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

Mrs. Boyd. Isn't she lovely? 1 like to
look at her as do at a flower; she is so
exquisite"
Mr.. Norton assented gravely, and turned
the converse ion. His head whirled, his
ewes wandered; he could not talk with any
sort of huency; he was bewitched by the
pretty widow. She, however, had her own
court to hold. Butterflies never f1uttered
more thickly about the gay weed that bears
their name than the gentlemen of the par
ty about Nan Boyd; for, to tell the truth,
this lovely creature was native coquette.
1t was as much matter OF course for her
to flirt with every man who came near her
as it is for rose to be fragrant; and she
Ellad that charm, subtler than beauty, which
is potent without but irresistible with it.
1t was proverb in Cedar that no 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 permanent
victim from the crowd about her, and she
found her own fate in 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 very quiet wedding at her
lonely home, and brief journey back to
Cedar, where Nan, already SIX months
wife, was ready to welcome them. Anne
boyd found too late that she had made a
mistake. She could not be happy with her
deed-though he had seemed to her only
reserved and fastidious; selfish, penurious,
at times ill-tempered. When he died, a
year after their marriage, and from the
curious physical sympathy common with
twins, Will died too, neither of the widows
nature, Anne from no sense of loss, but
rather of relief. Since they both lived at
Cedar, there had been much confusion of
names between them, Anne Boyds both;
but Willis widow was always called Nan
by her old friends; and bearing her grand
mothers full name Of Anne Hart, while
her cousin was Anne alone, there was
way OF escape for those who were well in
formed; the others.took their chance.
AS the lovely summer days went on. and
Philip Norton was involved more and more
in the simple gayeties of Cedar, whose in
habitants consoled themselves for their
long cold winters with plenty of outdoor
life and enjoyment in the brief summer
months. he became more and more bewtch-
ed with Nan Boyd. Her beauty stood
daily observations; it was as genuine and
real as the roseate srlendor Of the noun
tain laurel, whose pink bells illustrated
and illuminated every hill about the vii
lage, and shone with light like dawn
through the edges of the dark woods.
Then she was graceful, genial, kind al
ways ready to get up or to join a 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
ired, dull, or addressed; in short, Mr..
Norton believed her real angel, and
threw all the strength of his honest, deep
nature into his passion for this lovely
little creature. An unprejudiced oEser-
ver-of course woman-might have de-
cried the sharp, thin voice, the shallow
laugh, the naive selfishness, of this angel,
and suspected that this gay blossom would
show no adequate fruit when its petals
fell; but Philip Norton had no such SLAM
derous thoughts iE his heart. Such exter-
nal charm was to him only the expression
of inward beauty. Experience might have
taught him better, 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
conversation with her-When Nan was
not at hand-thoroughly. She was one of
these people who have that rare charm,
delicate and nelodious voice, with wonder
fill command of language, and being
withal perceptive. high-minded. and OF
Geep feeling. she was most fascinating
companion even to a man in love. Harry
Clarke, too, was devoted to Nan Boyd. He
had been childish lover of hers during
his youthful visits to his grandfathers
farm at Cedar, and now the first love
seemed to have re-awakened. He was at
her side everywhere, and if his profession
al life had been anything but that Of be-
ginner, his practice would have suffered:
as it was, his rivals suffered instead, for
either out of the familiarity of old friend
ship or the mere caprice of her disposition,
Nan chose to parade Harry as her cavalier
more and more frequently.
Philip Norton was plunged in despair
by this state of things; he could not in
honor or decencY come forward as rival
to his best friend in that friend s house;
his affection for Harry, his sense of the
proprieties. all forbade his expressing in
any way his passion for this enchantress.
He kept away from her charmed circle as
far as possible; he talked much to Mrs.
Anne Boyd, because she was Mans
cousin. 1t is well to be near the rose if
you not rose yourself, for there is. at
least the neighborhood Of it's bloom and
perfume to attract adorers. Still, he
plunged daily further and further into
this gulf of bitter-sweet passion, till one
night his mind was set at rest
Harry. They sat on the steps
of the south door, tired with a long days
drive to Bashbish and back, and the two
little girls were hanging about them,
anxious to hear some report of the day s
enjoyment, for to them picnic of grown
people was an unattained paradise. There
had been much whispering between Ruth
and Rachel for few moments; but at last