Lifted Masks

Lifted Masks (1912) contains 13 well written, moving short stories by Susan Glaspell. Appetizer—a summary from chapter I. "ONE OF THOSE IMPOSSIBLE AMERICANS": a big fat American tries to buy extravagant clothes to his wife on his trip in Paris. He is lost in shopping, when Virginia, a young and small American girl comes to his aid. She looks down on him, who could be his father, but they spend the afternoon and a lot of money together. When they have a break, he shares his story with her: "Young Lady, what do you think of this? I'm worth more 'an a million dollars—and my wife gets up at five o'clock every morning to do washing and scrubbing." They were poor for 20 years and her wife was too faithful in her duties serving him. For 7 years she was not able adjust to being rich, and apparently lost her mind. This makes his heart sore, since he cannot share the joy with his wife. Virginia is deeply touched by that, and now she is eager to find the perfect gift for his wife.