CHAPTER LXXIII. WEDDING BELLS.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 110, 11 July 1885, Page 4

CHAPTER LXXIII. WEDDING BELLS.

Such a day as it is — such a clear, blue, soft sunny-skied fragrant day ! " * Happy is the bride the sun shines on !' " cries Aunt Dolly, flying down the stairs like a little brown sparrow. Captain Costello catches her as she reaches the landing. " Blessed Polonius !" „ he ejaculates. " Hold on a minute and tell a fellow how he looks." He is in inky, conventional black. His jovial old face is shining. The diamond on his snowy shirt-bosom is shining. Altogether he is quite a dazzling apparition. "Splendid !" decides she, warmly. "No!" But the negative is the pleased protest of gratified vanity. "As for you, Dolly ." he adds, but here words fail him. "Ah, now, Terry 1" Indeed, she does look well though — tho dear little woman ! She is all in goldenbrown satin, with delicate, yellowing point at throat and wrists, an airy structure of the same on her silvering head, a knot of pink roses at her bosom. A very quiet wedding it is, but oh ! such a glad, joyous, happy one. " If only Owen and Kitty could have been home !" says that bonnie bride of a month, Mrs Voyle Vernell,as she twines a spray of white roses in Vella's golden curls. And now the glowing August day is waning, and the mirth, and music, and laughter grow loud and sweet. Mrs Tracy slips away to change her dress ; and down she comes in her pretty travelling-suit of Quaker grey. And , now they are shaking hands with her, crowding around her, congratulating her, And she is kissed by^ the Captain— who, in his excitement, kisses Miss Dorothy too— and hugged by Voyle, and half- smothered by Bessie, and cried over a wee, joyful bit by Aunt Dorothy. And now Marc laughingly protests, ftnd bears her off, down the carpeted steps, to the carriage. And the rice patters on the roof j and the groom catches Bessie's blue satin slipper as it whirls after them with a true aim, and refuses to surrender it. And now they are off ! " God bless 'em !" says, the captain, . wiping his eyeß ; and straightway in the exuberance, of his feelings He kissei, Miss Dolly again. TBKIND.