Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-10

come to reflect | hope your answer viii be
different II your father and have a wish
IN the world, IL is that you should marry
Robert"
"Oh, mother, how can 2" exclaimed liz
ne looking up in astonishment
Why not, pray ! am sure il is not
every girl has such an opportunity man
OF character and position, and so good and
kind as he is. Then You know he is we'll
oil You would have everything that money
could buy. And always thought you were
fond Of Robert"
Yes, mother but not that WAY. lie is
my 4Iole' 5
81 know you have called him 80. but YOU
knew all the time he was only your second
cousin There is no reason why You should
not love him in that way as YOU saw. I'M
less you Ike somebody else. Is that II 2"
"No-iudeed, no. poor Lizzie faltered.
hastily turning away, her face now burning
with blushes. The eyes of Mark Bovnton
rose up before her with glance Of rcproach
at this denial but how could she confess o
love for one who perhaps did not care for her
" am glad TO hear it," Mrs Ezra went
ON, " Tor ] am sure You will IN time return
Roberts affection. lie loves You dearly. and
you have it in your power 90 make up TO
him Ia part for what he suffered through
your mother"
Lizzie looked up with startled eyes.
What do you mean, mother ?" she asked
in astonishment
Then Mrs. Ezra told all the st.ry of Rob
ert's love and blighted hope, Of his delicate
kindness to poor Phoebe during the sad
| year Of her married life, and how in her
/ last distress he had succored her and her
child. She reminded the younggrl of his gen
erous aud watchful care over her own child
hood and growing youth
Their talk was long protracted and often
| renewed, and Robert added his pleadings
lie told of the years daring which he had
| watched her growing beauty, loving her first
| for her mothers sake, but as she bloomed
/ into womanhood so like that mother. he
! found himself renewing the dreams of his
youth, daring TO hope that happiness might
yet be ms. The strongest, the best fortified
woman's heart must ever be more or less
moved 10y the evidence of deep and earnest
affection, and poor Lizzie had the Welding.
| plant nature Of her mother. And Mark
Boynton was away--she had not seen him
for weeks, aud not knowing that he was oc-
cupied at the county town with the final
trial of his case, She felt herself neglected
by him Why, if he really loved her, was
he not here to say so, and TO stand by her in
this time of trial So it came that, helpless
in the hands of her aifectionate but il-iudg.
ing friends, she yielded and promised to
marry Robert .Iocelyn.
II was day or two after She had formally
given her word, that she was returning, one
evening alone from neighbors. She had
not walked far when she heard quick step
behind her, and turning, saw Mark Boynton.
lie greeted her gayly, and the dim light
prevented his observing her pale and troubled
face. lie took her hand and drew it through
his arm with an air almost Of ownership,
saying as he did so
This was just what ! wanted Lizzie, to
meet you was going to your house.
am such happy fellow tonight that want
to tell you about it,"
She made no answer; indeed, he gave her
no time, but went on
81 have been all the week at Milford at
tending court, and ! have gained my case.
My farm is my own at last, and am an in-
dependent man."
She murmured some half audible express
sion Of pleasure in this result
" Lizzie" he said, stopping suddenly and
taking her hand in his, there is only one
thing | want now TO make me the happiest
man in Byfeld. want you to come and
share my home with me"
Here Lizzie drew her hand hastily from
him, and said, in frightened tone, " Don't
don't Mark You must not talk to me So"
Z" What do you mean, Lizzie WHY NAV
! not tell you that love you better than all !
the world Z ! think you must know il with |
out my telling"
Poor Lizzie burst into a passion Of tears, |
but could not speak. Mark drew her gently |
ont of the path and seated her upon stone, |
placing himself beside her. lie waited some |
minutes for her answer but she remained |
silent " Dear Lizzie" he said at last, "you |
must know that love you. Can | be mis-
taken in thinking you care for me 2"
lie drew away the hands with which she
had covered her face, aud begged her to
speak to him. "Oh, Mark Z" She gasped,
in kind Of depreciation, have promised |
to marry Robert Iocelyn"
Mark Boynton flung away the hands he
held with am angry gesture, aud sprang to
his feet. Lizzie " he cried, Indignantly, |
"you are not, you cannot be in earnest
No answer from Lizzie Her voice was
choked with sobs. Poor Mark broke out in |
bitter reproaches. lie accused her of cruel |
triiling with him, and declared his belief |
that she had accepted Jocelyn because he was |
the richer man. and his own case a doubtful |
one. Lizzie had but one answer 10 his re- |
broken, and the stroug tender-hearted fellow |
soon grew pitiful Of her grief, and soothed |
her, and begged forgiveness for harshness.
After awhile he drew from her the whole |
story. lie understood the pressure which |
had been brought TO bear upon her, and how |
powerless she had been 10 resist IT, lie saw |
that she loved him. aud that II she had felt |
sure of his affection, she would have stood |
out against them all. Ii he had but spoken
out before But his own pride had been TO
blame
Though he argued long aud earnestly, he
could not convince Lizzie that she had any
right TO draw back She had given her
word, and she held herself bound by it. per
sistently declaring that he must not talk, or
she listen SO at last lie gave up in despair,
aud the two walked home in gloomy silence.
la Bytield eyeTybody's affairs are known
to everybody else aud so it was but a few
days before the whole neighborhood was in-
formed Of Lizzies engagement to Robert
Jocelyn, and 10y some mysterious agency,
known only to rural communities, the secret
of Mark Boyutons love and disappointment
was also generally understood The circum-
stances created kind of excitement. The
general opinion was that the two young
people were being sacrificed TO the wishes
of their elders, and sympathy was strongly
with them, as always where true love is
crossed. The young people blamed Lizzie
for her want Of ilrnuess, but parents, inter
esied perhaps in the cause of authority, ex-
onerated her aud censured those who were
taking advantage Of her flial duty, Robert,
too, came in for his shareof sympathy. The
sad story Of his love for Phn'be was well re-
memhered, and there were not wanting some
romantic souls who thought it fitting that
the daughter shonld compensate him for the
pain her mother cost.
OF course all the neighborhood gossip was
known TO Mrs. Ezra, but she took good care
that very little Of it should come 10 Roberts
ears. She had made up her mind that she
knew what was best for Lizzie, and she did
not mean TO let her plans fail.
And Robert Was he ignorant of the
state Of things lie might have seen, but
he would not. le heard it said that Lizzie
loved Mark Boynton, and he would not be-
lievc it. Had he not loved her all her life as
no Young man could Had he not right
10 her lie had missed happiness once, and
now it was again within his grasp, who
should say that he ought TO give il up?
Lizzie would be happy, She loved him al {
ready she would love wholly when she was |
his wife. That other was but passing
fancy, lie shut his eyes to the evidence OF /
her pale and sorrowful face, silenoed all in
ward remonstrances, and held his way.
The urpuaratia for the tnarriafga NARA