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<v Speaker 1>Quicksilver Cassandra by J. K. Baines. It was altogether queer,

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<v Speaker 1>and Jingleberry to this day does not entirely understand it.

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<v Speaker 1>He had examined his heart as carefully as he knew how,

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<v Speaker 1>and had arrived at the entirely reasonable conclusion that he

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<v Speaker 1>was in love. He had every symptom of that malady

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<v Speaker 1>when Miss Marian Chapman was within range of his vision.

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<v Speaker 1>There was room for no one else there. He suffered

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<v Speaker 1>from that peculiar optical condition which enabled him to see

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<v Speaker 1>but one thing at a time when she was present,

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<v Speaker 1>and she was that one thing, which was probably the

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<v Speaker 1>reason why in his mind's eye she was the only

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<v Speaker 1>woman in the world, For Marian was ever present before

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<v Speaker 1>Jingleberry's mental optic He had also examined as thoroughly as

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<v Speaker 1>he could in hypothesis the heart of this only woman,

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<v Speaker 1>and he had, or thought he had, which amounts to

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<v Speaker 1>the same thing reason to believe that she reciprocated his affection.

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<v Speaker 1>She certainly seemed glad always when he was about. She

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<v Speaker 1>called him by his first name, and sometimes quarreled with

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<v Speaker 1>him as she quarreled with no one else. And if

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<v Speaker 1>that wasn't a sign of love in a woman. Then

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<v Speaker 1>Jingleberry had studied the sex all his ears, and they

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<v Speaker 1>were thirty two for nothing. In short, Marian behaved so

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<v Speaker 1>like a sister to him that Jingleberry, knowing how dreams

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<v Speaker 1>and women go by contraries, was absolutely sure that a

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<v Speaker 1>sister was just the reverse from that relationship which in

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<v Speaker 1>her heart of hearts she was willing to assume towards him.

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<v Speaker 1>And he was happy in consequence. Believing this, it was

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<v Speaker 1>not at all strange that he should make up his

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<v Speaker 1>mind to propose marriage to her, though like many other men,

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<v Speaker 1>he was somewhat chicken hearted in coming to the point.

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<v Speaker 1>Four times had he called upon Marian for the sole

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<v Speaker 1>purpose of asking her to become his wife, and four

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<v Speaker 1>times had he led up to the point and then

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<v Speaker 1>talked about something else. What quality it is in man

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<v Speaker 1>that makes a coward of him in the presence of

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<v Speaker 1>one he considers his dearest frith friend is not within

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<v Speaker 1>the province of this narrative to determine, but Jingleberry had

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<v Speaker 1>it in its most virulent form. He had often got

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<v Speaker 1>so far along in his proposal as Marian or will

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<v Speaker 1>you will you? And there he had as often stopped

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<v Speaker 1>contenting himself with such commonplace conclusions as go to the

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<v Speaker 1>matina with me tomorrow, or ask your father for me

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<v Speaker 1>if he thinks the stock market is likely to strengthen soon,

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<v Speaker 1>and other amazing substitutes for the words he so ardently

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<v Speaker 1>desired yet feared to utter. But this afternoon, the one

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<v Speaker 1>upon which the extraordinary events about to be narrated took place,

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<v Speaker 1>Jingleberry had called resolved not to be balked in his

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<v Speaker 1>determination to learn his fate. He had come to propose,

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<v Speaker 1>and propose he would ruat caleum. His confidence in a

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<v Speaker 1>successful termination to his suit had been reinforced that very

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<v Speaker 1>morning by the receipt of a note from miss Chapman

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<v Speaker 1>asking him to die with her parents and herself that evening,

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<v Speaker 1>and to accompany them after dinner to the opera. Surely

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<v Speaker 1>that meant a great deal, and Jingleberry conceived that the

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<v Speaker 1>time was ripe for a blushing yes to his long

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<v Speaker 1>deferred question. So he was here in the Chapman parlor

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<v Speaker 1>waiting for the young lady to come down and become

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<v Speaker 1>the recipient of the interesting interrogatory, as it is called

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<v Speaker 1>in some sections of Massachusetts. I'll ask her the first

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<v Speaker 1>thing said Jingleberry, buttoning up his Prince Albert as though

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<v Speaker 1>to impart a possibly needed stiffening to his backbone. She

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<v Speaker 1>will say yes, and then I shall enjoy the dinner

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<v Speaker 1>and the opera so much. The more, ahem, I wonder

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<v Speaker 1>if I am pale? I feel sort of. There's a

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<v Speaker 1>mirror that will tell. Jingleberry walked to the mirror, an oval,

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<v Speaker 1>gilt framed mirror such as was very much the vogue

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<v Speaker 1>fifty years ago, for which reason alone no doubt, it

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<v Speaker 1>was now admitted to the golden white parlor of the

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<v Speaker 1>House of Chapman. Blessed these mirrors, said Jingleberry, gazing at

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<v Speaker 1>the reflection of his face, so reassuring. I'm not at

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<v Speaker 1>all pale. Quite the contrary, I'm red as a sunset.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Omen that the sun is setting on my bachelor days,

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<v Speaker 1>and my scarf is crooked. Ah. The ejaculation was one

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<v Speaker 1>of pleasure. For Pictured in the mirror, Jingleberry saw the

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<v Speaker 1>form of Marian entering the room through the Poortierre. How

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<v Speaker 1>do you do, Marian? Been admiring myself in the glass,

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<v Speaker 1>he said, turning to greet her. I er here he

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<v Speaker 1>stopped as well he might, for he addressed. No one,

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<v Speaker 1>Miss Chapman was nowhere to be seen. Dear me, said Jingleberry,

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<v Speaker 1>rubbing his eyes in astonishment. How extraordinary I surely thought

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<v Speaker 1>I saw her. Why I did see her, that is,

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<v Speaker 1>I saw her reflection in the glad ha. She caught

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<v Speaker 1>me gazing at myself there and has hidden. He walked

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<v Speaker 1>to the door and drew the portiere aside and looked

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<v Speaker 1>into the hall. There was no one there. He searched

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<v Speaker 1>every corner of the hall and of the dining room

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<v Speaker 1>at its end, and then returned to the parlor, but

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<v Speaker 1>it was still empty. And then occurred the most strangely

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<v Speaker 1>unaccountable event in his life. As he looked about the parlor,

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<v Speaker 1>he for the second time found himself before the mirror.

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<v Speaker 1>But the reflection therein, though it was of himself, was

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<v Speaker 1>of himself with his back turn to his real self

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<v Speaker 1>as he stood gazing amazedly into the glass. And besides this,

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<v Speaker 1>although Jingleberry was alone in the real parlor, the reflection

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<v Speaker 1>of the dainty room showed that there he was not

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<v Speaker 1>so for Seated in her accustomed graceful attitude in the

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<v Speaker 1>reflected arm chair was nothing less than the counterfeit presentment

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<v Speaker 1>of Marian Chapman herself. It was a wonder Jingleberry's eyes

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<v Speaker 1>did not fall out of his head, he stared. So

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<v Speaker 1>what a situation it was to be sure to stand

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<v Speaker 1>there and see in the glass a scene which, as

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<v Speaker 1>far as he could observe, had no basis in reality.

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<v Speaker 1>And how interesting it was for Jingleberry to watch himself

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<v Speaker 1>going through the form of chatting pleasantly there in the

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<v Speaker 1>mirror's depths with the woman he loved. It almost made

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<v Speaker 1>him jealous, though the reflected Jingleberry was so entirely independent

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<v Speaker 1>of the real Jingleberry, the jealousy soon gave way to consternation,

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<v Speaker 1>for to the wondering suitor, the independent reflection was beginning

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<v Speaker 1>to do that for which he himself had come. In

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<v Speaker 1>other words, there was a proposal going on there in

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<v Speaker 1>the glass, and Jingleberry enjoyed the novel sensation of seeing

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<v Speaker 1>how he himself would look when passing through a similar ordeal. Altogether, However,

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<v Speaker 1>it was not as pleasing as most novelties are, for

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<v Speaker 1>there were distinct signs in the face of the mirrored

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<v Speaker 1>Marian that the mirrored Jingleberry's words were distasteful to her,

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<v Speaker 1>and that the proposition he was making was not one

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<v Speaker 1>she could entertain under any circumstances. She kept shaking her head,

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<v Speaker 1>and the more she shook it, the more the glazed

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<v Speaker 1>Jingleberry seemed to implore her to be his. Finally, Jingleberry

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<v Speaker 1>saw his quicksilver counterpart fall upon his knees before Marian

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<v Speaker 1>of the glass, and hold out his arms and hands

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<v Speaker 1>towards her in an attitude of prayerful despair. Whereupon the

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<v Speaker 1>girl sprang to her feet, stamped her left foot furiously

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<v Speaker 1>upon the floor, and pointed the unwelcome lover to the door.

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<v Speaker 1>Jingleberry was fairly staggered. What could be the meaning of

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<v Speaker 1>so extraordinary a freak of nature? Surely it must be prophetic.

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<v Speaker 1>Fate was kind enough to warn him in advance, no

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<v Speaker 1>doubt otherwise it was a trick. And why should she

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<v Speaker 1>stoop to play so paltry a trick as that upon him.

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<v Speaker 1>Surely Fate would not be so petty. No, it was

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<v Speaker 1>a warning. The mirror had been so affected by some

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<v Speaker 1>supernatural agency that it divined and reflected that which was

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<v Speaker 1>to be. Instead of confining itself to what Jingleberry called simultaneity,

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<v Speaker 1>it led, Instead of following or acting coincidentally with the reality,

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<v Speaker 1>and it was the part of wisdom, he thought, for

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<v Speaker 1>him to yield to its suggestion and retreat. And as

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<v Speaker 1>he thought this, he heard a soft, sweet voice behind him.

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<v Speaker 1>I hope you haven't got tired of waiting, Tom, it said,

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<v Speaker 1>and turning jingle Berry saw the unquestionably real Marian standing

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<v Speaker 1>in the doorway. No, he answered shortly. I have had

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<v Speaker 1>a pleasant, very entertaining ten minutes, but I must hurry along. Marian,

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<v Speaker 1>he added, I only came to tell you that I

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<v Speaker 1>have a frightful headache and er I can't well manage

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<v Speaker 1>to come to dinner or go to the opera with

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<v Speaker 1>you tonight. Why, Tom, pouted Marian. I am awfully disappointed.

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<v Speaker 1>I had counted on you, and now my whole evening

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<v Speaker 1>will be spoiled. Don't you think you can rest a

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<v Speaker 1>little while and then come. Well, I want to, Marian,

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<v Speaker 1>said Jingleberry. But to tell the truth, I really am

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<v Speaker 1>afraid I am going to be ill. I've had such

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<v Speaker 1>a strange experience this afternoon. Tell me what it was,

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<v Speaker 1>suggested Marian sympathetically, and Jingleberry did tell her what it was.

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<v Speaker 1>He told her the whole story, from beginning to end,

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<v Speaker 1>what he had come for, how he had happened to

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<v Speaker 1>look in the mirror, and what he saw there. And

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<v Speaker 1>Marian listened attentively to every word he said. She laughed

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<v Speaker 1>once or twice, and when he had done, she reminded

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<v Speaker 1>him that mirrors have a habit of reversing everything. And

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<v Speaker 1>somehow or other, Jingleberry's headache went, and well everything went,

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<v Speaker 1>end of a quicksilver Cassandra