* *

It was all over at last, and old black Julius, who had been acting as a
combination of link-boy and major-domo at the foot of the front steps,
extinguished his lantern, and went to bed, some time before a little
white figure stole up the stairs and slipped into a door that
Chloe--black Chloe--held open.

And the next day Jacob Dolph the elder handed the young bride into the
new travelling-carriage with his stateliest grace, and Mr. and Mrs.
Jacob Dolph, junior, rolled proudly up the road, through Bloomingdale,
and across King's Bridge--stopping for luncheon at the Des Anges
house--over to New Rochelle, where the feminine head of the house of Des
Anges received them at her broad front door, and where they had the
largest room in her large, old-fashioned house, for one night. Madam Des
Anges wished to keep them longer, and was authoritative about it. But
young Jacob settled the question of supremacy then and there, with the
utmost courtesy, and Madam Des Anges, being great enough to know that
she was beaten, sent off the victor on the morrow, with his trembling
accomplice by his side, and wished them _bon voyage_ as heartily as she
possibly could.

So they started afresh on their bridal tour, and very soon the
travelling carriage struck the old Queen Anne's Road, and reached
Yonkers. And there, and from there up to Fishkill, they passed from one
country-house to another, bright particular stars at this dinner and at
that supper, staying a day here and a night there, and having just the
sort of sociable, public, restless, rattling good time that neither of
them wanted.

At every country-house where they stayed a day they were pressed to stay
a week, and always the whole neighborhood was routed out to pay them
social tribute. The neighbors came in by all manner of conveyances. One
family of aristocrats started at six o'clock in the morning, and
travelled fourteen miles down the river in an ox-cart, the ladies
sitting bolt upright, with their hair elaborately dressed for the
evening's entertainment. And once a regular assembly ball was given in
their honor, at a town-hall, the use of which was granted for the
purpose specified by unanimous vote of the town council. Of course,
they had a very good time; but then there are various sorts of good
times. Perhaps they might have selected another sort for themselves.

There is a story that, on their way back, they put up for several days
at a poor little hostel