Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-04
+" Miss Cynthia" said be, at length, " did

Very"
Then came q pause. Darn it-I wish
she'd help me out" said Seth in his own tho't
/" The little mink knows what want to say,
and she might help me to say it,"
What man has not thought this before now,
at courting time-and wished to borrow femi-
nine tact, and the larger experience of women,
to help him out of the slough of despond he
is beginning to sink into? What man would
not give the world to know how the last man
who offered himself to her, got through with
it?
"Ever see an owl ?" said Seth, at length,
falling back upon his own resources
"Often, Mr. Seth" lisped pretty Cynthia.
" It's got big eyes-ain't it, now Z"
Very big eyes," said she.
Seth grew angry. Angry with himself no
doubt but anger, like Phebus Apollo at
sunset, glows brightest in reflection He
thought it mean shame" she wouldn't
'help him out while she sat there, looking
" good enough to eat" and laughing at him,
as even his blunt perception told him, whilst
her attention was apparently bestowed upon
the shirt-sleeve He wished it was his shirt
she was stitching so assiduously. He stirred
I'D the ashes on the hearth, and almost made
uD his Ullliu lil1G uC W al SOIh- ~ EiNC HIL
another chance at him = but Cynthia dropped
her cotton-ball, and Seth, not rising from his
chair, stretched ont his long, lahk 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 feel all over
ever So" as he some time afterwards ex
pressed the sensation to me.
Miss Cynthia, may be you are fond of
maple candy -
Very" said she.
well, now" said Seth, the next time
come, I'll try aud bring YOU great gob.'
But as he rode home, behind his old farm
mare, he said to himself, al reckon | amt go
ing back to court gal who sees feller in
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 she wished him back again. 1t is the
way of women to want the thing that can't
be had At least, men say, if not in prac-
tice, in theory, and Cynthia's mouth watered,
I dare say. for many week after, for that
COB of maple candy.
TIE MoRAL-Let every man, oh pretty
girl, pay court to you in his own way, and
not in your way and help him ont at that :;
being sure, however, that you are in harmony
with his mode of procedure. Never disturb
ice-cream when it is going to freeze nor lit
the pot as it begins TO boil nor make false
step aud get out of time when Your partner
is meditatug a rrrers in the deur temps, or the
polka. Many declaration of affection has
been frightened off by some wrong note sung
in the treble of the duet which put it out OF
| harmony.
Cynthia, though so pretty girl and so ex-
perenced in the art of saving " no." to an Of
fer of marriage, had vet good deal to learn
in her own craft aud, indeed no experience
ever primes a woman for the decisive moment.
Each case, must be met on principle, and not
on precedent 1t is our business TO discover,
in this story OF 9 Snp-Snap,@ how far pretty
Cynthia profted by the experience she prided
herself upon in the rejection of her lovers.
Ii was mellow autumn morning, and n
russell glow had tinged the woods at the back
Of 'Sqnire Simpsons homestead. II was Seth
Taggart's wedding day He was to marry
that evening, Susie Chase-a smiling little
rosebud of d wife, to whom he found plenty
Of things to say, as sweet to Susles cars rs to
her lips his maple candy. Cynthia, one of
her best friends, was to be bridesmaid and
as she wished to shine that night. in all her
bravery. aud wanted some new ribbons for her
head-dress, this want tempted her abroad, q
little after noon, when the harvest-heidS were
quiet and the yuked oxen stood relieved from
labor ieisurely chewing the sweet morSei re-
served for that soft, sunny hour OF rest as
men of business used TO do the thought of the
last letter written hy the hand they love, TIL
the burden of the day is laid aside, putting it
apart with all its woman's nOnSenSe, aud half
unreasonable fancies, pure from the contact
of the pile of yellow letters lying on their desk,
offerings upon the shrine of Mamlnon.
Oar pretty Cynthia tripped along her path.
scattered u cloud Of srasShopperS and crckets
as she stepped aud in her silly little pride OF
belIeiood her heart held. though she would
not have confessed the thought, that her rela-
tive value 10 her crowd of beaux was in the
same proportion as that Of Que woman to ma
ny grasShopperS.
At turn in the path she came suddenly on
one of these aimirers-Erank Handy. Frank ;
face flushed. He had been thinking of her
when she surprised him-thlnking OF her all
that day aud through sleeplcSS night; and
in those hours the Cynthia OF his fancy had
smiled on him and laid her gentle hand in has,
and had been gathered to his heart-lt was
shock TO come thus suddenly upon so different
a reality. AT the moment he encountered
her he was indulging himself in an imaginary
love scene. in which he was calling her. IN
heart, My Cynthia, my lore" aud at the
sudden sight of her all such presumptGous IAN
eies fed 10 haste, aud hid themselves, shri"k-
ing ike vari-tinted coral polypi when danger
| approaches-each into the receSses of It's cell
/ beg vour pardon, Miss Cynthia" be
| said. stanInering before he gathered seif-po-
session, aud accustomed himself 10 her pre-
sence. L Was On NY way to make you
call. If you win allow me, viii turn round
and walk with you.'
4 am not going far. Mr. Frank, oaiy int
L. .-;lIa.r, r,- s.nna r;,hnr fnr my hair alsI