Gs soon rs sh,
expected. and to pass the time she tool
up her hand mirror and began to loOl
at her face. 1t was certainly an ObJeC
worthy Of contemplation. The curry,
, of cheek and chin, the eXqusItely
carved lips, teeth white and regular
eyes expressive and lustrous. lashe'
long and brOwS fine as silk these were
the individual parts, though the chic
beauty was In union OF the whole
a But the posscssor Of this physical love
. illness never saw n far greater charm
q n charm that others SAVIOR whcncve
I, she took up the glass her own homes
I eXprcssion-the real Bcrtha-ln Instant,
changed for one OF vanity.
Benedict studied how he could shov
her her own self, but this he could no
do directly. He must first give her
p realization OF the mortality OF physical
, beauty; then, having ceased. to value
q 1t. she would see what he wished her #
l. see.
t Bertha sat looking at herself and
r though fully conscious as to why sh
Q was admired, wondered why she wa
= loved. The twilight was fading, AM
! still her lover did not come Charmed
{ ms she had always been with the sigh
Z she saw she gaZcd on till the darkness
= had so far dccpcned that her face wa
70 no longer visible then she was abou
to lower her glass when suddenly thcr
was flash OF light, and she saw in tn
mirror the face OF an old woman. Tn
r teeth were mostly gone, the skin wa
wrlnklcd the hair mngllng OF whit
! and yellow. Through the skin Their
= was to be seen traces of the skull, hOl
~" tg' SOChtlS, buluTcS ullllHB III
different bones OF the head, cavities Il
the jaws from which teeth had beel
:, lost Blended with the features of tn
u old woman and the skull Bertha say
B the outlines Of her own face. Thes
e three In one were visible only for al
instant, then all was dark as Erebus.
With Il cry the girl fell back In
o swoon. When she came to herself sh
l. was lying on sofa In the house, an,
n bending over her anXlously was he
II lover.
"Will it come again. she cried in
voice Of terror.
d What"
|. "Ihe face."