Just now I heard Don give a real bark and went out to find the party had returned, Chloe in high glee. I had sent by her to Danton as a wedding present, a white waistcoat. The buttons had been taken out when it was washed and had not been put back, and when I thought of the waistcoat as a present, Chloe was all ready and I could not put the buttons in, so I wrapped them up and put them in the pocket, wrapped the waistcoat in a paper, with my good wishes on the paper, and gave it to Chloe.
She told me that they met the bridegroom on his way to the wedding with his four attendants and she delivered the package. Danton opened it, expressed great delight, took off his coat and put on the waistcoat, and the groomsmen all assisted in putting in the buttons with the string which tied the parcel, and the bridegroom was resplendent and the four groomsmen were loud in applause. He folded the paper up and put it carefully in his pocket and said, "I gwine to keep Miss Pashuns's good will she write on dis paper."
Chloe says the wine flowed freely and the large company all had some, and the six cakes were not all consumed. She is telling me every detail of the gayety. Jim had the duty of handing round the wine, which Chloe privately told me was very sour. But it was a "high class" affair, not so much as a "cuss word," all pleasant and polite.
I am writing while she narrates, which will account for incoherence. She stands with her hand on the knob of the door and every now and then my hopes rise as she opens the door, but at once some new detail comes to her mind and the door closes, the lantern is put down, and the wonderful witticisms recommence.
The bride wore yellow satin with two skirts, a long veil put on with a wreath of white flowers and looked "truly han'som, en I neber bin to a freer weddin', Miss Pashuns, dan dis. Of coa's de cake was to dem tas'e, not to yo'ne, but dem had a plenty o' dem, sum lef'."
At last Chloe has said good night. I'm going to bed to dream of the wedding.
September 26.
Nice letters by mail to-day, but I am so down and miserable in spirits, that I do not know what will be the result. I feel ill just from despair. There seems no outlook anywhere—no hope. I feel ashamed of myself, for there are so many so much worse off. God forgive me.
CHAPTER XIV
September 28.