"Never, sir; never for one moment." The accents were low, sweet, clear, and full of pleasure.
"I pronounce you a faithful man and wife: and may God, in his good providence, grant you many returns of this happy anniversary."
Old Mr. Dinsmore stepped up, kissed the bride and shook hands with the groom. "Blessings on you for making her so happy," he said in quivering tones.
His son followed, then the others in their turn, and a merry scene ensued.
"Mamma, it was so pretty, so pretty," little Elsie said, clasping her arms about her mother's neck, "and now I just feel as if I'd been to your wedding. Thank you, dear mamma and papa."
"Mamma, you are so beautiful, I'll just marry you myself, when I'm a man," remarked Eddie, giving her a hearty kiss, then gazing into her face with his great dark eyes full of love and admiration.
"I too," chimed in Violet. "No, no, I forget, I shall be a lady myself: so I'll have to marry papa."
"No, Vi, oo tan't have my papa; he's dus' my papa always," objected
Harold, climbing his father's knee.
"What a splendid idea, Elsie," Lucy Ross was saying to her friend, "you have made me regret, for the first time, not having kept my wedding dress; for I believe my Phil and I could go through that catechism quite as well as you and Mr. Travilla. The whole thing, I suppose, was quite original?"
"Among us: my namesake daughter proposed the wearing of the dress: and the ceremony," turning to the minister, "was your idea, Mr. Wood, was it not?"