se of a day or two
they were won over to the plan.

Then the consent of those most particularly interested had to be gained.
There was no difficulty so far as concerned Mr. Lilburn; he was really
delighted with the idea, but Annis at first positively refused. She wished
to be married at home and she must have a trousseau: not that she cared so
much about it for herself, but Mr. Lilburn must not be disgraced by a
bride not suitably adorned.

"Well, Annis dear," said Mildred, who was the one selected for the task of
obtaining her consent to the proposed plan, "you shall have all that you
desire in the way of dress. I would not have you do without a single
thing you want or think would be suitable and becoming. You shall have
abundance of money to make such purchases without applying to your husband
for any one of them. You have some money of your own, you know, and it
will be a great pleasure to your brothers and sisters to give to the dear
girl who was such a help and comfort to our loved father and mother,
anything and everything she wants, and will accept at our hands."

"Yes, I know I have the best and kindest of brothers and sisters, and oh,
I can hardly keep the tears back when I think of the separation that
awaits us," said Annis with a sob, putting her arms round Mildred's neck
and clinging to her.

"Yes, dear, I know. I feel just the same, though I believe you will be
very happy with the kind, genial old gentleman who is stealing you away
from us; but I can see that he is in great haste to get full possession of
his dear little lady-love--at which I do not wonder at all--and I really
think it would be better to take the plunge into matrimony suddenly and
have it over," she added, with a smile.

"Have what over?" asked Annis, smiling faintly.

"Not the matrimony," laughed her sister, "but the plunge into it."

"Oh, Milly dear, you wouldn't have liked to be hurried so!"

"Ah, but wasn't I?" laughed Mildred; "and that by this very brother of
ours who expects to perform the ceremony for you."

"Ah, I don't remember about that," returned Annis, in a tone of enquiry.

"No, you were such a little girl then that I don't wonder it has slipped
your memory. But Cyril was about starting for college and so determined to
see me married, so fearful that he would miss the sight if he went off
before-hand, that he coaxed, planned, and insisted till he actually gained
his point--hurrying me into wedlock before I had even