htening at these words.

"And she describes her meeting with Sheldon (for he is the bridegroom);
of his being one of the editors of the magazine for which her prizes
were written; of his surprise at finding to whom he was awarding them,
and the explanation, and awakening of the old love, which quickly
followed."

"We are married, Netta," she writes, "and are all bound eastward, as
soon as Dr. Prague can close up his affairs in this city, as he proposes
to accompany us, and spend the remainder of his days near your kind
father. He says he has no ties to bind him to the western country. You
will take this package, containing my prizes, to aunty, and read this
letter to her. Tell her she must use the note enclosed to buy her a
smart new dress, and get you to make her a high-crowned cap with an
extra pinch in the border, in which to receive her Annie's husband."

The old woman laughed and cried by turns, and said, "'Twas not much use
to rig up such an old, withered thing as she was; but then she would do
all as hinny wished."

George and Netta stopped awhile to chat upon the expected arrival. Netta
said, "The young couple could live in the beautiful stone mansion George
had just completed, and which was now wanting a family. It was built in
Gothic style, and most romantically situated, only a little distance
from the Parsonage, in a delightful grove of maples and elms. She had
been wondering who would occupy it, but never dreamed it might be Annie
and her noble husband."

Thus they talked and planned; Aunt Patty all the while half wild with
excitement and expectation. At length they took leave, Netta promising
to come next day, and assist in making the new dress and smart cap.

* * *

Onward they came, on the wings of the flying steam-steed. Onward they
came, a happy trio; the good old doctor, boisterous in his glee and
satisfaction, looking first on Annie, then on Sheldon, and bursting
again and again into peals of exuberant laughter; so wonderfully pleased
was he with the success of his first attempt at match-making; for he
appropriated to himself the whole glory of cementing the union between
his two favorites. The only thing that caused anxiety or solicitude
during their journey was a fear lest the good old gentleman, in his wild
abandonment of joy, should forget himself, and eat so many oranges as to
endanger his precious existence. But, happily, their fears proved
imagin