as Mrs. Chapman would
be turned from the object she had set her heart on by the interposition
of ordinary obstacles. She had taken good care to have the engagement
pretty well trumpeted over Bowling Green; and in less than three months
from the time what is described in the foregoing chapter occurred, the
lady had a day fixed for the wedding ceremony, which, she declared
should be on such a scale of magnificence as would astonish all New
York, to say nothing of West Bowling Green. And now she was distracting
her wits, and the wits of her friends, over what she called the
preliminaries extraordinary. Weddings, the lady said, must be
illuminated according to the position of the family. And to that end an
additional amount of elegant furniture was got for the house, a new
carriage was ordered, and Mr. Napoleon Bowles was to appear in a new
livery, with top boots. Nor was the family finery to be neglected, for
at least a dozen dressmakers had been employed for a month plying their
needles. In short, this great coming event in the history of the Chapman
family had afforded Bowling Green enough to talk about for a month.

The lady's meek looking little husband pleaded in vain for economy;
suggested in vain his almost empty pocket. "A quiet family wedding, my
dear, with a few honest-hearted friends invited, will be so much better,
you know;" he would say, submissively. "You know what nice quiet
weddings we used to have at Dogtown, and how cheap they were."

"Don't mention Dogtown, my dear; pray don't, my darling," the lady would
reply, a curl of contempt on her lips. "We live in New York, now. I wish
we had never known Dogtown--only common people marry in that way in New
York. Never bring Dogtown into the house again, my darling."

"Have it all your own way, my dear," Chapman would conclude, knowing
there was nothing for him to do but surrender submissively.

St. Paul's Church was to be decorated with flowers, for the young people
were to be married there, surrounded by gay and admiring friends, who
were to make the picture bright and sunny with their smiles and
congratulations. And there was to be a grand reception and a sumptuous
supper at the house; and the happiness of bride and bridegroom was to be
drunk in sparkling wine; and music and dancing was to animate the soul
and add charms to their joy-dream.

Mrs. Chapman, I may add here, had a great weakness for distinctions. She
had cards printed in gold, in blue, and in