The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-01-20
Prem Putnam's Monthly
ENIP-SNAP.

Cynthia Susan Simpson, age eighteen
with the pretty talent of pleasing men
was the acknowledged belle Of the littl,
Marrow Squash valley.
This little talent of pleasing men il
sometimes given by nature as compen
sation for the lack of every other &C
comp!ishmcnt, or means Of procuring
any but this was not the case will
Cynthia, who had good Yankee sense
and vein of sprigh,liness in her com
position, which latter. as l take it, re
quires several other talents for its sup
port, otherwise it soon degcneratcs int
stiffness, whence it sours into vulga
i'll nature in the country girl-in the
lady of society into sarcasm.
Cynthia was pretty, in the FRESHNESS:
of her age American beauty comes
forth like flower, and is cut down.
The loveliness of girlhood rarely ripen:
in the matron. Aud Cynthia was afraid
to risk her loveliness, no doubt fol
whilst she encouraged the attention OF
many "beaux," who, in the language o
her society, event to see her" evening
after evening, at the snug farm house O
her father, whenever any of these swain:
took the opportunity to press upon he1
notice the nature Of his case, and urge
the necessity of its speedy cure, she Gu
the matter short with him
Truth must BE- said, that amongst al
her admirers there was not one who was
a priori--that is, before a reciprocaticu
of his love took place. very desirable
match for her.
The richest was Seth Taggart, who
paid his last visit to her one afternoon,
in brand-new suit of glossy, fine,
black broadcloth. Pretty Cynthia was
alone. and prepared by previous expe.
rience to discern symptoms of an ap.
preaching assault upon the Ma!akoff OF
her affections. She pursed up her pret.
ty little mouth, and sewed, with nimble
| glancing fingers, on the sleeve of one
Of old squire's shirts, of unbleached
cotton, and thought to herself what q
fool Seth Taggart was, and wondered
how he would get out of the fix in which
he found himself, and how he could dare
to think she had given him encourage
ment-and looked-very bewitching-
Poor Seth sat on the verge of his chair
and gazed through the window, which
was open, into the woods, but his was
mind like that of Woodworth's s Pc.
ter
ga promise, on the rivers br.m,
yellow primrose to him,
And nothing more"
He did not find any inspiration in
the woods, SO he began to look into the
ashes.
miss Cynthia" said he at length,
did you ever See crow 20
"Yes, Mr.. Seth" said she, folding
her gusset, and looking down at it de.
murely as mouse.
"Black-ain't t?'' said Seth. VI
VERY"
Then came pause. "Darn i'll
wish she'd help me out" said Seth in
his own thought. "The little mink
knows what l want to say, and she haiyh.
help me to say it,
Wha. man has not thought this be.
fore now, at courting time-and wished
to borrow feminine tact, and the larger
experience of women, to help him out
Of the slough of despond he is begin
ming to sink into? What man would
not give the world to know how the last
man, who offered himself to Eer, get
through with it?
Ever see an owl ?" said Seth, at
length, falling back upon his own re-
sources.
Gotten, Mr.. Seth" "lisped pretty Gym
thia.
Its got big eyes-ain'tit now %
VERY big eyes," said she.
Seth grew angry. Angry with him
self, no doubt; but anger, like Pheebus
Apollo at sunset, g!ows brightest in re-
Election. He thought tia "mean shame, "
she wouldn't 'hel p him out" while she
sat there, looking "good enough to eat, "
and laughing at him, as even his blunt
perception told him, whilst her atteution
was apparently bestowed upon the shirt
sleeve. He wished it was Ills shirt she
was stitching SO assiduously. He stirr-
ed the ashes OH the hearth, and almost
made up his mind that she warn't going
to give her another chance at him ;" but
Cynthia dropped her cotton-ball, and
Seth, not rising from his chair, stretch
ed out his long, lank arm. and picked
it up. He touched her hand as she took
it back, and an electric shock thrilled
through his veins, and made him ''teel
all over-ever so," as he sometime
afterwards expressed the sensation to
me.
"Miss Cynthia, may be you are fond
of maple candy ?"
"Very," said she.
"Well, now," said Seth. rising. "the
next time l come. Ill try and bring you
a great COB"
But as he rode home, behind his old
farm mare, he Said to himself, Il reckon
amt going back to court a gal who sees
a teller in a fix. and never helps him. !"
And sure enough he never did return.
Miss Cynthia lost her richest lover, and
many folks, even to this day, believe
size wished him back again. 1t is the
way Of women to want the thing that
can't be had. At least, SO men say, If
not in practice. in theory. and Cynthia's $
mouth watered. l dare say. for many a
week after, for that COB Of maple
candy.
The MoRAL.-Let every man, oh !!
pretty girl, pay court TO you in his own
way, and not in your way, and help him
out at that; being sure, however, that
you are in harmony with his mode Of
procedure. Mover disturb icc-c,eam
when it is going to freeze nor lift the
not sc IL harms RI hoil NOR mako f,lSa