The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1876-04-20

it was now generally believed would
90 against HIM. Should it SO result
he would be poor man, if a young
man with a strong hand and courage
Gus heart can be poor. With all tht
strength of an earnest and manly
nature Mark loved Lizzie Heath
but his pride withheld him from say.
ing so until he should know whether
indeed, he had home to offer her.
he won his case, he would ask her tC
share the wealth which would ther
be his. II he lost, he must-nO, hl
could not resign her; but If she loved
she would visit for him. He was mol
a vain man, but his hopes rose high
He had seen how Lizzie's eye would
brighten and her color glow at hii
approach, and had marked the innO
cent 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 T; but maiden like
she would not admit the idea of love
She knew that she was perfectly hap
py only when he was by but she
would not own even to herself the rea.
son. OF late, too, she baif fancied
that he avoided her, and interpreting
that fact backward, felt no pique, but
just enough uneertsinty about bis
sentiments to be resolute in conceal
ing her own.
And so matters stood when one
| pleasant afternoon in sum mer Lizzie
sat sewing with her mother. as she al.
ways called Mrs. Ezra. There was
an unusual shade of pensiveness on
the young girls face, and her mother
watched her narrowly. At tlength the
latter said
"You seem very sober to-day, for
you, Lizzie. Has anything happened
to make you so T'
A blush and come low, inaudible
words were the only reply. Mrs.
Jocelyn went on /:
"Are you thinking OF anything that
brother Robert said to you last night
as you were walking in the orchard
together ?'
"Why, mother, did you know ?'
asked Lizzie, looking u2 in surprise.
"Yes, dear your father and have
known sll along that Robert was
fond OF you. What did you say to
him ?"
"What could say" replied Lizzie,
in broken voice, 'but that such a
thing is impossible ?"
"I don't see, dear, why it should be
impossible. You are surprised because
you have not thought about it but
when you come to reflect hope your
answer will be different. III your fa-
ther and lave q wish in the world
it is that you should marry Rob-
ert."
"Oh, mother, how can I?p ex-
claimed Lizzie, looking up IN aston
lshment.
"Wby, not, pray ? am sure it is
not every girl has an opportunity
man of character and position, and so
good and kind as be is. Then you
know he is well off; you would have
everything that money could buy.
And 1 always thought you were fond
of Robert"
"Yes, mother, but not that way.
He is nay uncle"
81 know you have called him so,
but you knew all the time he was on
ly 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 ?''
f'No-indeed, no." poor Lizzie fall
tered hastily, turning away her face,
now burning with bushes. The eyes
of Mark BoyntOn rose up before her
with q glance of reprOach at this
denial but how could she confess q
love for one who perhaps did not care
for her. -
''I am glad to hear it," Mrs. Ezra
went on, "fOr I am sure you will in
time return Roberts affection. He
loves you dearly and you have it in
your power to make up to him in part
for what he suffered through your
mother"
Lizzie looked up with startled eyes.
"What DO you mean, mother ?" she
asked In astonishmenC.
Then Mrs. Ezra told all the story of
Roberts love and blighted hope, Of his
delicate kindness to poor Phoebe du-
ring the sad years of his married life,
and how in her last distress he had
succored her and her child. She re-
minded the young girl of her generous
and watchful care over her own child
hood and growing youth. And then,
though the good woman had no idea
OF taking q mean advantage, she was
yet so anxious to win LIzZie's consent
to the match she thought hest for her,
that she did work upon the girls
gratitude to herself and husband,
though ordinarily it would not have
occurred to her to think whether or
not she had conferred favors on one
who was almost like her own daugh.
ter.
Their talk was long, protracted and
often renewed, anc Robert added his
pleadings. He told of the years du-
ring which he had watched her grow
ing beauty, loving her first for her
mothers sake, but as she blOomed in
to womanh0od so like that mother,
he found himself renewing the dreams
of his youth, daring to hope that hap
piness might yet be his. The strong
est, the best fortified woman's heart
must ever be more or less moved by
the evidence of deep and earnest sf-
fection and poor Lizzie had the
yielding, plant nature of her moth
er. And Mark Boynton was away
she had not seen him for weeks and
not knowing that he was occupied 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
1t came about that, hopeless in the
hands of her af4eetionate but iH,judg-
ing friends, she yielded. and prom
ised TO marry Robert Jocelyn.
1t was day or two after she had
formally given her word, that she was
returning one evening alone from a
neighbours. She had not walked far
when she heard quicb step behind
her, and turning saw Mark Boynton.
lie greeted her gEyly, and the dim
light prevented his observing her
pale and troubled face. He took her
hand, drew it through his arm with
an air almost of ownership, saying as
he did so, "This was just what 1 want
ed, Lizzie, TO meet you. / was going
to your house. 1 am such q 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 Mill
ford, attending court, and I have
gained my case. My farm is my own
at last, and l am an independent
man, ~
She murmured some half insuiible
expression of pleasure in its result.
"Lizzie," he said, stopping sudden.
ly and taking her hand in his, there
is only one thing want to make me
the happiest man in Bayfield,. 1 want
you to come and share my home with
me-"
Here Lizzie drew her hand hastily
from him and said in a frightened
tone, Don't! don't Mark T! You
must not talk to me So"
"What do you mean, Lizzie Why
may / not tell you that love you
better than all the world ? / think
you must have known it without my
telling"
Poor Lizzie hurst into q passion of
tears, but could not speak. Mark
drew he= gently out Of the path and
seated her upon stone, placing him
self beside her. He waited some
minutes for an answer, but she re-
mained silent. eE EEars
s'Dear Lizzie" he said st last, "you
must know that / love you. Can /.
ne mistaken in thinking vDu care for