"It's Toney all over," said Miss Honoria.
As to Frank Weston, he thought, "This is as it should be, no fuss, only poor people and flowers and heavenly music."
There were no jovial young men fussing and talking, no hustling, no disgraceful pushing, no whispered conversations. To the poor it was nearly as good as a funeral as they listened to Mr. Hales' strong manly voice, and saw his face full of mystic joy.
If Jeanie Hamilton had wanted any more reforming she had it then. How could pride exist in this sanctuary of beauty? She looked like a lily herself in a white afternoon dress, not a ball dress to be minutely described in the newspapers, Jeanie, belonging to one of the oldest families in the county, was marrying a self-made man, but as she looked up at his strong face, full of manly joy, she knew that she, not he, had the best of the bargain! She was only proud now of belonging to him.
Mrs. Hamilton was touched by the beauty and the originality. There was no vulgarity to hurt her pride, and she forgave Maud's first words in the vestry,
"Oh dearest Jeanie, you are a lucky woman. Toney, it was quite, quite perfect."
"You shall have the same, Maud, when you marry," answered Toney smiling.
Maud laughed and looked guilty. How pretty she appeared in her white dress, looking not unlike a bride herself.
The poor people remained seated till the pair came out together, but Toney stayed behind with a little army of helpers. All the lilies were to be tied in bunches, and each poor person in the church was to take home a bunch. Toney therefore missed seeing an uninvited guest at the church door, who shook hands cordially with the wedding party.
"Forgive me, Mrs. Weston, I was not invited, but I heard a whisper of your original wedding and——"