Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-04-05

saw him again. Poor Phoebe, sinking
under the pressure Of grief, neglect and
privation, lived but few months after
his desertion. During that time she was
ten1erly cared for by her cousin Robert,
who supplied all the wants of herself and
her infant daughter, and found for them
a serene asylum under tn. roof of his
brother Ezra and his wife. This kind
couple had no children, and when her
mother was gone the little Lizzie was
adopted by them as their own
Robert Jocelyn had never married. He
lived on, sad and silent man, old be-
fore his time, but he had no heart to
offer to another woman. He had loved
Phoebe so unselfishly that he could have
borne to lose her if she had been happy;
but to have her taken from him to suffer
neglect and cruelty was hard indeed 1t
was with solemn thankfulness that he saw
the sod laid over her faded beauty and
broken heart.
Years passed, and Phpbes daughter
/ was charming, bright-eyed girl of eigh-
teen. Under the fostering care of Ezra
and his wife she had grown up cheerful
and happy loving and dutiful, favorite
| with all. Like her mother, she had many
admirers; but it could not be positively
determined that she favored any. Still,
there were shrewd suspicious, and more
than one young fellow would have been
glad to stand in Mark Boynton's place,
| and would have felt rich indeed with but
| a portion Of the smiles which shone on
| that fortunate youth.
| Mark was a neighbor Of the Joce-
| lyns. He had inherited from his faith
er fine, well-stocked farm; but unfor
tim atoI haI
| flaw in his title; and ever since his ma
| jority he had been involved in tire
some lawsuit, which it was now gener-
ally believed would go against him.
| Should it so result he would be poor
man, if young man with strong hands
| and courageous heart can be poor
| With all the strength of an earnest and
| manly nature Mark loved Lizzie Heath
but his pride withheld him from saying
SO until he should know whether indeed
he had home to offer her. If re won
his case, he would ask her to share the
wealth which would then be his. II he
lost he must--no he could rot resign her;
but If she loved, she would wait for him.
He was not vain man, but his hopes
rose high. He had seen how Lizzies
eye would brighten and her color glow
at his approach, and had marked the in
nocent arts by which she sought to avoid
the attentions of others while his own were
gladly received.
AS for Lizzie, her ideal Of manly beauty
and excellence was embodied in Mark
Boynton; but, maiden like, she would
not admit the idea of love. She knew
that she was perfectly happy only when
he was by but she would not own even
to herself the reason. OF late, too, she
half faneied that he avoided her; and, in
terpreting that fact backward, felt not
pique, but just enough uncertainty about
his sentiments to be resoluie in conceal
ing her own.
And so matters stood, when one pleas.
ant afternoon in summer Lizzie sat sew
ing with her mother, as she always called
Mrs. Ezra. There was an unusual shade
OF pensiveness on the young girls face
and her mother watched her narrowly.
AT length the latter said
" on seem very sober to-day for you,
Lizzie. Has anything happened to make
you SOY"
A blush and some low, inaudble words
were the only reply, Mrs. Jocelyn went
on:
" Are you thinking of anything that
brother Robert said TO you last night
as you walked through the orchard to-
gether?'
"Why, mother, did you know 90 asked
Lizzie, looking up in surprise
" Yes, dear, your father and ! have
known all along that Robert was fond of
you. What did you say 10 himg"
" What could say,p replied Lizzie, in
a broken voice, but that such a thing
was impossibley"
:" don't see, dear, why it should be i'm
possible. You are surprised because you
have not thought about it; but when YOU
come to reflect l hope your answer will
bo different. If your father and have a
wish in the world, it is that you should
marry Robert"
Oh, mother, how can ~" exclaimed
Lizzie, looking up in establishment
Why not, prayY am sure it is not
every girl has such an opportunity-a
man OF character and position, and so
good and kind as he is. Then you know
he is we'll of; you would have everything
that money could buy. And | always
thought you were fond Of Robert"
Yes, mother; but not that way. He
is my uncle"
know YOU have called him So 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,
Us You say, unless you like somebody
else Is that itN'
No-indecd, no." poor Lizzie faltered
hastily, turning away her face, now burn
ing with bushes, The eyes OF Mark
Boynton rose up before her with glance
of reproaeh at this denial but how could
she confess love for one who perhaps
did not care t,r herp
. am glad to hear it," Mrs. Ezra went
on - Inr | Am AMIn Won VIII in Time m