esmaid who gets it has plainly
made a deep impression on the young artilleryman who is seated next her,
and is accused of already wearing his colors in her cheeks; and then
comes the dance, and the crash-covered floors are speedily alive with
twinkling feet, and the bride's own set in the lanciers is surrounded by
a throng of eager lookers-on. And Ray's color has come back to his
bronzed cheeks, and he has looked so well, so infinitely happy, so proud
and radiant all the evening, and yet so grave withal, so quiet and
self-restrained. All men speak of the earnest feeling that is evident in
his acceptance of the showered congratulations, and the army comrades
who have been long separated from him wonder at the change that has come
over the fellow they once called "Rattling Ray."

And Marion! Heaven's blessings never lighted a more exquisite face than
is hers to-night! She is simply radiant, simply irresistible, for the
girls hang about her to repeat their congratulations again and again, to
win another kiss, to hear the winning, gracious accents of the voice
that has so long charmed and enthralled them. Old and young, rich and
poor, big and little, those kinsfolk, school-mates, and neighbors,
especially the little ones who were her scholars in the Sunday-school,
flock about her, watch her with fascinated eyes; and for every one she
has sweet and gracious words and beaming smiles; she holds them to the
last. The children troop about her as she is led away to change her
bridal-dress for the journey. 'Tis approaching midnight and the "owl
train" leaves within the hour; and they hang about the stairways waiting
for her reappearance, and hover in mysterious fascination about Captain
Ray as he comes in his travelling suit of mufti, and wonder why he
should discard his uniform and sword, and the carriage is now at the
door, and great store of rice and old slippers are got in readiness, and
presently down the broad stairway she comes, metamorphosed as to
raiment, but radiant, winsome as ever; and they seize upon her and bear
her off bodily into the great parlor, and throng about her and pull her
this way, that way, every way, and kiss and maul and squeeze and rumple,
and never seem to exhaust her infinite patience or their own extravagant
capacity; but at last they begin to surge towards the door-way, and the
bridesmaids hover in circle for the closing ceremony, and she tosses her
bouquet to the ceiling amid shouts and scurry, and