Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-06-03
CYNTHY.

in the clothes press, won't you? Lucy
Jane bears up well, but she'll feel it.
She thought sight of Dan, and Dan
always was pleasant around the house,
there's no denying that. Lucy James
been good wife. She's got temper
and a good deal of sperrit. but she
needed it all TO make a middlin' good
man of Dan Pierce.
Late years he's leen pretty stiddy.
I'm sure he was old enough TO settle
down, though his father KEEP il up till
eighty, and died in his sins.
DIDN'T go to the grave, and after /
Strengthened up the house, as l set by
the FIRE waitin' for 'em to git back, l
got to ,inkin' about Cynthy. IT'S
curious. ! haven't thought of her III
twenty years, as know of, though long
at first I'd wake up every few nights
dreamin' she wanted something. "Who
was Cynthy 2" Why, Dams first wife.
Didn't you ever hear of her Well, |
don't know as it's anything strange.
She died before your mother was born.
couldn't help wonderin' as / set there
whether she and Dan d meet. 1t don't
seem as ii Heaven would be Heaven to
her il he was / ft ont.
Ill never torglt the first time saw
her. Twas when your grandfather
brought me here. We drove up Jest at
sunset. She was standln' in the door
yard, liftin' her little boy up so he could
catch hold of the lilac branches, and
then they'd swing back into Dams arms
as he stood behind 'em. She had on
white lawn, ard as the slantin' rays of
the sun touched her she looked jest like
one of the roses that was clamberin' all
over the roof, Baltimore Belle, the
name was. They used 10 look dreadful
pretty. Tie bush is dead now. Her
hair jest curled up round her forehead
in little light waves, and she had the
biggest, bluest eyes As we was comm
up the path toward 'em she didn't look
day over sixteen. l asked John who
that beautiful girl was. That pleased
him. "Dan, he called out, " Marg'ret
wants to know what beautiful girl you're
rompin' WITH" Dan pinched her cheek
and says, "D'ye hear that, Cynthy ?"
and she turned as pink My, he seemed
so fond of her But there never was
any real feelin' about Dan. No stabil-
ity. Pretty soon we all went into the
house, and after ! was introduced to the
old Cap'n and Johns stepmother | had
a chance to look ut Cynthy when she
was quiet, and saw that she was older
than I'd thought, and had some faint
| little experience lines in her face
Well, we stayed with the Cap'n's folks
three weeks before onr house was ready.
l wasn't happy, hut tried not to show
| it, for | knew John wanted every thing
-. L. f1l
as long as his farm was in the same
township. | like Mother Pierce well
enough. She was forever in the kitchen,
but she'd . been real kind if she'd had
time Aud the Cap'n was as pleasant to
me as twas IN him to he 10 anybody,
but he Was possessed, if ever a man was.
Cursin' and swearin' and drinkin' when
he was to home, and of, and Dan with
| him, to every horse race and car0use in
the country and such a set as he kept
around the house john wasn't a hit
| ike en-. He'd never lived TO home
much, and was always stidGy. He was
real good and stayed with me as much
as he c. nd, but these wedks went slow.
Cythy was always sweet and pleasant.
/ She flew round, helpin Mother Pierce,
and kept her baby jest as neat as wax,
but she didn't seem to take no real iii
t'rest when Dan was by. When he
come in She jest lighted mp and bloomed
/ Ike. Shed begin t. smile when sine
heard the sound OF his horses feet up
the r,aa. and while he stayed she'd talk
and iaugh and sing (she was a pretty
sing, r.. aud didn't | think little Danny
was lie bis papa sh d say, and she
hoped he'd b, tall like him, too aud
Dan would laugh and throw her kiss
and tell her-no, be never had to tell
her to bring his slippers or drink or
whatever he wanted. 1t used to seem
to me as if she knew what be was goin
to want, and fairly flew to fetch it.
But if the Cap'n happened to come in
she quieted right down. L soon found
ont why. When Dan wasn't in the
house she KEEP out of the old mans way,
but il seemed as if she couldn't be far
from Dan when ne was within reach, 30
she tried to be still so the Cap'n couldn't
find fault with her But twas no use
He had pick at her and he never lost
chance tn show it. | remember one
day Dan had left the room aud she
hadn't had time TO slip ont after
him, when the old Cap'n said to me,
Do you know why Dan brought
his inteIe-tin' Young family and has
been maxim me visit of two or three
years ?" didn't say anything, and he
went oD: "'rwasn' because he was too
shiftle to support EN- (speakin' slow
a nd wafahia., fha rpnnr tEiuu winne Ulaf,