The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-05-19

sprang to his feet.
"LizzieI" he cried Indignantly, you
are not, you cannot be in es rnest"
No answer from Lizzie. Her voice
was choked with sobs. Poor Mark
broke out in bitter reproaches. He ae-
cused her of cruel trihing with him and
declared his belief that she had accepted
JocelYn because he was the richer man,
and his own case doubtful one. Lizzie
had but one answer TO his reProaches;
she cried as if her hesrt were broken;
and the strong. tender hearted fellow,
soon grew pitifuI of her grief. and
soothed her, and begged forgiveness for
his haFshness. After a while he drew
from her the whole story. He under
stood the pressure which had been
brought to bear upon her, and how pow
erless she and been 10 resist it. He saw
that if she had felt sure of his affection
she would have stood out against them
all. If be had but spoken out hefore!-
But his own pride had been to blame.
Though he argued long and earnestly,
he could not cef4yince Lizzie that she
had any right to draw back. She had
given her word, and she held herself
bound by it, persistently declaring that
he must not talk, or rhe listen. So al
last he gave up in despair and the two
walked home in gloomy silence.
In bayfield, every body's affairs are
known to every body else; and 40 it was
but few days before the whole neigh
borhood was informed of Lizzie't en-
gagement to Robert Jocelyn, and by
some mysterious agency, known only to
rural communities, the secret of Mark
Boynton's love and disappointment was
also generally understood. The circum-
stances created a kind of excitement.
The general opinion was that the two
young people were being sacrificed to
the wishes of their elders; and sympathy
was strongly with them. as always, where
true love is crossed. The young people
blamed Lizzie for her want of frmneFS;
bnt parents, interested perhaps in the
cause of authority, exonerated her and
censured those who were taking advant-
age of her fiIial duty. Robert, too,
came in for his share of sympathy. The
sad story of hia love for Phoebe was
we'll remembered; and there was not
wanting some romantic souls who thought
it fitting that the daughter should COM
pensate him for the pain her mother
cost.
OF course all the neighborhood gossip
was known to Mra Ezra, but she took
good care that very little of it should
| come to Roberts ears. She had made up
her mind that she knew what was best
for Lizzie, and she did not mean to let
her plans fall.
And Robert! Was he ignorant of the
state of things? He might have seen,
but he would not. He heard il said that
Lizzie loved Mark Boynton, and he
would not believe it. Had he not loved
her all her life as no young man could?
Had he not a right? He had missed
happiness once. and now it was again
within his grasp, who should say that he
ought to give it up? Lizzie would he
happy. She loved him already; she
would love wholly when she was his wife
| That other was a passing fancy. He
shut his eyes to the evidence of her pale
and sorrowful face. silenced all inward
remonstrances, and held his way.
The preparations for the marriage
were rather hurried forward. for Mrs.
Ezra thought the sooner it was over the
better. Lizzie made no objection. Since
it was TO be. all times were alike to her
The day for the wedding was fixed. and
they only waited for the regular three
weeks punishment" one of the legal
forms essential in those days. They
we're to be "cried" for the first time on
that pleasant Sunday afternoon on which
this story opens. And Mr.. Beaman.
whose duty it was to perform that office,
stood up before the congregation and
published the banns of marriage be-
tween Elizabeth Heath md Mark Bovn-
ton! No wonder that the people were
thunderstruck, and that they moved In
silent amazement out Of the church.
But once the crowd was fairly outside
the sacred edifice. comment and question
were free. Mr. Beaman was beset by
inquiries. Ezra Jocelyn was there, an
grily accusing him of wantonly insult
ing his daughter and his brother. The
poor man was completely bewildered
He did not understand that anything
was wrong. He had been called upon
by Robert Jocelyn to publish the inten-
tion of marriage between himself and
Lizzie Heath, and he had done it.
"Why, man alive!" exclaimed a by
stander, ait was not Robert Jocelyn's
name that you called, but Mark Boyn-
TOMS"
The unlnckv clerk could not believe
il possible that he had made snch a
mistake, until the reiterated assertions
of all his neighhors convinced him
He could only explain it by the fact
that he had thought a good deal of the
peculiar circumstances of the case-ht
had heard, he said. the woman folks
talking it overland had pitied the ad
verse fate of the two Young people
crossed in love; and he must have had
Mark Bovnton so much in his mind tha
he had spoken the latter's name uncon
sciously. A fne' communication hi
blnnder had made
: Mrs. Joycelyn. with a flushed and an
cry face, took Lizzie's arm and hurried
her away. She believed the Who'll,
thing was trick of Marks; and sh,
suspected that Lizzie might be privy Il
} it. But she prudently repressed he
anger until they reached home wher
, Lizzie quickly escaped to her own room
and locked herself in; so the good wo
! mans lecture had to be postponed.
As for Mark Boynton, the last sylla
? BILE of the benedIction was hardly spo