Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-10
Old MIR. Reaman.s Mistake
OR, now Tnrr low rmrNrnfD.

II was the close of the afternoon seryic,
in the village church OF Byiield. The las
notes Of the doxology were still cchoin,
from the singing gallery, and the congrega
tion, with a rustic and stir, turned thci
faces towards the minister for the benedic
ton. In the brief pause before twas spoken
old Mr.. Beaman, the town clerk of Byiield
stepped in front Of the pulpit, and raising
his hand, said IN q loud, clear voice, Know
all whom it may concern, that Mark Boyn
ton of this town, and Elizabeth Heath, OF
the same, intend marriage"
There was movement through the whole
congregation as if it were pervaded 10y an
electric shock, and looks of surprise passed
from eye to eye. But there were three per
sons present on whom the announcement
fell like a thuuderbolt. One Of these wa.
young girl with a pale face and a subdued
and downcast eye. When Mr.. Beaman be
gan to speak she listened with kind of pa.
tient composure bat as the names were an.
nounced a Wild startled look came into her
eyes. She sauf slck upon her seat. and buried
her now burning face in her hands
Not many slips removed stood a mau of
perhaps iory-a grave and sober person,
with hair slightly turning TO gray. His face
hahitually somewhat sad one had worn
throughout the service that day look OF
cheerful content; but as Mr. neaman made
his announcement it took ON the paleness OF
death. His head dropped upon his breast
and he stood like one paraly2ed, clasping the
railing Of the pew for support.
Very different was the effect produced
| upon young man, the solitary occupant of
a 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 visbly, the blood mounted
in a crimson flush on his forehead, while his
eye flashed with look of blended triumph
and defiance, and his lips closed with an ex-
preston of stern resolve.
There was a painful hush over all the
house, as If every one present We're strangely
moved to sympathy with one or another OF
those so deeply and varousy affected bv
what had been said. 1t was broken by the
voice OF the minister saying solennly, "And
now may grace, mercy aud peace, the love of
God and the communion of His Holy Spirit
be and abide with you all forever 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
Joceyn. He 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 a younger man To I'M
derstand the full force of the blow which
had fallen upon him, it is necessary to 20
back to time, nearly twenty years before,
when as a youth he had won the love of his
pretty aud gentle consin, Phmbe ,Iocelyn.
""s w io'S''',' Pri !" an .na' ooun'
.l,. ~ 'pu,'u "',u i,au ",'inlieIs og .ne sooIe
was VI. D'ip,Je 'j vi ,el ne,'''' n'lu
,G,lI LII VA, .eiioy s'I'on1u S, pu'
pi =. 'is wv P,,'i
W. "s''a i" ,''eu ai'u ''''iio' inu qulve
~ ,ia'1' '1'oiu'o anu 'In,,'iee'
80, s q. I''o G 'i''' J'.os" Wy
W,;ii;o ~ "I II nsi J''uSnVel ilusoaiu
., NAM ''e''''i i'al 'ioIe il1ley 5''9l NOD
a'. M "''' vas " snoNy' Plaus'pie Ie.o"' III
iao , ,;,i;",', "',Vus i,'I'ie' s ia9iea s''e
SL o'li'',',' mater Io' ''er u'us'''.r
i'I s,;ni G'I "s "iiIiit, tiiI
,,d, ,','it,, IaI ,''i''i ny ~
shs ,,'d' is :, H. 1'''i ii "i,' 80 I
cons;n a,d - ,1;,ll.,nl -" vv?ii;,.,, H. M
H. ,,,,.v.i'l i;f ~, " ''i'''' 'e''s''' w.
st ,',, "Go ''',i'''!i "'iei' iul
~, ~. N 1T, =" Wv
,t t., ,i'., i.'' i's, '',, h"s''"''u ~ 'i5
,iI' n'Il ,''I'I w. ,''' n'i III lose.S' % anu
pIi, i'" ,i'' ''ll'' '''''',' 80 Yv
ra,,i,a, .,. G'',,ii '''' '1 20 $50
ns'Io G '''u ~, ii,'''V''i io NV" "ut iu"
,i,'a T. No. 'a .,,,1',I.' - ''on III, La.
IN; .''''e III W. eIu''9 t'ieu i"i "y neI
-s Ism htS l,Q''' VIZ 'vPfi'u" a.. ~ ""u's
va uv'Sen anu ner ihl''' ua"gh'er' anu
lous'u ~. ''leii STtehe asylum uhuer Ine
l9oi Vi nlS oioller hl'9 !, ana MS Wlle' ihls
hlliu AOiAplt ldtl ib hHlNllflls ana Niifl irI
iiO,iel vas Soue '''o '''''' '''""'' was "'"P''u
y p ,rpri AZ ','y'i o"'', :,
h9ueit 'ocelyh nad never married ne
~ 49, un' ~, n,'u an' Nl''' % nn'n o'u oeiore
sii tl'ae ne ilri ,oveu Inu'oe 50 unset
r'niy '1'il' ne 1ou.u nave porile 70 lose 1er II
Sno i''.' o'on nafly ou. " nave nel taAeil
iI iiuiI nl'n !" sun nesieoV "nu o'usty was
''"lu ~ i''u0I'' ~ H'N ",,n s"'o'nn 'u"nAiu',
sss ''i"u ne N'% wy SUI '''" "Ne' "e' '"oeu
"'%%u'y anu oioS'l ioad"
e"ls P"Ss9', anu hu'ue hauSn'si was
y y, 0u'i ,Iins, pilsnIoyeu s,ii oi eisnvesn'
euuo' 'n9 i9sterlns cure ol EIra ana ms
W. sue n'p bIoWh UP oneeriul anu haply'
,oN'ns anu uu'liui' laNoilVe WIN AT Ike
uel i,'o'neI' sue iiau many adinir1rs pul II
Soulu not Dc poai,tlNeIy determined thdt she
INoleu any, sun .ueie were shie"d huS-
pi'lons, ana more thah one young ielow
would nave been glad TO stand IN Marx
poyhtoh pace, ana would nave let rieh
ihdeed win put portloh oi the Snilles
which shone on that fortunate youth
marx was helghoof OF lhe Jocelyhs,
lie nad inherited from ms latlier hhe' wen
stocked iarn Dut unfortunately there had
peen discovered naw M ms utlei ana ever
since ms majority ne na1 neen involved ~
t'Ivsollg lawsuit, "llloh II was now generaly