so soon, my
child," said Emma, kindly, as they went along. "Is everything arranged
satisfactorily to yourselves, my dears, and are you both ready to be
married at the same time to-morrow?" she inquired, addressing her two
companions.

"Why, of course!" smiled Laura.

Very early the next morning the whole household was happily astir.

The youthful family met at an early breakfast in the little dining-room,
and then separated and went to their chambers to adorn themselves for
the bridals.

A little later in the morning carriages containing guests bidden to the
wedding began to arrive. The guests were received first by accomplished
ushers, who took them to handsome and convenient dressing-rooms, in
which they could put the last perfecting touches on their toilets, after
which they were ushered into the long drawing-room, where they were
received by Mr. and Mrs. Alden Lytton.

Emma was beautifully dressed for this occasion. She wore a rich white
satin, with a point-lace overskirt, looped up with white roses sprinkled
with small diamonds like dew. A wreath of the same flowers, bedewed in
the same way, rested on her rich golden hair. A diamond necklace and
bracelets adorned her bosom and arms. A delicate bouquet of white roses
was held in her hand. Dainty gloves, and so forth, of course completed
her toilet.

The two brides were dressed exactly alike, in long-trained, rich white
silk dresses, with illusion overdresses and illusion veils, white
orange-blossom wreaths, pearl necklaces and bracelets, and dainty white
kid gloves, and carried delicate white lace handkerchiefs and white
bouquets.

The bride-maids were all dressed in a uniform of white tarletan,
trained, with overdresses of the same, rose-colored sashes and bows, and
rose wreaths on their heads.

The bridegrooms wore the regulation "invisible blue" swallow-tailed
coats and pantaloons, white satin vests, patent leather boots and kids.
The groomsmen were got up in precisely the same ridiculous--I mean
fashionable--style.

Now, reader, did you ever see a double marriage ceremony performed?

If not, I will tell you how this was done.

The first bride and groom were Mr. Lyle and Miss Lytton. They stood in
the middle of the semicircle, immediately facing the bishop. The second
bride and groom, Mr. Brent and Miss Coroni, stood on each side of them,
Mr. Brent standing next to Mr. Lyle and Miss Coroni standing next to
Miss Lytton. The six bride-maids, of cours