Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-10-17
CYNTHIA's MISTAKE.

Cynthia Copley. dolefully.
"Good creation!'' retorted Uncle
Phineas (fOr sh0rtness known as "Fin")'
.'what did you expect9 I told you, didn''
I, that it was out on the shores Of Lake
Umbagog, without ? house for two milei
around ?"
"Oh, yes. know" said Cynthia, with
little shudder, "but didn't know about
the bald eagles screaming, and tho horrid
mooses with their big horns. and the lap
lap Of the water on the shore declare,
sometimes it seems as 1t should 60 mad
in this horrible solitude -
you'll get used to it arter awhile. :
said Uncle Fin. who was cleaning bis
gun-barrel with piece Ut one OF his old
shirts. II did ~
"But you aren't woman, Uncle Fin
81 declare to goodness, never thought
of that!' said the old man, with q chuckle'
sit is pretty rough on q woman to have
nobody to talk to-now. isa't? Wal, II
you'll get into the boat arter supper, I'll
take you over to see Indian Oscelita. It'll
only three miles round the point, and
she'll show you how to stuff birds, and d.
fancy.work with their quilts, and play or
the mandolin, and all that sort OF thing
She's a right smart gal. Oscslita Ia, and
pretty in the bargain. She's Pilot Johns
darter, and her mother was the handsom.
est Indian woman hereabout.
"Thank you E' said Miss Cynthia, draw
ing herself up. ''but am not yet reduced
60 low as to seek the association of an In
dian sQuaw."
"Oh. 60 along!' said good-natured
Uncle Fla. "Ossy amt that. Her mother
was as white az most white women. and
her father is fine-lookin' old chap yet
He was Maine lumberman, till he took
to runnin' the little steamer through the
lakes. just wish you could see the pref
ty little cabin they live In, all covered
with morning. glories."
II have no desire to see It," said Gym
thia. pursuing up her thin lips.
.Ossy 10 comm round here some day &c
visit you, she says" hazarded Uncle Fin
s.She may as well save herself the
trouble" observed Miss Copley.
"Oh-h-h!" said Uncle Fin, with pro-
longed whistle. You're too genteel to
scrape spoons with Indian Osceiits. oh
Well, do declare there amt no findin'
out the ways Of women -
And he laughed at intervals all the
evening. and chuckled between whites, to
the intense discontinue OF his niece.
Miss Cynthia Copley had been the village
dressmskers at Weldon Falls, In the state
o. Rhode leland, until newer and more
genteel interpreter of the fashions crowd
Ell her out.
There were eleven of them in the house.
ho'd nest, and when Cynthia come home,
with hacking cough and nothing to do,
it made = little awkwardness.
But just then arrived Uncle Fin, brown,
beaming and uproariously good'natured.
''Eleyen, eh ?" he said to his calewOrn
brother. "Just the right number; not
Que too many. And il Cynthia's delicate,
Just send her out to spend summer With
me on the shores of Lake UmbagoQ.
Thatql set her right. il anything will.
Why, bless your heart. man, there's
health in every Whit of the pine-woods,
and red cheeks in every gale that comes
across the waterl live there alone, like
Robinson Crusoe; but it amt bad place,
and Cynthyll be as welcome as flowers 10
May"
So Cynthia Copley packed her wardrobs
Of frills, flounces, Jerseys and other feml.
nine appurtenances. with set of croquet
and an outfit of lawn-tennis. somes shelly
ing boards and botanical cases, and the
last new novels, and came to Lake I'm
bagog.
''Of course there are plenty of tourists
thele ;" she thought. exultaatly, to herself
dreaming vague visions Of returning home
with hat trimmed with orange-blossoms
and an Apollo-vieaged young man ia bel
train.
But, alas, she had been month at Pint
Point, and not a soul had come near ths
place, except two or three leather-faced
old hunters. crooked beldam, gathering
herbs and simples and two showmen. II
search of q fac specimen moose for thell
collection.
Was it any wonder that the demon
Inconsistencies took possession OF mel
heart !?
Uncle Fin, ON his part. had not beer
entirely without the panes OF disappoint
ment. Cynthia was not much compan!
for him after all. She could not cook hal
30 we'll as he could; she mended his stock