tertainment called _a wedding_.

"Come, now, little lady," said Mr. Hayden, taking Dotty's hand, and
leading her up to Colonel Allen, "here is the uncle you have bought. He
is new, and a soldier too. So you see I have done my best for you."

"That?" said Dotty, pointing her index-finger at the bridegroom in
surprise. "I know _him_; he isn't _new_. He is Mr. Colonel. He isn't my
uncle a bit, sir."

"True, he was not, five minutes ago, Miss Dimple; but the few little
words you heard me say to him have made a wonderful change. He is now
your uncle Augustus, and your aunt Margaret is Mrs. Allen."

Dotty looked up bewildered. Her newly-married aunt was engaged in
talking to the guests; but Colonel Allen was gazing down upon his new
niece with an arch smile.

"The minister did not cheat you, you see?" said he. "He has really given
you what he promised."

"I didn't want you to marry my good auntie," was all Dotty's answer.

"Ah, my dear, that is very sad! I was not aware that you had any dislike
for me."

"O, I love you," exclaimed Dotty, "'cause you carry me pickaback; _but_
I wish you knew your letters skippin' about!"

The minister and the bridegroom smiled at this absurd little speech, and
it was repeated to everybody in the room. Prudy felt very guilty, and
blushed like a damask rose, for she knew where Dotty had caught the idea
of Colonel Allen's extreme ignorance.

"I am very sorry, little Miss Dimple, that you object to me," said the
new uncle; "but by and by you and I will take the big dictionary, and
you may point out the letters to me. I think you will find I know them
'skippin' about.' Is there anything else you have against me?"

"Yes, sir," replied the child, earnestly; "you're a lawyer--my father
says so. You wrote to him once."

"Did I? What did I write?"

"A letter."

"And where was the harm in that?"

"O, it looked like turkeys' tracks--he said it did. You wrote the letter
with a fly. You dipped him in the inkstand, and stuck him on a pin, and
wrote with him. My father says so."

"You surprise me, Dotty. I really don't remember it. Have you any other
reason for not wishing me to be your uncle?"

"I wanted you to marry somebody else."

"Indeed! You ought to have mentioned it before! What young lady had you
chosen for me, Miss Dimple?"

"Abby Grant, the little girl that went behind the tree and let me lose
myself. I'd as lief she'd go to New York as not. If you'd only waited
for her she