t the times when Mrs.
Browne had worked in the kitchen at Grey's Park, while poor Mr. Browne
was charged with every possible second-class occupation, from mending
brass kettles down to peddling clothes-pins.

Fortunately, however, Mrs. Browne was in happy ignorance of all this.
She only knew that she had "killed a bear," as she expressed it, and
that she had been described as an elegant and accomplished lady, who led
the _ton_ in Allington.

"I guess I've whipped 'em all, though I'll wait and see what Miss
McPherson does," she said; but Miss McPherson did nothing.

It was the wish of both Bessie and Grey that the wedding should be as
quiet as possible. Any one was free to go to the church where the
ceremony took place one morning the last week in November, and which was
filled with plain, respectable people. But only Hannah and Lucy Grey,
Mr. and Mrs. Burton Jerrold, and the clergyman, Mr. Sanford, went to the
house, where the wedding-breakfast was served, and where Miss Betsey
broke down more than once, as she thought how soon she had lost the girl
whom she had learned to love so much. Grey and Bessie were going to New
York that afternoon, for they were to sail the next day, and Hannah was
going with them. No good reason had been assigned for this sudden trip
across the ocean at this season of the year, and only Mr. Sanford knew
why it was taken. Hannah had told him everything, and while he
expressed his pleasure that the long search and waiting had at last been
rewarded in so satisfactory a manner, he added, sadly:

"I hope you will not stay there long. I shall be very lonely without
you, Hanny."

It was the first time he had given her the pet name of old, since Martha
had been laid to rest in the church-yard, and as a penance for doing so,
he went the same day to Martha's grave and stood there at least fifteen
minutes, with the November rain falling upon him until his clothes were
nearly wet through.

"Poor Martha," he sighed, as he turned away, "she would be fidgeted to
death if she knew how wet I am. I guess I had better drink some boneset
when I get home. I believe that is what she used to give me."

He went with the party to New York, and so did Miss Grey and Miss
McPherson, and the loungers at the Allington station made some joking
remarks about one widower going off with three old maids, but each of
the old maids knew her business, and cared little what the rabble said.
The Brownes, too, were in New Yor