like a
golden crown.

How the carriages rolled around and the silks rustled up and down the
stairs. There were gay voices and soft laughs, and presently word was
sent that the Reverend Dr. De Witt had arrived. Then the immediate
family went down. Dolly stooped and kissed Hanny and told her she must
not feel a mite afraid. The young men filed out. Stephen took Dolly,
just putting her white-gloved hand on his arm as if it was the most
precious thing in the world. Joe, smiling and really much handsomer than
Stephen, though you couldn't persuade Dolly to any such heresy; then
Doctor Hoffman and the others. They seemed to float down the broad
stairs. The rooms were very large, but oh, how full they were! The
procession walked through the back parlor; Stephen and Dolly and the
little girl went straight up to Dr. De Witt, who stood there in his gown
and bands, a sweet, reverential old man. The bridesmaids and groomsmen
made a half-circle around. There was some soft beautiful music, then a
silence. Dr. De Witt began. Dorothea Beekman and Stephen Decatur
Underhill promised each other and all the world, to love and cherish,
and live together according to God's holy ordinance all their lives.

The little girl held the flowers and listened attentively. She had an
idea there must be a great deal more to it and was almost disappointed,
for she could not understand that it included all one's life. Dr. De
Witt bent over and kissed the bride with solemn reverence. Then Stephen
kissed his wife. There was a great deal of kissing afterward, for the
new husband kissed the bridesmaids, and the groomsmen had a right to
kiss the bride. The mothers had their turn next, and afterward all was
laughing confusion.

In the midst of this Philip Hoffman leaned over Margaret.

"I believe you kiss the bridesmaid, too," he said, in a serious fashion,
and touched her soft red lips with his. Margaret's face was scarlet, and
her breath seemed taken away.

They made a pretty semicircle afterward, and all the guests came up with
good wishes. There were so many elegantly dressed people that the little
girl was half dazed. I forgot to tell you that she wore her string of
gold beads, and they always had a wedding flavor after that.

Presently the procession re-formed and went out to the dining-room,
where the table ought to have groaned, if tables ever do. There were
some immaculate black waiters who handed one thing after another. The
bride cut the cake