The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-07-27
A RUSTIC VICTIM

ITS too bad. It really Is 7" said Miss
Dashington, sympathisingly. How
selfish in your aunt TO want TO carry
you of to such a miserable, barbRrous,
out-of-the-world p~lacel"
II shall die there. / know I shalli"
said Sylvia Markham, hysterica1ly.
There's not another house within q
mile, nor a gentleman within twenty
Awful l" said her friend, In unAf-
fected horror. "Why. what could have
put such an idea into Miss Markham,s
head P"
"Oh, she fancies her health to hs
failing, and that country air-Deyon-
shire airs the only thing that will
benefit her. She was born closs to
Dartmoor herself. and is some far-awzy
kin to these fnffner's people, u
III l were you. dear. I'd refuse to
CO."
And be cut mi Of her will Pr
We'll. that Is a consideration. Of
course. And. after all. 1t may not prove
so bad Is you expect"
And so. with ELUSIVE embraces, che
two friends parted-one to enjoy her.
self ut . fashionable summer resort,
and the other to accompany her rich
old aunt 10 the Devonshirs farm.
II Sylvia has been q lover of nature,
she would have enjoyed the picturesque
scenery in the midst OF which she found
herself-the misty, broad cxpanse Of
moor the cool, shady woods the vel
vety meadows, and romantic littla
stream which ran through the farm
lands.
But she had no love for nature, and
to her all these things meant only unut-
terable dreariness and loneliness. She
loved excitement, loved society. and.
above all things. loved to be admired
and adored by the men," and to show
her power over them.
In q word, the, proud, dainty beauty
was a consummatc flirt and coquet, and
found her chief pleasure in e~ndeavoring
to f%ascinate every man she met with,
only for tho triumph of showing tho
power Of her charms.
But alas! ut Tallant Farm, Miss Mark
ham found her occupation gone. There
were Mr.. Higham and his iaborers, and
the doctor who attended her aunt-n
married man, with seven small children
and a sallow dyspeptic-looking curate
who sometimes called, and who, the
first time he saw her, cast a keen, dis
approving glance At her airy draperies.
Besides these, nothing in the shape Of
human ~masculinity presented itself In
The first week Of her stay at the farm.
But at the end Of the week Richard
came home. He was the sole son and
heir of the house of Higham-his fathers
I.ope. his mothers pride and Joy.
He had gone for a two weeks visit to
his grandmother in Plymouth, md had
carried her a present Of a key of cider
and a Bible in large type; but he was
coming home now
The place hadn't looked the same
since he went away, and father seemed
lost-like on the farm without him-he
was such n help, and always so smart
and willing.
So one day Dick came home, and at
supper time Sylvia was introduced to
him.
He was = tall, lank youth. of perhaps
'wo-and mtg. with very sloPing
shoulders. long. fair hair, long neck,
long aquiline nose, fair and somewhai
freckled face, and largo, mild blue eyes.
His clothes hung rather loosely upor
him. and his sleeves were at least or
inch too short.
He bowed awkwardly, in acknowl
Judgement of his mothers introduction,
and looked as IL doubtful whether OF
mot to shake hands.
1t was clear to see that he was q little
overcome by the beauty and elegance
'of his mothers fair guest. and his eye,
were wandering toward her all during
the meal in a kind Of admiring awe.
He helped her prodigally to every.
Mining that she would accept, and sum.
moned courage to remark that she
hadn't much OF m appetite. but he
had heard say that Lunnon folks never
had any wholesome relish for vituals.
There was q girl down where hc had
been to-her name was Susie Weston
who ate q dozen lamb and parsley pas.
ties Mt one sittin' and, never felt 1t and
that was the right sort Of o girl 70,
eatin'. He didn't doubt but that whcr
Miss Sylvy had been in tho fields :
month she'd be able 10 outdo Susie
Their air was powerful for givin' OF
appetite"
Under other circumstances Miss Mark
ham would In the least have
noticed Dick Higham ; but In the mar
row compass Of . farm house, and re
stricted to n dependence npon hin
solely for gallant attentions, she coult
not avoid noticing him. She was OK.
cessively amused at him. He was &c
unsophisticated. o innocent-looking. &C
marveliously green. And how no I'd.
mired her. She wa used to admirn,
ton but admiration such a. this. full
Of distant, bashful, wondering, adorinp
awe-this was what sho had nevei
before received.
! And then tho brilliant idea occurred