The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-14
MISS CYNTHIA MISSIONER.

Interesting Career of the Secretary to the
Superintendent OF the Street Cleaning
Bureau In New York City.
In the Office of the superintendent of
the street cleaning bureau in New York
there is a young woman of rare accom-
plishments and self-reliancc, the latter
trait having been developed, without
question, by her experience in the west,
when that section was far woolier and
wilder than it is to-day. The lady is
Miss Cynthia Westover, private sccre-
tary to Superintendent Hans Beattie
and his most trusted assistant. Her
knowledge of languages enables her to
communicate directly with all the labor
crs employed by the bureau, and her tact
brings about the easy settlement of dis
putes that otherwise would occasion a
great deal Of friction. Miss Westover's
father was professor of geology, and
before she was seven years old she ac-
companied a party under the direction
of her father on trip to the Rocky
mountains The party was snowbound
and for six months she went about on
snow shoes.
The strangest incident in her life
happened when she was only eleven
-ears old. She was ont with her father
and party prospecting near the Rocky
mountains II was her custom to roam
about pretty much as she pleased, and,
rs many dangers always threatened in
this country. she carried a revolver. In
the party was a boy a year or SO young
cr than herself, and this little child was
in the habit of following her about
One day she strayed with this boy at
her heels some distance from the point
selected by the party for camp. She
stopped to examine curious bit Of
earth, and the boy ran on ahead of her.
When she rose to follow him she saw
nm Indian skulking along after the boy
with a tomahawk in his hand She
drew her revolver and ran after the In
dim, who suddenly raised his toma-
hawk and made Il dash for the boy
At the same instant Miss Westover's re-
volver cracked and the Indian tumbled
in his tracks.
On another occasion she was out with
surveying party. and the Indians
came upon them and hemmed them in.
The white men were few in number
and the Indians were many. There was
one chance for the party to escape, and
that was to get word to the soldiers at
the station, some miles distant. Miss
Vestover undertook to perform this
perilous task. She mounted her horse.
and. leaving the camp began going
around it in er-widenlng circles. The
Indians saw child on horse and
thought no more of it, and they did not
pay much attention when she dashed
away and disappeared. She accom-.
plislled her errand and brought the sol.
diers to the rescue.
When Miss Westover's desire to take
the course in the Colorado State uni
vcrsity became known to the cowboys
in the section where she was they con.
tributed a purse to aid her. Then she
taught school in Colorado, and in lsS.
went to New York and entered as q
student in Columbia college. In lsS,
she passed n civil service examination
and was given an inspectrcss' place un
der Mr.. Beattie, who was then surveyor
of the port. Miss Westover speaks
French, Italian. Spanish and German.
She is fine contralto singer and was a
member of the choir of st. Michaers
church in Jersey City,-Chicago Post