lot
To me were dark and lone,
While, _with_ it, even the humblest cot
Were brighter than his throne.
Those words for which the conqueror sighs
For me would have no charms;
My only world thy gentle eyes,
My throne thy circling arms."

Wrapped in blissful dreams, he slumbered on till the night passed away.
The morning dawned and the sun rode high in the heavens ere he started,
broad awake, remembering that this was his wedding-day, and that he had
overslept himself.

Indeed, at that moment, some one tapped on the door, and the voice of
Harry Chilton, his cousin and best man, called out, gayly:

"Heavens, man! what can you mean by sleeping to within two hours of your
wedding?"

"Is it possible?" cried Love, looking at his clock, and finding that the
assertion was quite true.

He opened the door to his cousin, and they became immediately immersed
in preparations for the ceremony which was to take place in the
large parlor at nine o'clock, to be followed by the splendid
wedding-breakfast.

The great house was in a hubbub of excitement with the final
preparations and the dressing of the guests; but the bride's door had
never opened yet, though no one thought strange of that, for she had
gently declined all offers of assistance at her toilet, saying that
mamma would do all that was necessary.

Never had there been a fairer morn for a birthday bridal. Not the
slightest cloud marred the deep-blue sky; the sun shone in radiant
splendor on the dewy flowers and the green earth, and the little birds
seemed almost to know that there was to be a wedding, they warbled so
persistently in the joy of their little hearts.

Time wore on till it lacked but fifteen minutes to the ceremony. The
house was thronged with the wedding-guests, and the bishop of the
diocese had arrived to perform the ceremony. The musicians were getting
ready to play the wedding-march.

Love was all ready, looking faultlessly handsome in his wedding-suit,
and he began to grow impatient because he had received no message from
his darling that morning.

"How strange if she and her mother have overslept themselves! I will go
and knock on the door," he said, suiting the action to the words.

He could not hear the least sound in the room, and he received no answer
to his knock. He rapped impatiently again.

"Dainty! Mrs. Chase!" he called, anxiously, several times.

But there was no reply.

He bent his ear to the k