Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-05-30
LIFE AND DEATH IN 4 CIRCUS,
CHAPTER Z,
BY AMYE ISEADE

Cynthia Dawson. the farmers only
daughter, was struck by the beauty OF
| the early autumn day; and as she sat by
her fathers side in the old, clumsy wagon
drawn by the plodding gray mare, she
mad plenty of time to admire the glorious
panorama before her. 1t was two long
years since she had gazed ut the familiar
nelds and the old homestead which she
| nad always known as home. Those two
years had been spent in fashionable
| school, for Farmer Dawson was very
proud of his girl, the child of his dead wife,
and nothing was spared in order that she
should be educated like lady. She
breakfasted in the old kitchen. She fol-
lowed Aunt Pamela to the well-kept
dairy, and listened to that good body 3
description why one pan of cream was
rich and yellow. and why another was
white and thick She exerted herself to
seem interested in the number of fowls
which We're laying and the price butter
was fetching.
But Cynthia was changed. That which
had been a pleasure now assumed a diff
ferent aspect. She was very dull. Before
she left home the boy pupils of the clergy
man near by had been her stanch allies.
now there were no companions for her,
and so the days hung very heavily. She
called there once. and learned that there
was only one fresh pupil. John Hayward.
and dreadfully wild young fellow he
was, to judge from the account the min
listers wife gave of him. One day Gym
thia came across one who, as it CHANGED,
aroused her interest in this young man
whom she had not yet seen.
A finer girl than Cynthia physically.
If not mentally, was Mary Armstrong.
daughter of a horse breeder whose farm
was in the neighborhood The two girls
were of about the same age-sixteen--
and they had known each other as play
mates before Cynthia's departure to
boarding school. If they had met again
on the day of Cynthia's return, that we'll
educated young lady would surely have
scorned openly the alf-schooled and
wholly unconventional Mary; but now,
after lapse of week, Cynthia was lone.
somely ready to chat with anybody
And Mary" she said. after they had
talked awhile. do you ride your fathers
horses as recklessly as you used top
Not so recklessly, if you mean astride
like boy" was the laughing reply. II
use side-saddle now. and wear habit
though I'm bound to say that they're a
nuisance"
"Then likely it was you saw galloping
over the hill yesterday. There was
gentleman with YOU"
Eyes. John Hayward"
Instantly Cynthia was alert. She saw
by the slight heightening of color in
Mary's always fresh complexion and the
momentary droop of the heavy lashes
over her big brown eyes that John Hay
ward was something sentimental to her;
SO she adopted the method of sudden at
tack to get at the truth.
Mary" she said, smiling. "you and this
Mr.. Hayward are sweethearts eh?''
The method proved successful, for
Mary replied: "After fashion, yes. I'm
in love with him, and think he is in love
with me. That's a secret, Cynthia, to
be kept between you and me until he
makes proposal, which l count on his
doing very soon. Oh, Cynthia, he is a
glorious fellow, and l do indeed love
him."
John Hayward proved to be, as Gym
thia estimated him on acquaintance. a
glorious fellow" handsome. dashing and
rich. She resolved at once that he should
marry her. Resolute and heartless, she
bewitched him in month, and by her re-