The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-04-21

own.
Robert Jocelyn had never married.
He lived on, sad and silent man, old
before his time, but he had no heart TO
offer to another woman. lie had loved
Phmbe SO unselfishH that he could have
borne 10 lose her if she had been hap
py; but TO have her taken from him 10
suffer neglect and cruelty was hard i'm
deed. IL was with solemn thankfulness
that he saw the sod laid over her faded
beauty and broken heart.
Years passed, and Phmbe's daughter
was charming, bright-eyed girl of
eighteen. Under the fostering care of
Ezra and his wife she had grown up
cheerful and happy, loving and dutiful,
a 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 10 stand in
Mark Boynton's place, and would have
felt rich indeed with but IA portion of
the smiles which shone on that fortu-
nate youth.
Mark was neighbor of the Joce-
lyns. He had inherited from his father
fine, well-stocked farm; but unfor-
unately there had been discovered a
flaw in his title; and ever since his ma
iority he had been involved in tire
some lawsuit, which it was now gener-
ally believed would 90 against him.
Should it so result he would be poor
man, il "A young man with strong hands
and a 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 he won
his case, he would ask her to share the
wealth that would then be his. If he
lost-no, he could not resign her, but
if she loved, she would wait for him.
He was not a vain man, but his hopes
rose high. He had seen how Lizzie's
eve would brighten and her color glow
at his approach, and had marked the
innocent arts by which she sought to
avoid the attentions of others while his
own were gladly received.
As for Lizzie. her ideal of manly beau
" and excellence was embodied in.
Mark Boynton; but, maiden-like, she
would not own even to herself the
reason. OF late, too, she half fancied
that he avoided her; and, interpreting
that fact backward, felt not pique, but
just enough uncertainty about his senti-
ments 10 be resolute in concealing her
own.
And so matters stood when one pleas
ant afternoon in summer Lizzie sat
sewing with her mother, as she always
called Mrs. Ezra. There was an unusu-
al shade Of pensiyeneSs on the young
girls face, and her mother watched
her narrowly. At length the latter said
." You seem very sober to-day for you,
Lizzie. Has any thing happened to
make you SOP"
A blush and some low, inaudible
words were the only reply. Mrs. Joce-
lyn went on:
"Are you thinking Of any thing that
brother Robert said to you last night
as you walked through the orchard to-
gether?"
"Why, mother, didyou know?" 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 to himen
"What could / say" replied Lizzie
in a broken voice, "but that such a
thing was impossibleP"
81 don't see, dear, why il should he
impossible. You are surprised because
you have not thought about it but when
you come to reflect hope your answer
txv.Il ha 90 4. "A
have wish in the world, it is that you
should marry Robert"
"Oh, mother, how can IPn ex-
claimed Lizzie, looking up in astonish-
ment.
"Why not, prayo 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 well off; you would have
every thing that money could buy
And always thought you were fond of
Robert"
Yes, mother; but not that way. He
is my uncle.n
81 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, ,
as you say, unless you like somebody
else. Is that it?''
No-indeed, no." poor Lizzie fall
tered hastily, turning away her face,
now burning with blashes. The eyes
Of Mark Boynton rose up before her
with a glance of reproach at this de-
NAL; but how could she confess love
for one who perhaps did not care for
her?
al am glad to hear it," Mrs. Ezra
went on, ''for am sure you will in time
return Roberts affection lie loves you
dearly, and you have it in your power
to make up to him in part for what he
suffered through your mother"