Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1919-11-20
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
Edited BY Professor Erwin.
THE MIRROR ON THE WALL.
By Ben WATSON.

Oh Aunt Lizzie Warrent poured hot
water in the coffee pot, steam rose
and mixed with the gray curling puffs
smoke from her cob pipe. She put a
let in the small adjoining room. He
from the stove she called to pale
little fellow lying on dishevelled pal
let 10 hit small adjoining room. He
slept, so Aunt Lizzie turned back to
the stove muttering to herself.
Here it's agin, Mary gittin' back
late. Taint long now It'll dark" and
she looked out of the window at the
slowly descending dusk.
Autumn leaves fell rustling against
the window glass. Smoke from the
chimney swept around the little shack
on up the side of the mountain. Down
steep path girl descended, with
basket on her arm, going into the door
of the cabin and shutting it behind
her.
"Now Aunt Lizzie, faint no need Nv
yer ter fuss 'roun' bout my bein' late,
cause l was tired and rested ter tn
Inn. They sure lots of folks leavin'
up thar now tn summers over Eagle
Rocks kinder dead, but it warn't no
trouble to sell them eggs. Here's yer
three dollars an two bits" she said
as she united the money from a hand
kerchief and gave it to Aunt Liz
"This amt all Mary, they oughter
be fourbits more fer them eggs.
Whar's the~ rest Nv Their money ?"
Aunt Lizzie took the pipe from her
mouth and blew out the smoke
Aunt Lizzie had hard luck cause
l broke lot Nv tn eggs. I fell on a
rock an l sho am sorry. Please don't
fuss 'ause it warnt my fault" the
girl answered, beginning to sniffle.
""Taint no help fer you an yer
clumsiness. This makes twice you've
broke eggs an lost money. Sammie
amt feelin' well. Pore little fellow,
he's sleep now, with Their fever on
him. The doctor I'll be down ternight."
Saying this, she punched the fire as
Mary went into the bed room. In the
corner out Of sight of the kitchen
door the girl took two quarters and
slipped them into little cardboard
box with more silver, replacing the box
in a dress pocket. Then she moved
to cracked mirror on the wall, took
off her shabby hat and threw it on
the sagging bed. She lighted two
lamps, setting one ON the table; and
holding up the other she went back to
the mirror-patted her hair-stroked
her face, preening. Yes, she was a
beauty. She smiled in the mirror at
her black eyes, her glistening black
hair, he rperfect mouth, even tho
drawn down slightly at the corners,
her faultless teeth. But her skin was
coarse, thus spelling an otherwise per-
feet face. She frowned. But-as she
thought Of how the artist at Eagle
Rock had told her that she would be
supremely beautiful if her skin were
only soft and fair, she smiled again.
She took clipping from her pocket
an dread:
after years of labor, we have per-
pected liquid cosmetic which we pos
itively guarantee to remove all blem-
ishes from the skin and whiten it |
beautifully. Don't let poor complex
ion ruin an otherwise lovely face. Send
for our preparation. $500 a bottle.
The boy on the pallet raised himself |
on his elbow.
"Mary," he said, tits gettin' kinder
chilly in here, can't yer stir up Their
fire? Did yer have good time up
Ter Eagle Rock?"
Going across to the fire place Mary !