f
the wedded pair, and turned her gravely happy face to the bishop, who
admitted to Betty afterward that he had never kissed a bride, other than
his own, with such unalloyed satisfaction.

It was all over quickly, and Cassandra was standing in a new world. Her
eyes shone with the love-light no longer held back and veiled. She
accompanied them all to the door and parted from them, even her mother
and little Hoyle, as a hostess parting from her guests. She would not
allow any one to stay behind, for the wedding feast had been spread in
her mother's house, and thither they repaired to eat, and talk
everything over.

"Mother felt right bad to leave us alone. She meant to bring everything
up and all eat together here, but I thought it would be better, just we
two, and me to set things out for you. Lie quiet and close your eyes,
David, and make out like you are sleeping while I do it."

With perfect contentment he obeyed, and lay watching her through
half-closed lids. It was always the same vision. She moved between him
and a halo of light that seemed to be a part of her and to go with her,
now at his bedside, now bending before the fireplace. At last the small
pine table, which had served as an altar, was set with their first meal.
The home was established.

He opened his eyes and looked on the feast she had set before him. The
pink rose was still in her hair, and one at her throat, and two perfect
ones were in a glass near his plate. The table was drawn close to his
bedside, and strawberries were upon it, and a glass pitcher of cream.
There were white beaten biscuit, and tea--as he had made it for her so
long ago on her first and only visit to his cabin when he was at home,
so she had made it for him now. There were chicken and green peas, also.

"How quickly everything has happened! How perfect it all is! How did you
get all these things together?"

So she told him where everything came from. "Mother churned the butter
to have it right fresh, and she left it without salt for you, like you
said you used to have it in England. Uncle Jerry brought the peas from
his garden, and he shelled them himself. I made the biscuit this
morning, and Aunt Sally fried the chicken when she came down, and Azalie
prepared the peas, and we kept them all hot in the fireplace, theirs
down there, and ours up here." Cassandra laughed merrily. "I reckon it
looked funny. Every one carried something when they came up. Hoyle had
the peas in a t