Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-01-03
Cynthia's Charm
By MARIA A. CRAWFORD

mo, still like good smoke. You
and father taught me that
'What have the years brought
you?"
knowledge everything"
Il wanted to be near you when your
father died. The thought of you new
er left my mind
Thank you for that 1t was hard.
harder, | think, because there was no.
body to whom could turn. 1t seem
ed so strange to me that the sun kept
shining and the little world of human
ity that daily passed my door went by
unheeding even though my heart was
shrouded in grief 1t seemed so cruel
for the world to go on in its usual
matter-of-fact way. L was the only
one, it appeared, who had been left
out of the scheme OF things"
i would have come to you if had
dared to believe l could serve you"
Il tried to interest myself in bust
ness, travel and books. 1t kept my
heart from breaking"
In all this time, Cynthia, has there
been no man whom you could love
and trust?"
Cynthia's throat was tight. She
waited minute before answering
Yes, there was man. There is
always man, you know"
Can you. can you tell me about
him?"
There is nothing to tell. He didn't
love me- | have measured all the
men have known by his standard
and finding them to fall short, | have
not accepted a substitute, You see /
have closed my gate Of Paradise with
clean though faltering fingers /
could not marry man whom / didn't
love in the same foolish, unworldly
way that | loved-that man"
You haven't moped about, that's
certain, for | have Travelled bit and
have known many women but | have
never known beauty and briliance to
be as We'll blended as ! have found
them in you"
Don't fatter. please" begged Gym
thia.
He was fool not to care How do
you know that he didn't care?"
The look in her eyes at the table
when she had said that she wished he
had loved her burned in his brain and
he urged an answer.
How could you know that he didn't
care?"
Because he never told me-
But perhaps-Oh, Cynthia, dear,
ran away from the pain OF losing you.
Maybe he was like that"
why, why, you laughed when you
told me goodbye" sobbed Cynthia.
suddenly. You laughed
But Thornes< arms were around her
and he was holding her as if he never
meant to give her up again so speech
was impossible.
Women have way of letting men
know. Why didn't you give me
chance, Cynthia?"
Tom" said Cynthia then, Father
told you about Bob Mcconnell to find
out your own attitude. 1t has come
| to me. One birthday you gave me
your picture in a little silver frame.
| | remember that | leased you for it.
kept it on my desk and one night
Father came into my room when l had
it in my hands looking at it. ! be
lieve,' he said, that old Tom is your
not impossible he, daughter. Is it
| true?' he asked and | jumped up
than and threw my arms around his
neck and told him that-that be-
| lieved so, too
Little girl of my heart! Oh. Gym
! thia, | love you"
Across the garden came the voice
of the lady of too many words.
Il suppose they're somewhere out
there in that mad moonlight. / knew
that elder brother business was all
talk. tell you. jim, Thorne's the
man l saw it in Cynthia's eyes"
! Howe" asked Cynthia softly. "To
keep secret for three years and then
to give it away to a dinner partg!"
Trust woman to find out another
woman's secret! ! hate gossipy old
women but you know ! think that am
| going to love her"
so am l." said Cynthia promptly.