The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-04-21
MR.. BEAMAN'S MISTAKE.
An oId-Fashioned story.

An 0Id-Tashioned story.
Ii was the close of the afternoon ser
vice in the village church of Byteld.
The last notes Of the doNology We're
still echoing from the singing gallery (;
and the congregation, with a rustic and
a stir. turned their faces toward the
minister for the benediction. In the
brief pause before it was spoken old
Mr.. Beaman. the Town Clerk of By
field, stepped in front of the pulpit, and
raising his hand, said, in loud, clear
voice, "Know all whom it may concern.
that Mark Boynton of this town and
Elizabeth Heath of the same intend
marriage
There was a movement through the
whole congregation as if it were per-
vaded by an electric shock, and looks
of surprise passed from eye to eye. But
there were three persons present to
whom the clerks announcement fell
like a thunderbot. One of these was a
young girl with pale face and sub
dued and downcast eye. When MI. Bea-
man began 10 speak she listened with a
kind of patient composure; but as the
names were announced wild, startled
look came into her eyes, she sank back
upon her seat, and buried her now burn
ing face in her hands.
Not many slips removed stood man
of perhaps forty--a grave and sober
person, with hair slightly turning TO
gray. His face, habitually somewhat
sad one, had worn throughout the SER
vice that day look of cheerf6l content F;
but as Mr. Beaman made his announce
ment il took on the paleness Of death.
His head dropped upon his breast, and
he stood like one paralyzed, clasping
the railing of the pew for support.
Very different was the effect pro-
duced upon a young maH, the solitary
occupant of pew not far away. He
had been standing with dropping
head and downcast, heavy look; but as
he heard the words of the old clerk he
started visibly, the blood mounted in a
crimson flush to his forehead, while his
eye flashed with look blended of tri-
umph and defiance, and his lips closed
with an expression Of stern resolve.
There was a painful hush over all the
house, as il every one present were
strangely moved tc sympathy With one
or another Of those so iosply ana va
riously affected by what had been said.
1t was broken by the voice of the min
lister saying solemnly, "And now may
grace, mercy and peace, the love of
God, and the communion of His Holy
Spirit, be and abide with YOU all for
ever Amen And the people moved
silently out Of the church.
The pale and stricken man on whom
the old clerks most unexpected words
had fallen so like the stroke of doom
was Robert Jocelyn. lie had listened
that day to hear his own name coupled
with that Of the lovely girl who had
promised to be his wife, and the voice
of the clerk had joined with hers that
of another and younger man! To
understand the full force of the blow
which had fallen upon him, it is neces-
sary TO 20 back to time, nearly TWEEN
ty years before, when as a youth he had
won the love OF his pretty and gentle
cousin Phpbe ,Jocelyn. Phm be was the
loveliest girl in all that country round,
and had admirers by the score, but
Robert was the choice Of her heart, and
to him she was tenderly attached. But
though capable Of loving with devotion,
poor fUWDe was weak -WllIcU anu tlfnlu,
and quite powerless To resist resolute
and domineering mother, who had
chosen very different person to be her
daughters husband. William Heath
had more money than Robert, and was
a SNOWY, plausible fellow in whom the
ambitious mother fancied she saw a
more brilliant match for her daughter
She piled the yielding girl with argu-
ments, reproaches and appeals to filial
duty, till she was quite bewildiered; and
almost before she was aware Of il she
had given up her cousin, and was
plighted to William Heath. Her mar
ried life was fortunately brief, for she
knew no happiness in the three weary
years she lived with her husband. AT
the end of that time he left her in pow
erty, and no one in Byfeld ever saw
him again. Poor Phnbe, sinking under
the pressure of grief, neglect and pri-
walton, lived but few months after his
desertion. During that time she was
tenderly cared for by her cousin Rob-
ert, who supplied all the wants Of her
7 self and her infant daughter, and found