came to pass! They were married, and the transformation in the
little room, that Quincy and Alice had seen in their mind's eye, was
realized to the letter. Flowers, best man, bridesmaid, witnesses,
ushers, and the aged clergyman, with whitened locks, who called them his
children, and blessed them and wished them long life and happiness,
hoped that they would meet and know each other some day in the
infinite--all were there.

This was on Wednesday. On Thursday came a letter from Aunt Ella. It
contained the most kindly congratulations, and a neat little wedding
present of a check for fifty thousand dollars. She wrote further that
she was lonesome and wanted somebody to read to her, and talk to her,
and sing to her. If the book was done, would not Miss Very come to spend
the remainder of the season with her, and if Mr. Ernst was there could
he not spare time to escort Miss Very.

That same evening Leopold received a letter from Mr. Morton. It simply
read, "Blennerhassett accepted; will be put in type at once and issued
by the first of November, perhaps sooner."

The next morning Leopold and Rosa started for Old Orchard, and the
lovers were left alone to pass their honeymoon, with the blue sea about
them, the blue sky above them, and a love within their hearts which grew
stronger day by day.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

LINDA'S BIRTHRIGHT.

For Quincy and Alice, day after day, and week after week, found them in
a state of complete happiness. The little island floating in the azure
sea was their world, and for the time, no thought of any other intruded
upon their delightful Eden. It seemed to Quincy all a blissful dream of
love, and everything he looked upon was wreathed in flowers and golden
sunshine.

But lotus land is not so far distant from the abodes of mortal man but
that his emissaries may reach it. The first jarring note in the sweet
harmony of their married life came in the form of a letter from Dr.
Culver, who wrote to remind Quincy that it would soon be time to start
in ploughing the political field. Quincy's reply was brief and to the
point.

"MY DEAR CULVER:--I will see you in Boston on the tenth
of September. Q.A.S."

When Aunt Ella learned that her nephew was going to town, she made
hurried preparations for her departure from Old Orchard, and wrote to
him insisting that he and Alice should come and stay with her. This
invitation they gladly accepted, Quincy arranging i