I shall never forget. The old lady performed her
office with flashing eyes, a steady voice, and an individuality which
none could despise or overlook.

Excepting her grandmother, Dawn was unattended, and as the young
couple came down the aisle, by previous request of the bride, I had
the honour of accompanying the old lady from the church, and she said,
as we drove away over the scattered rose petals to be in readiness to
receive the guests--

"I've done it--give me little girl away, an' without misgivin's, for
if she's as happy as I was she'll do. When the time was here there was
some patches of me life wasn't too soft, but lookin' back, I would
marry Jim Clay over again if I could."

The caterpillars that had been eating the grape-vines and giving
Andrew exercise as destroyer, had turned into millions of white
butterflies that flecked the golden sunlight like a vast flotilla of
miniature aerial yachts, and enhanced the splendour of that balmy
wedding-day. It was the month of roses, and, intertwined with jasmine
and mignonette, they formed the chief decorations in the roomy marquee
erected for the breakfast under the big old cedars overlooking the
river. All Noonoonites of any importance sat down to the repast, and
their names, from that of Mrs Bray to Mrs Dr Tinker, are recorded in
'The Noonoon Advertiser.' The last-mentioned lady did not exhibit any
of her famous characteristics at the function further than to use a
gorgeous fan she carried in rapping her husband over the knuckles
every time his attention wandered from her remarks. The toasts were
many and long, and it fell to "Dora" Eweword to respond to that of the
"ladies." Since the announcement of Dawn's engagement to Ernest,
"Dora" had been frequently seen out driving with Ada Grosvenor, and he
paid her marked attention at the wedding; but this was private, not
public, information.

After I had helped Dawn into her travelling dress I had a few words
apart with Ernest while Grandma Clay bade a private good-bye to his
wife.

"Well," he said, with self-contained and pardonable triumph, "I've won
her in spite of that dish of water."

"Yes, we three have accomplished our desire."

"What three?"

"Mr and Mrs R. E. Breslaw and myself!"

"Oh, was it your desire too?" he said with a happy laugh.

The bride now appeared, and wringing my hand as he said--

"You'll come to us when we return," he stepped forward to place her in
the carriage that took them to