Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-06
CYNTHIA.
ny MARY SWEET POTTER.

reDOunu.
She missed the brother and sister
naturally, but when two years passed
and they had not written to her more
than half dozen times, she could not
but feel less desire for their compan-
ionship than at first. Indeed, search
ing her mind, she found little in it but
content,
She had worked hard indoors and
out, and as a result she found her
self, in addition TO her contented
mind, possessed Of perfect health and
q bank book.
Still, on that second anniversary,
it seemed to Cynthia that she would
have given much to see her young
brother and sister walk in and seat
themselves at her lonely dinner table.
For the first time since their departure
she gave way to fit Of crying that
was childish in its intensity, as she
sat waiting for her dinner to cook.
Two cold noses were thrust inqnir-
ingly into her face, and the tide was
turned in a measure.
She placed hand on each beautiful
head and looked in the honest eyes.
'How can / call myself alone when
have you dear, faithful creatures?"
She was still caressing them when
they suddenly left her side aud rushed
out OF doors with short, quick barks of
alarm.
Jumbo was very large dog and
Saracen rather particular as to who
came on the premises; so Cynthia has
tened after them, for fear the visitor
might be frightened. When she
reached the big gate post, Saracen was
growing in way to terrify a
stranger.
AT first Cynthia saw no one, but al
most Immediately battered sun hat
came into sight, followed by the entire
figure of a little girl.
"Please, ma'am, may come in a
minute?" she asked, her voice trem-
bling with fear.
"Why, surely" Cynthia replied.
''Come right along; the dogs shan't
hurt you. BE good now, boys; don't
you see how little she is?"
Thus there entered into Cynthia's
domain the palest, slenderest child she
had ever seen. She had the appear
ance Of child of 10, yet, as Cynthia
soon learned, she was nearly Il.
She was ragged and dirty, with the
look in her eyes of starved ami
NAL"
INV poor child, who are you?"
asked Cynthia.
'Pm Annie Gray"
"Where did you come from?"
"New York"
"How did you get here?"
81 walked, ma'am. I've been walk
ing three days and sleeping under
sheds, stopping along asking for q
place to stay and work; please, ma am,
have you anything / could do?"
"Come in, child, come in. Wen
see about the work later. Dinner is
just ready to take up. and we must
attend to that first"
The little girl stepped inside the
door with alacrity. Cynthia fastened
to set the table and serve the warm,
substantial meal. Then, while they
ate it together, she listened TO what
the child had to say about herself
with warm interest.
'T'm sorry my clothes are not
nicer, ma'am, but they are all / have,
so could not wash them very well.
washed my hands and face, though,
in the beautiful brooks all along the
way. Oh, that was so NIGEL / was al
ways clean before my mother died.
You see, ma'am. it was like this" she
continued, with mature manner that
did not sit strangely upon her, spite
of her delicacy. 81 stood it with
father as long as / could. He got
wild after mother died and seemed to
hate mo. 1 wanted to stay and keep
house for him, but-see this, ma'am,
and this"-exhibiting purple spots
on her arm and shoulder. "But. dear
me, he didn't know he did it. 1t was
all that awful drink.
Seeming to see Cynthia's horror
and disgust for the man she was ex-
cusing, her loyalty took alarm.
Indeed, ma'am, you mustn't think
my father was bad. He was always
kind to mother and never struck me-
blow till after she died and he began
to drink. oh, 1 feel so sorry for poor
fatherp
Cynthia was doubtful as to so much
sympathy being deserved by the man
who could so forget his duty TO his
motherless child, but somehow she
could not find it in her heart to say
what she thought to the loyal little
daughter who sought to defead him.
Indeed. she saw to il that the hun
ger OF the girl was satisfied; then she
took her upstairs 10 a chest contain