The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-04-03

obliged him to attend to the lady PLACED
in his care, and the obligation was no
| disagreeable. She was natural, intelli
gent, kindly, with an artists eye for tn,
wonderful scenery about them, and more
over generous woman; for when PhiliI
asked her, as carelessly as he could put
question that thrilled his lips, who til,
beauty before them was, she answered
quickly:
my cousin and er-in-law-anothel
Mrs. Boyd. Isn't she lovely? / like Il
look at her as / do at n flower: she is S,
| exquisite"
Mr.. Norton assented gravely. and turn
ed the conversation. His head whirlSl
| with any sort of fuency; he was be
witched by the pretty widow. She
however, had her own court to hold
Butterflies never fluttered more thickly
| about the gay weed that bears theil
name than the gentlemen of the party
about Nan Boyd; for, to tell the truth
this lovely creature was native CO.
quette. 1t was as much matter o.
course for her to flirt with every mar
who came near her as it is for rose to be
fragrant; and she had that charm, sub.
tier than beauty, which is potent with.
out but irresistible with it.
1t was proverb in Cedar that nc
youth ever grew to manhood there who
had not adored Nan Boyd. Her cousin
Anne was very different. She had come
to Cedar on visit when Nan at last
made up her mind to select Will Boyd
as a permanent victim from the crowd
ABOUT her, and she found her own fate
id Wills twin-brother James. The
cousins, however, were not married at
the same time. Anne could not leave
her father, for her mother had died just
after her return from Cedar; but before
many months her father went too, and
there was q very quiet wedding at her
lonely home, and brief journey back to
wife, was ready to welcome them.
Anne Boyd found too late that she had
made a mistake. She could not be hap
py with her husband. He was ungra-
cious--harsh, indee-dthough he had
seemed to her only reserved and fastidi-
Gus; selfish, penurious, at times i'll
tempered. When he died, year after
their marriage, and from the curious
physical sympathy common with twins,
Will died too, neither of the widows
was hcartbroken-Nan from pure levity
of nature, Anne from no sense of loss.
but rather Of relief. Since they both
lived Mt Cedar, there had been much
confusion of names between them, Anne
Boyds both; but Wills widew was
always called Nan by her old friends
and bearing her grandmother's full name
of Anne Hart, while her cousin was
Anne alone, there was way of escape
for those who were well informed; the
others took their chance.
As the lovely summer days went on
4
and more in the simple gayeties Of
Cedar, whose inhabitants consoled them
selves for their long cold winters with
plenty of outdoor life and enjoyment in
the brief summer months, he became
more and more bewitched with Nan
Boyd. Her beauty stood the test of sun
and air, heat, fatigue and daily observa-
ton: it was as genuine and real as the
roseate splendor of the mountain laurel
whose pink bells illustrated and illumi-
mated every hill about the village, and
shone with light ike dawn through the
edges Of the dark woods.
Then she was graceful, genial, kind {;
always ready to get up or TO join party
of pleasure; willing to sing if singing
was wanted; to make wreaths for other
girls-wreaths she could not wear, for
the sake of that typical triangle; she
never seemed tired dull, or addressed: :
in short, Mr.. Nnrton believed her real
angel, and threw all the strength of his
honest, deep nature into his passion for
this lovely little creature. An unpreju-
diced ObServer-of course n woman
might have decried the sharp thin voice,
the shallow laugh. the nairc seltishness.
of this angel. and suspected that this gay
blossom would show no adequate fruit
when its petals fell; but Philip Norton
had no such slanderous thought in his
heart. Such external charm was to him
only the expression of inward beauty.
Experience might have taught him bet
ter, but he was not Just now amenable to
eXperience-he was in love. He liked
Mrs. Anne Boyd much; as he became
better acquainted with her. her really
sweet and fine character had its effect on
him, and he enjoyed an hours converse
ton with her-when Nan was not at
hand-thoroughly. She was one of those
people who have that rare charm, q deli
cate and melodious voice, with wonder
full command of language, and being
withal perceptive, highninded and of
dsep feeling, she was most fascinating
companion even to man in love. Harry
Clarke, too, was devoted to Nan Bovd.
He had been childish lover of hers dur
ing his youthful visits to his grand
fathers farm at Cedar, and now the first
love seemed to have re-awakened. He
was at her side everywhere, and if his
professional life had been anything but
that of beginner, his practice would
have suffered; as it was, his rivals suf-
fered instead, for either out of the famil-
iarity of old friendship or the mere caprice
of her disposition, Nan chose to parade
Harry as her cavalier more and mora
frequently.
Philip Norton was plunged in despair
by this state of things; he could not in
honor or decency come forward as n
rival TO his best friend in that friends
house; his affection for Harry, his sense
of the proprieties, all forbade his ex-
pressing in any way his passion for this
enchantress. He kept away from her
charmed circle as far as possible; he
talked much to Mrs. Annie Boyd, be-
cause she was Mans cousin. 1t is well
to be near the rose if you are net a rose
yourself, for there is at least the neigh
borhood of its bloom and perfume to
attract adorers. Still, he plunged daily
further and further into this gulf of
bitter-sweet passion, till one moonlight
night his mind was set at rest concern
ing Harry. They sat on the steps ef the
south door, tired with long DAVIS drive
to Bashbish and back, and the two little
girls were hanging about them, anxious
to hear some report of the DAVIS enioy-
ment, for to them a picnic of grown
people was an unattained paradise.
There had been much whispering be-
tween Ruth and Rachel for a few mo-
ments; but at last Ruth took courage.
and looking I'm shvly az bo, l,,.o.I oS,,.s