e wedding dress, the
gayest plaid outside of Caledonia. But Gale has lots of sense and is
going to wear it. I have it almost finished, and while it doesn't look
just like a Worth model, still it looks plumb good for me to have made.
The boys are going up after Zebulon Pike, and Mr. Stewart is going
after "Mis' Lane." Joy waves are radiating from this ranch and about
Thanksgiving morning one will strike you.

With lots of love and happy wishes,

Your ex-Washlady,
ELINORE RUPERT.

VI

A THANKSGIVING-DAY WEDDING

DEAR MRS. CONEY,--

... I think every one enjoyed our Thanksgiving programme except poor
Gale. She was grieved, I verily believe, because Mr. Patterson is not
Mormon and could not take Sedalia and herself also. I suppose it seemed
odd to her to be unable to give way to Sedalia as she had always done.

I had cooked and cooked. Gale and Zebulon Pike both helped all they
could. The wedding was to be at twelve o'clock, so at ten I hustled
Gale into my room to dress. I had to lock the door to keep her in, and
I divided my time between the last touches to my dinner and the
finishing touches to Gale's toilet and receiving the people. The Lane
party had not come yet, and I was scared to death lest Sedalia had had
a tantrum and that Mr. Stewart would not get back in time. At last I
left the people to take care of themselves, for I had too much on my
mind to bother with them. Just after eleven Mr. Stewart, Mis' Lane,
Sedalia, and Pa Lane "arriv" and came at once into the kitchen to warm.
In a little while poor, frightened Gale came creeping in, looking
guilty. But she looked lovely, too, in spite of her plaid dress. She
wore her hair in a coronet braid, which added dignity and height, as
well as being simple and becoming. Her mother brought her a wreath for
her hair, of lilies of the valley and tiny pink rosebuds. It might seem
a little out of place to one who didn't see it, but the effect was
really charming.

Sedalia didn't know that Mr. Stewart had given Gale her dress, so, just
to be nasty, she said, as soon as she saw Gale, "Dear me, when are you
going to dress, Gale? You will hardly have time to get out of that
horse-blanket you are wearing and get into something decent." You see,
she thought it was one of my dresses fixed over for Gale. Presently
Sedalia asked me if I was invited to the "function." She had some kind
of rash on her face and Zebulon Pike noticed the rash and heard the
word "fu