Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-10
VOL. 71.-363O. NO. 30.


by Robert Jocelyn TO publish the intention
Of marriage between himself and Lizzie
Heath. and he had done IT,
why, man alive exclaimed a by.
stander, il was not Robert Jocelyn's name
that you called, but Mark Boynton's."
The unlucky clerk could not believe II
| possible that he had made snch a mistake
until the reiterated assertions of all his
neighbors convinced him. lie could only
explain it by the fact that he had thought a
| good deal of the peculiar circumstances Of
/ the case--he had heard, he said the women
| folks talking it overland had pitied the ad-
verse fate Of the two young people crossed
| in love, and he must have had Mark Boyn-
ton so much in his mind that he had spoken
the latter's name unconsciously. A fine
comnotion his blunder had raised
Mrs. Jocelvn, with a flushed and angry
face, took l.izlies arm and hurried her
away. She believed the whole thing was
trick Of Marks and she suspected that Liz.
zie might be privy to it. But she prudently
repressed her anger until they reached home.
aud there Lizzie quickly escaped TO her own
room and locked herself in; 50 the good
wornans lecture had to be postponed.
As for Mark Boynton, the last syllable Of
the benediction was hardly spoken before
lowed him, but no one had time TO speak
to him, for he quickly sprang over stile
leading from the churchyard to a foot path
across the fields, and disappeared in the
wood beyond
But doubtless the saddest, the most pity
ing sympathy OF the crowd went after Rob
ert .locelyn, rs with face white and immov-
able as that Of the dead, he moved through
the throng. which divided to let him pass.
and walked away to his home. lie sat down
by the open window through which the pen
sive autumn sunshine streamed in warm and
sweet, and burying his face in his hands, re.
manned long time lost in gloomy thought.
Bitter memories crowded thick upon him.
The struggle in his soul was a cruel one, but
it was the better part of him which con
quered. After long time he lifted his head.
took out his watch, took from the inner part
OF the old-fashioned silver case a lock Of
hair, faded now, but once a bright, warm
brown Over il lay little watch-paper, on
which was painted in water colors a wreath
Of forget-me-nots encircling two clasping
hands. Underneath the whole was the name
"Phrbe." lie gazed at these treasures long
and steadily, while the hard look of suffer
ing went out of his face, and his eyes grew
tender and moist with tears. lie leaned his
elbow on the window sill and looked across
the happy autumn fields to the churchyard
where for so many years Phobe had rested
from her sorrows Then his eve went on to
his brothers house, from the door of which
hs presently saw little Lizzie pass out and
take the path to the orchard At sight OF
her his lip quiyered slightly he heaved one
great sigh, and then said, as ii summoning
strength for some final resolution, Yes, |
will 60 and tell her"
Poor Lizzie had thought her cup was full
before, but this day she was sure she could
bear no more, and escaping as soon as pos
sible from her mother, she sought the only
place where she was likely TO be uninter-
rupted, that she might cry her heart out
alone. She hurried along till she reached
her favorite seat beneath an ancient apple
tree whose long branches dropped so low as
to almost touch the ground. On one side
was the wall, and on another huge bar
berry bush, so that she was almost entirely
shut from view, and any one approaching
could not be seen until close upon her
Now, not far distant from the .Iocelyn
orchard, and separated from it only by
small field was pleasant strip of woodland.
II was a part OF Mark Boynton's farm, and
up and down its shaded paths their owner
had been restlessly walking ever since he
left the church. lie alone, of all present
that day, had understood in a flash the old
mans blunder and its cause. In that mo
ment when lie drew himself proudly up ia
the face of all who looked at him, he was
saying TO himself, Z" She belongs to me. and
she shall be mine. That notice shall be re-
peated here, and it shall be no blunder."
Now, as he restlessly paced 10 aud fro,
quite convinced that affairs had reached q
afu
was fully resolved to make good fight for
his rights. llewas Just making up his mind
TO 60 to Robert ,locelyn and have Il out with
him at once, when he chanced TO glance across
the field 10 the orchard beyond and his eye
caught the ilutter of pink dress among the
trees. Well he knew who had worn that
pink muslin in church he knew, too, the
nook under the old apple tree, for he had sat
there more than once with Lizzie Without
a moments hesitation, he sprang over the low
wall, and went straight across the field TO the
old tree. There, as he expected, he found
Lizzie. II is unnecessary to relate all the
arguments he used TO bring her TO his way of
thinking; at least they were not Immediately
effective, for the poor girls conscience and
sense Of duty were unfortunately arrayed
upon the wrong side. They had been occu-
pied for perhaps half an hour, and were on
the verge of n genuine quarrel. Lizzie, with
tear-stained face, sat pulling neryously at the
long grass. Mark stood before her talking
earnestly. She had said something abont re-
pairing her mothers wrong. lie interrupted
her almost angrily. /" How can you repair
one wrong by doing another That your
mother failed to keep faith with Robert Joce-
lyn is nothing to you. a girl is not bound
to marry every man her mother jilts. II she
a 4.
by doing me the same wrong. tell you that
my claim is better than his. That he loves
you, do not doubt--how could he help it
but love you as well as he, and you love
me, for you have admitted it with your own
lips. Oh, Lizzie don't you know that love
has some rights as well as dutyf"
What answer Lizzie might have made
cannot tell, for Just then the sound of a step
in the grass made them both turn, and there
stood Robert Jocelyn.
" thought to find you alone he said,
" but perhaps it is better as it is. have
heard a part of your conversation, and what
Mark says is right. | have thought it all
out to-day and came to tell you so. have
made great mistake, but, thank God,
have found it out before it is too late.
hope you will forgive me, Lizzie. have
moi been faithful TO your mother, for prom
ised her upon her dying bed that ! would
watch over the happiness of her child and
| have not kept my word, but selfshly sought
my own happiness, forgetting yours Long
ago regarded you as my child it was pre-
sumption in me to think you could be any
thing else. But my eyes are fortunately
opened. 1t will be all right between us, for
have found my child again"
lie stopped and kissed her twice upon the
lips SO like her mothers. Them taking
Marks hand he said, calmly:
" This child has promised to be mine !
give her TO you. BE good to her and may
God bless you both
Then he walked slowly away in the drec-
ion Of his brothers house. The young peo.
Die looked after him in silence, their own
great Joy forgotten for the time in their sor.
owful sympathy for him who had resigned
o them so much.
Robert .Jocelyn made il his caro- 10 recon
lie Ezra and his wife 10 the change in Lid
les destiny. by what arguments he did SO,
md how things were explained to the pub
ic--if explained at ALL am unable 10 re
ate. II is sufficient TO say that on the two
sundays Immediately following old Mr.. Bea-
nan again announced TO the deeply inter
sted congregation the intention Of marriage
,etween Mark Boynton and Elizabeth Heath
nd the intention was carried out at no dis
ant day.
1t was many years ago that these things
during which the Boyntons have
.a.., a. l..,..s ,..I ,..,.,,.....a aau,.la With