The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-04-08
THE MIRROR.

! girls OF the village, and all the young
men envied Johan his possession Of
her.
But on the day Of the wedding as
the young pair were leading process
sion to the little church an officer Of
the law stepped ,up to Rena and laid
a rough hand on her shoulder. She,
the groom, the peasant attendants,
stood aghast. But the officer, never
faltering In his duty, led her away and
locked her up in a cell.
Instead Of becoming a bride Rena
became a convict. Her lover. con-
vinced of her guilt, turned away from
her when the judge pronounced the
sentence, and she went to her prison
home without a word of either SYM
pathy or reproach from him. Only her
poor mother befriended her. wept over
her, encouraged her.
Rena in prison fell into a stupor. She
hardly knew when it was day and
when it was night She hardly
thought. After awhile she began to
realize her position. She raved and
| tried to dash out her brains against
| the wall of her cell. But sudden
thought came over her-a thought With
which was allied heaven born hope.
Her beauty-would she destroy it!
What use would it ever be to her?
Then a possible future reunion with
the lover who had come so near being
her husband occurred to her. In ten
years she would be free.
| She knew that she was innocent and
she knew the girl who had committed
the crime for which she was accused.
But what could she. a prisoner, do to
prove the real criminal? For ten years
her hands would be tied. Then per-
haps she could begin to weave the
thread Of evidence. And If she sue
ceeded? Suppose JChan were still
without a sweetheart? All then she
would need her beauty. She would not
mar it by striking her head against the
wall.
From that moment her looks were
all to her But there was no way Of
watching it to note If it waned. One
article of toilet was denied the women
prisoners, mirror. Often they would
plead with their jailers for the coveted
glass, but 1t was never granted them.
AS the years passed Rena more and
more lOnged to see reflection of her
features She asked her fellow pris-
oners II her cOmeliness were growing
less The most kindly of them told her
that she was every day more beauti-
full A few inhuman beings told her
she was growing homely. Which
should she believe? Oh. for bit Of
mirror, even the tiniest. to get one
glimpse Of her face!
Rena was seventeen when she was
sentenced and had served nine years
without ever having had that glimpse.
Her hair had been cut when she en-
tered the prison and was not long
enough for her to see it. One day a
hair came out in her hand. 1t was
white. She pulled out another. It. too,
was white. They were all white. A
prison official came along the corridor.
She stretched forth her hands and
with streaming eyes implored him to
bring her for just one moment mir
ror. He shook his head and passed on.
The tenth year had half passed and
Rena was looking forward to freedom
and possible vindication when one
day an official came to her and told
her that the girl who had committed
the crime was dead and before her
death she had confessed all to priest.
AS soon as the formal legal papers
could be executed the innocent one
would be permitted to leave the prison.
Then came word from Johan that he
had loved Rena always, though he had
believed her guilty. He had tried to
conquer his love, but 1t had grown
stronger each year. He would not be
free to come to her till the next day,
but he would come then.
Rena dreaded the meeting. When
her lover would see that her beauty
had gene, that her hair was white, he
would surely turn away from her.
She did not ask for a mirror now; she
dreaded to see what her face was like.
She would wait and note by her lovers
expression when he saw her whether 1t
was pleasing or disagreeable.
The hours till he came were hours of
torture. She had but little hope that
any Of her beauty remained and be-
lieved that her face was as wrinkled
as her hair was white. But wait She
would see what 1t was in Johan's eyes.
She sent word to him to bring a mir
TOR when he came.
fJuhan was there at last. A jaler
came to Rena's cell and said she was
wanted. He led her to a reception
room, where she stood alone. A door
opened, and a man with grizzly hair
and h&bitual melancholy stamped on
his face entered. He stopped, looked
at Rena eagerly as though confused
between two pictures-pictures Of the
then and the now. Presently pleas
urable expression began to steal over
his features as a pleasing dawn rises
In the sky, and. starting forward, he
took her In his arms.
"Ny-my"-she gasped-"is 1t all
gone, Johan? For tie love Of God tell
me,. and tell me trulyv'
"It is different, sweetheart. There
is a yspisn did contrast Of young face
and snowy hair. Here, look for your
self"
He held up a mirror. Rena turned
away her face.
"Don't be afraid. You will bc
pleased"
Rena turned and looked. For mo-
nnnt she saerned Stunned nv her white