The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-12-31
Broken Mirrors
By CHARLES GALBERE
Copyright, by Short Stories Co.. Ltd)

left it, refusing all orders for other
work-sawing. planning. fitting and pol
ishing, from dawn until late at night.
The strange wooing was the talk of
the whole neighborhood, admitted -
the secret by MARITIME herself.
When the task was finished the join
er sought MARITIME and invited her to
inspect his work. Moved by curiosa
ity, she went with him to the shop,
examined everything infinitely, and
discovered, not without satisfaction,
that there was something lacking-a
wardrobe. The omission gave her
the pretext she wanted. She pointed
it out, and added, contemptuously:
Do you call that set of furniture?'
Then she turned on her heel and
left the poor joiner to his own retec,
| lions.
In a week or two Malveuil came
again and said: Everything Is COM
| plete this time. Come and see."
And, indeed, not only was the miss
ing wardrobe there. but the other
pieces were so much embellished and
shone, SO brightly that MARITIME could.
find no valid reason for obectlon.i
But she would not confess herself con-
quered.
There is still something wanting"
she said. II don't know what. but yoH
ought to know since you love me so
dearly. Something that will make
me cry out in surprise and delight at
sight of it. Add this something. and
will be your wife"
You promise?"
4 Il swear it."
Malveuil left town, and. after an alb
sence of two days, reappeared with
several large boxes which he brought
from the railway station on a cart.
The fair MARITIME lost herself in con-
! lectures, and interested curiosity In,
duced her to beg all her gossips to
keep close watch on the impassioned
joiner and report to her. After many
days Malveuil appeared and, without
preamble or even greeting, said:
Come; but remember your promise. y
When they had reached his shop he
conducted her through an alley to a
rear door. Entering she found her
self in almost total darkness. Nal
veuil led her to the middle of. the
room, and then suddenly flung open
the shutters and let in a flood of sun
shine.
oh, how beautiful! Oh, how beau
tlful! cried MARITIME. and she contin-
ued to repeat the exclamation without
giving thought to the penalty attached
! to it.
A large mirror entirely covered the
front of the wardrobe; two others
We're attached to the head and foot
OF the bedstead. Every piece Of fur.
: niture bore mirrros, large or small
wherever human ingenuity could fas
} ten them. Thus had Malveuil baited
the trap for the vain coquette.
, So they married, but it would have
Z been better for both if they had not
for MARITIME married the mirrors rath
2 er than Malveuil and for them she re
+. served all her smiles. She spent the
: entire day with them, adjoining and
: admiring herself. giving little thought
to her household duties and none al
: all to her husband. Malveuil felt all
1
than ever. One morning as MARITIME
3 surrounded by her mirrors, was com
i pleting her elaborate toilet, he said:
: We must have dinner early to-day. ]
: have to go out of town"
/ AS MARITIME apparently did no. hear
: his words, he repeated them, with nc
4 better result. He repeated them
: again, and this lime his voice trem
bled little. MARITIME shrugged he1
; shoulders disdainfully and continued
e to busy herself with her ribbons and
e laces, neither opening her lips moi
= turning her head.
Stung by her obstinate and con
l. temptuous silence, and evident desire
to annoy him, and irritated by the
: memories of many similar scenes
Maiveuil was seized by one of those
g terrible fits of anger which sometimes
: attack quiet and peaceful men and
d make them more formidable than the
a habitually hot-tempered.
: With white face and clenched teetl
g he strobe to his wifes side, raised hi!
hammer and brought 1t down heavily
8 upon the beautiful face that was look
$ ing up to him in terror-from the mir
e ror. Then he attacked the other mir
s rors, and did not stop until every on,
d was shattered. When all were broke,
r he threw down his hammer. seize,
= MARITIME by the shoulders and com
n PEELED her to lift her head and con
t. front him.
When you wish to see yourself,
It he said. look in my eyes. They ar,
e the only mirror that you shall hav,
e from this day forth. Use it or no,
2. as you choose"
Then he strobe out of the room ant
l. locked the door,
$ And were they unhappy seve,
II years?" Marie asked.