the make-up of a man,
and having a bishop in the family may help a little, too.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE WEDDING

Life? 'Tis the story of love and troubles
Of troubles and love that travel together
The round world through.

_----Joaquin Miller._

WHEN Arthur and Jack Smeaton arrived at the Perkins home the next
morning, and announced that the wedding would take place at once,
Mrs. Perkins, without waiting for further details, made an emergency
visit to the hen-house and slew six chickens--there could be no
wedding without fried chicken. Then she came back to find out who was
to be the groom.

Mr. Perkins was hurriedly despatched for Pearl Watson, who was to be
the bridesmaid, and Mr. and Mrs. Watson and Aunt Kate, who were to be
the guests. Mr. Perkins, who had refused to leave the house without
being dressed in his "other" suit, was in the hilarious humour that
went with his good clothes when he reached the Watson home.

"By golly! John," he said, "that Arthur's a game one, and don't you
forget it--he's simply handed his girl over to the other fellow; and
I tell you he's done it handsome, just as cool and cheerful about it
as if he liked the job. The little girl there, that Thursa, she's
pretty enough to make men draw their shootin'-irons on each other.
I'm fifty-three year old myself, but, by jingo! I was proud to be
seen walkin' down the street with her yesterday in Millford; she
drove in with me, and we walked around a bit. She had a hat as big as
a waggon wheel, carrying as many plumes as a hearse. Whew! You should
'a' seen the people lookin' at us. She took my arm, mind ye, John;
and say, now, I can't understand Arthur bringin' that other gent
right back with him. Arthur went up to find out about this fellow, if
he was the straight goods, and all that--she told me the hull thing
yesterday. It was a secret, she said, but she just told me and the
missus and Martha--she didn't see any one else--and she was that glad
to-day when she saw this 'Jack' fellow that she kissed him and kissed
Arthur, too--a kind of overflow meetin' his was--I stood around handy
by, but she over-looked me some way; and then her and Jack went into
the parlour to decide who was goin' to be boss and a few things like
that, and I'll be blessed if Arthur didn't pitch right in to help
Martha and the missus to get dinner ready. Never winked an eyelash,
that fellow--the English have great grit, when you get a nice one. So
hu