Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-06-20

VI the rOD1pS on the lawns
Piping in the dewy DAVIS.
-iScribner for Tune.
THE BEST OF IT.
CEDAR, june 18th.
"DEAR PH1L.-When are you coming
Cedar is in full feather. Picnics set in
tomorrow; Strawberries just right; two
delightful widows; lots of girls; and the
whole house crying for you. Come along
by return mail. meant to say the picnic
was day after tomorrow. 1 shall be at
the late train to morrow.
s'YOurs. as usual,
''HARRY."
Philip Norton laughed as he read this
letter. It was so like Harry Clarke
"Hal Headlong,'' bis father used to call
him-the brightest, handsomest, gayest
fellow of his class at Y ale, now a country
doctor at Cedar, town in the western
part Of New England. Having lost all his
property by rash speculation, except his
wlfe's farm at Cedar, which her father left
ACA VuO OlOCl MIL IldlhO WCAU Uu0lc w
live, and one of the local physicians being
near death with old age Harry thought it
a good place to begin what he called his
medicinal career" being a young man
who had no reverence for the English
language, but made light of it, and used it
in his.own way as another outlet for the
overlooking fun of his nature.
Philip Norton had been his chum at
college. and his friend ever since. He
was of graver nature, and had gone into
the ministry. With the gifts Of keen in
tellect, ready language and good looks, he
found life easy enough, and his first paf-
ish was in New Y ork, where, in first
class boar ding-house, he did not seem SO
much modern apostle as a very lucky
man. But good fortune could not spoil
his earnest and truthful character. He
preached as sharply to his flock of sinners
as if he had five hundred year instead of
five thousand, and did as much hard work
among the city outcasts as if he headed
mission to the Digger Indians. and n ved
in shanty instead of Madam Ralst4n's
elaborate establishment.
He had just recovered from severefat
tack of typhoid fever, consequent on some
of these excursions into the dark places of
the earth, when Harry's letter came, and
was glad enough to accept his invitation.
There were only three children in the
Clarke family besides Harry-twin girls of
twelve and younger boy-and they all
loved Philip as well as if they were his
brother and sisters instead of his friends.
There is something in a sudden journey of
pleasure that is inspiriting, and when Mr..
Norton left the train at Cedar he felt
stronger and better, in spite of the long
days ride, than for many weeks. and the
next morning declared himself quite ready
for the picnic, though Mrs. Clarke, a mo-
therly soul, always devoted to her 'other
boy," scolded him well for the idea. But
being persistent man. he went his way,
and by ten O'Clock had joined a gay party
in the car they had chartered for the day
and attached at Cedar station to the train
going to Patton. little village above
whose quiet street lowered Gray Noun
tain, their place of destination. The day
was s'day of june" fair as ever poet eel
ebrated. There we're fifty pleasant people
pleasant for picnic, that is-and Philip
was put in charge of Mrs. Boyd.
lone OF the Widows" Harry whispered
in his ear; very bright, agreeable woman
with pleasant face, dressed neatly enough
In brown holland and black hat-a cos
tune adapted to the occasion, but not be-
coming A few seats before them sat a
beautiful young woman, daintily dressed,
though evidently she considered herself in
but the shower OF soft, fair
curls that dropped from the back of her
head, the sparkling ornaments of cut jet,
the rings ON her little white hands, OF pearl
and diamond and onyx, all seemed out of
keeping with the Grape on her dress and
hat; and when that coquettishly- Hoped
head-gear was laid aside, triangle of
Grape, with the conventional widows
ruche about 1t, pinned on with diamond
and onyx pins, looked real absurdity,
and every woman in the car laughed at
Nan Boyd's attempt to assert her widow
hood; for this was the other of the two
widows. But if she was little absurd,
who cared? When ones skin is tinted
with the warm glow Of pink apple bios
SONS, with lips scarlet as fresh strawber-
ries, great clear blue eyes, delicate features,
teeth of pearl, and abundant gilded-fiax
hair falling everywhere in long loose curls
what does it matter what one wears! Nan
Boyd would have been lovely in brown
holland and cheap black hat, though her
cousin and sister-in-law was not.
Nobody had ever supposed the Reverend
Philip Norton was susceptible. He had
never given tenderer glance to any lovely
girl IN his congregation than to the old
woman who swept the crossing before his
church; but he fell in love like schoolboy
during the next Six hours with Nan Boyd.
Courtesy obliged him to attend to the
lady placed in his care, and the oollgatlon
was not disagreeable. She was natural,
intelligent, kindly, with an artists eye for
the wonderful scenery about them' and
moreover a generous woman; for wnen
Philip asked her, as carelessly as ne coala
put question that thrilled his ups VINO
the beauty before them was, she answered
quickly:
my cousin and Observation-Disclosures