Year: 1876

1t was the close of tie afternoon
service in the villsge church of Bay
field. The LAST notes of the dOx Ilogy
were still echOing from the singing
gallery, and the congregation, with a
hustle and a stir, turned their faces
toward the minister for the Benedic-
ton. In the brief pause before it was
spoken, old Mr.. BeRman, the town
clerk of Bayfield,, stepped in front of
the pulpit, and raising his hand, said
in loud, clear voice, "Know all it
may concern, that Mark Boyntou, of
this town, and Elizabeth Heath, of the
same, intend marriage"


There was q movement through the
whole congregation as if it were per-
vaded by an electric shock, and looks
of surprise passed from eye to eye.
But there were three persons present
on whom the clerks announcement
fell like thunderbOlt. One of these
was q young girl with pale face and
downcsst eye. When Mr.. Beaman
began to speak she listened with 8
kind OF patient eomposure but as the
names were announced, a wild,
startled look came into her eyes, she
she sank back upon her seat, and
buried her now burning face in her
hands.


Not many slips removed stood a
man of perhaps forty-a grave and
sober person, with hair slightly turn
ing to gray. His face habitually a
somewhat sad one, had worn through
out tue service that day, look of
cheerful content but as Mr.. Beaman
made his announcement, it took on
the paleness of death. His head
dropped upon his breast, and he stood
like one paralyzsd, clasping the rail-
ing OF the pew for support.


Very different was the effect pro-
duced upon a young man, the solitary
occupant of pew not far away. He
had been standing with \ dropping
head and downcsst, heavy look /; but
as he heard the words of the old clerk
he started visib'y, the blood mounted
in a crimson flush to his forehead,
while his eye flashed with a look
OF blended triumph and defiance, and
his lips closed with an expression OF
stern resolve.


There was a painful hush over all
the house, as If every one present were
strangely moved to sympathy with
one or another OF those so deeply and
varlousIy affected by what had been
said. It was broken by the voice of
the minister saying solemnly, "And
now may grace, mercy and 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 Jocelyn. 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 understand the full
force Of the blow which had fallen on
him, it is necessary TO go back at a
time, nearly twenty years before,
when as a youth he had won the love
of his pretty and gentle cousin Phoebe
Jocelyn. Phoebe was the lOveliest girl
in all the country round, and had ad-
mirers by the score, but Robert Joce-
lyn was the choice of her heart, and
/ to him she was tenderly attached.
But, though capable of loving with
devotion, poor Phoebe was weak-wiIled
and timid, and quite pOwerless to
resist a resOlute and domineering
mother, who had chosen q very diff.
| ferent person TO be her daughters
husband. William Heath had more
money than Robert, and was q snowy
plausible fellow, in whom the am
bilious mother fancied she saw 8 mcre
brilliant match for her daughter. She
piled the yielding girl with repro2ches
and appeals to filial duty till she was
quite bewildered and almost before
| she was aware of it she had given up
her eounsin, and was plighted 10
William Heath. Her married life was
fortunately brief, for she knew no
happiness in the three weary years
she lived with her husband. At the
end of that time he left her in poverty,
add no one in Bayfield, ever saw him
again, Poor Phoebe, sinking under
the pressure of grief, neglect and pri-
walton, lived but few months after
his desertiOn. During that time she
was tehderly cared for by her cousin
Robert, who supplied all the wants oi
her and her infant daughter, aud
found for them serene asylum under
the roof of his brother Ezra and bis
wife. This kind couple had nc
children, and when her mother was
gone the little Lizzie was adopted by
1 them as their own.


Robert Joeelyn had never married
he lived on, ssad and silent man, old
before his time, but he had no heart
to offer TO another woman. He had
loved Phoebe so unselfishly that be
could have borne to lose her If she
had been happy; but to have hel
taken from him to suffer neglect and
cruelty was hard indeed. It was with
solemn thankfnlness that he saw the
sod laid over her faded beauty and
broken heart


Years passed, aad Phebe's daughter
was q charming, bright-eyed girl OF
eighteen. Under the fostering care OF
Ezra and his wife she had grown ur