compliments for Vi,"
she said. "But--ah, here comes Eva, and I wonder if you can afford one
to her. She is certainly worthy of it."

Evelyn did indeed look sweet and fair in a becoming white chip hat and
her pretty dress of pale blue silk trimmed with lovely lace.

Rosie's own dress was a delicate pink; Lulu's canary color; all of the
same material.

"That she is, in my opinion," returned the captain, bestowing a fatherly
caress upon the young orphan girl, then offering the same to Rosie.

"Well, now, you are a nice brother--my big, big brother, you remember,"
she laughed, "so I won't repulse you; help yourself and let us have it
over."

Just at that moment her mother came in, dressed for the wedding in a
beautiful pearl-colored silk and point lace, a knot of white roses at
her throat and in her belt, her lovely and abundant golden brown hair
simply and tastefully arranged.

"Mamma!" exclaimed Violet, "you are the most beautiful and tastefully
attired one among us!"

"In the partial eyes of my daughter Violet," was the smiling rejoinder.
"But to me her youthful beauty far exceeds her mother's fading charms."

"I incline to the opinion that the fading is perceptible to no eyes but
your own, mother," remarked the captain gallantly.

"I also," said Violet; "a richer, riper bloom is all that I can see."

"Or that anybody else can," added Walter, who, ready dressed for the
wedding, had entered the room just in time to catch Violet's first
exclamation.

Then the other members of the family and the guests came flocking in,
the carriages were announced as waiting for their living freight, and
presently all were seated in them and on their way to the church, which
they found crowded with invited guests and other spectators.

The ceremony was short, but impressive. Bride, bridesmaids, flower
girls, and maids of honor were all looking their best, and behaved
admirably; groom, groomsmen, and ushers also, among whom were a brother
and an intimate friend of the bridegroom, the young cousins Arthur and
Walter Howard, Chester and Frank Dinsmore, and little Walter Travilla.

Old Mr. Dinsmore, the uncle and guardian of the bride, gave her away,
and was the first to salute, and call her by her new name on the
completion of the ceremony, the first to congratulate the groom, and
wish them a great deal of happiness.

Other affectionate greetings and best wishes followed in quick
succession; then the carriages were re-entere