The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-01-02
LAURA COLVIN'S CHOICE.
Why It Can Be Said That She Is
a Woman of Discernment.

AS a woman of discernment, claim
FIRST place for my friend, Mrs. Colvin.
In this l differ from most who know
aer, for, among even her intimates,
nothing is more common than the eX-
preston: poor Laura Colvin!"
That is said in such way as to make
you know instinctively that something
more is meant than mere poverty of
worldly goods. More, even, than the
ordinary bereavements of life at some
time or other fairly entitle us all TO the
Gommiserating adjective.
Instinctively- upon hearing it in con-
nectiou with Laura Colvin, the sym
pathetic lingering upon the double
vowel that so emphasizes the pity and
interest of the speaker, you run over
5n your mind the list of greater sor-
rows that are possible to womanklnd:
HAS her lover jilted her?'
S+Has the smallpox spoiled her
beanty?"
elias her husband left her?"
-'Ias she made meSdHidRce?"
No, her lover has not Tilted her.
Laura Colvin has been engaged in
good many a1aires dU cOeur, but if there
was ever any iiltng done, she was surely
not the one who suffered This made
ii all the more hard in the eyes of the
world, as you will see later.
Neither had her beauty been spoiled
by disease, for there had never been
any to spoil Laura had always been
painfully plain, and none were better
aware of this than herself She was
+on In nN c1a do, Il
buG positively thin, angular, lacking
all the sweet curves and graceful
ronndings of womanhood. Her face
was plain, her complexion sallow;
there was not even the redeeming fea-
ture of a handsome suite of hair-that
''cTuwning glory" that sometimes comes
to the salvation of an otherwise unat-
tractive woman Laura was horeless-
2y homely, and she had accustomed her.
self to look at the matter fairly, and
had early become calmly resigned to the
situation.
Nor had her husband deserted her
Never had woman more considerate
or devoted husband than Sam Colvin
yEas to Laura. He had not deteriorated
In this respect-as many men do--when
ne had changed from the chrysalis
state Of the lover into all the rights
ard dignifies of the husband. Nothing
was wanting on this score, certainly.
Then there remained but one ques-
Eiaa 10 consider: Had Laura made a
,DstaIhdnce when she married Sam?
Well, you must let me tell you about
efis, then you can 2orm your own
opinion.
In the first place, Laura was pretty
yFclltO-do; that is, her father was, and,
as she was the only child, it amounted
30 Just the same thing. Early in life
slIa. discovered that if she could not be
6eslatifal she could at least have
every advantage and accessory that
THoney could procure; and she wisely
determined to make the best of these.
Nature rather beyond her years, Laura
gave herself up conscientiously to
EEItoss, to instructors, to mOdiSteS. Hav-
ing naturally good mind, she did her
hssst to improve it. She studied litera-
rTire, the languages, science, philos-
OosRy; she read omnivorously. She
Eeper made any effort to display her
learning; never became pedantic or
eiresOme; but somehow clever men
Ga1Hae 20 like her society, and more than
Clnee the Lion" of some social gather
SnE was known to leave the alluring
SMILES of beauty for a cozy corner and
"A quiet chat with her.
Naturally deficient in physical grace,
IAt2ra gave to her dancing-master and
10 her dancing lessons as many labo-
'aSatAs hours as could be spared from
to- I,nt
Aor the dances sake, and not for the
ssaks of the dancer, men who liked a
partner who kept time with the music,
NfhO danced gracefully, who never
otHHdered, liked to take her out; and
tashful boys who were not quite sure
al themselves in intricate figures, al
most worshiped her for the way she
helped them through and veiled their
stupidity.
The polite arts she followed assidu-
'Sqsiy, but not slavishly She possessed
n fair contralto voice, which by culti-
ESALion became susceptible to the most
exquisite control. She was an accom-
pEished but not brilliant musician
she was somewhat more of an artist
than the average amateur, and kae0
7va1tly more art than the average
critic,
Now, perhaps, you begin to see the
zoEt of girl that Laura was. She knew
her own value, her own capabilities,
her own limitations, perfectly. She
krnew that the first thing that most
HA1u looked for in woman was beau
Sy- That being denied her, she en-
sdeayored to possess herself Of avery at