The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-01-01
LAURA COLVIN'S CHOICE.
Why It Gan Be Said That She Is
Woman Of Discernment.

AS woman of discernment, / claim
first place for my friend, Mrs. Colvin.
In this ] differ from most who know
her, for, among even her intimates.
nothing is more common than the ex-
ipression: 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
commissioning adjective.
1nstinctively, upon hearing it in con-
nection with Laura Colvin. the sym
pathetic lingering upon the double
vowel that SO emphasizes the pity and
interest of the speaker, You run over
in your mind the list of greater sor-
rows that are possible to womanlxlnd:
HAS her lover Tilted her?"
HAS the smallpox spoiled her
beauty?"
HAS her husband left her?"
HAS she made a mesalidnce?"
No, her lover has not Tilted her.
Laura Colvin has been engaged in q
good many a6dires du occur, but if there
was ever any jilting done, she was surely
not the one who suffered. This made
it 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
awase Of this than herself. She was
rather tall, thin mot slender nor slight,
but positively thin), angular. lacking
all the sweet curves and graceful
roundings of womanhood. Her face
was plain, her complexion sallow;
there was not even the redeeming fea-
ture of q handsome suite of hair-that
''crowning glory" that sometimes comes
to the salvation of an otherwise unat-
tractive woman. Laura was horeless-
ly homely, and she had accustomed her
self to look ut the matter fairly, and
had early become calmly resigned to the
situation.
Nor had her husband deserted her.
Never had woman a more considerate
or devoted husband than Sam Colvin
was to Laura He had not deteriorated
in this respect-as many men do-when
he had changed from the chrysalis
state of the lover into all the rights
and dignities of the husband. Nothing
was wanting on this score, certainly.
Then there remained but one ques-
ton to consider: Had Laura made u
mesdlliance when she married Sam?
Well, you must let me tell you about
this, then you can form your own
opinion.
In the first place, Laura was pretty
well-to-do; that is, her father was, and,
as she was the only child, it amounted
TO Just the same thing. Early in life
she discovered that if she could not be
beautiful she could at least have
every advantage and accessory that
money could procure; and she wisely
determined to make the best of these.
Mature rather beyond her years, Laura
gave herself up conscientiously to
tutors, to instructors, to modistes Hav-
ing naturally good mind, she did her
best to improve it. She studied litera-
ture, the languages, science, philos-
ophy; she read omnivorously. She
never made any effort to display her
learning; never became pedantic or
tiresome; but somehow clever men
come 20 like her society, and more than
once the lion" o< some social gather
ing was knawn to leave the alluring
smiles of beauty Tor a coy corner and
quiet chat with her.
Naturally deficient in physical grace,
Laura gave to her dancing-master and
TO her dancing lessons as many labo-
rious hours as could be spared from
graver tasks; so that men who danced
for the DANCES sake, and not for the
sake of the dancer, men who liked a
partner who kept time with the music,
who danced gracefully, who never
blundered, liked to take her out; and
bashful boys, who were not quite sure
of themselves in intricate figures, al
most worshiped her for the way she
helped them through and yelled their
stupidity.
The polite arts she followed assidu-