THE PROPHETIC ROSE.
In the first archway was placed a huge rose made of tissue-paper of a deep red color, the petals being darker at the centre. The guests were told the darker petals belonged to the boys, and the girls should visit the rose first. Each girl in turn stepped towards the rose and broke off a petal. On the reverse side she read her fortune; for delicately pasted to the rose petal was a white one, and on this the girl's fortune was written. Everybody read their fortune aloud, for all were as interested to learn the future of their friends as their own. When the girls had finished, the boys followed in similar manner. Some of the fortunes were:
"Thou drawest a perfect lot."
"You will be wondrous happy."
"Mistress of the Manse."
"A curate—never slack in duty."
The last dance was the wreath quadrille, at which every one was presented with a wreath of moss-rose buds. The girls immediately bared their heads and put theirs on, while the boys hung theirs on their arms.
The games, dances, and all the merry play stopped at five o'clock, when under the trees was served a tempting and plentiful refreshment on tables but just large enough to seat from four to six people. The table covers were white satin damask bordered with natural roses, some with red roses, others with pink or yellow, while in the centre of each lay a solid triangle of roses, the same variety used for bordering.
Lemonade was served in rose-colored glasses; iced cakes were encircled with roses; some were left white, but others represented American Beauty or La France varieties, and the ice-cream and ices were in the prettiest of rose devices, one favorite being an overturned basket of Mermet roses.
When Mabel returned to Aunt Lucretia's she was very tired. "For, only to think of it, mamma, I was in everything. And wasn't you surprised to see me lead the dances?"