hirl of delight, read the
letter aloud in a cottage-parlor, tossed it over gayly to Mrs. Manning,
and clasped Marion in his arms.

"Well, little wife," he said happily, stroking her soft hair, "we shall
go over the ocean together now."

And Bro looked on.

The wedding took place in the early autumn. Although comparatively
quiet, on account of old Mr. Vickery's death, all Wilbarger came to the
church, and crowded into the cottage afterward. By a happy chance, "the
worm" was at the North, soliciting aid for his "fold," and Marion was
married by a gentle little missionary, who traversed the watery
coast-district in a boat instead of on horseback, visiting all the
sea-islands, seeing many sad, closed little churches, and encountering
not infrequently almost pure paganism and fetich-worship among the
neglected blacks. Bro gave the bride away. It was the proudest moment of
his life--and the saddest.

"Somebody must do it," Mrs. Manning had said; "and why not Bro? He has
lived in our house for twelve years, and, after all, now that old Mr.
Vickery is gone, he is in one way our nearest friend.--Do let me ask
him, Marion."

"Very well," assented the bride, caring but little for anything now but
to be with Lawrence every instant.

She did, however, notice Bro during the crowded although informal
reception which followed the ceremony. In truth, he was noticeable. In
honor of the occasion, he had ordered from Savannah a suit of black, and
had sent the measurements himself; the result was remarkable, the coat
and vest being as much too short for him as the pantaloons were too
long. He wore a white cravat, white-cotton gloves so large that he
looked all hands, and his button-hole was decked with flowers, as many
as it could hold. In this garb he certainly was an extraordinary object,
and his serious face appearing at the top made the effect all the more
grotesque. Marion was too good-hearted to smile; but she did say a word
or two in an undertone to Lawrence, and the two young people had their
own private amusement over his appearance.

But Bro was unconscious of it, or of anything save the task he had set
for himself. It was remarked afterward that "really Bro Cranch talked
almost like other people, joked and laughed, too, if you will believe
it, at that Manning wedding."

Lawrence promised to bring his wife home at the end of a year to see
her mother, and perhaps, if all went well, to take the mother back with
them. Mrs.