," shouted the fourth.

"Hold your jabbering tongues--!" cried Isaac, in vexation. "You're
enough to bother a feller to death. I'd like to see some o' the rest on
ye cramped up fur a toast, jest to see how _you'd_ feel with all on 'em
hollering like." A hearty laugh at his expense was all the sympathy poor
Isaac received.

"Give us the bottle!" resumed Isaac. "Now here goes," continued he,
rising and holding Black Betty by the neck. "Here's to the gals o' old
Kaintuck--Heaven bless 'em! May they bloom like clover heads, be
plentier nor bar-skins, and follow the example o' Peggy, every mother's
daughter on 'em!--hooray!" And having drank, the speaker resumed his
seat, amid roars of laughter and three rounds of applause.

By the time this mirth had subsided, the fiddler struck up, and the
dance again went on as before. Some two hours later the bridesmaid, with
two or three others, managed to steal away the bride unobserved; and
proceeding to a ladder at one end of the apartment, ascended to the
chamber above, and saw her safely lodged in bed. In the course of
another half hour the same number of gentlemen performed a like service
for Isaac--such being customary at all weddings of that period.

During the night Black Betty, in company with more substantial
refreshment, was sent up to the newly married pair some two or three
times; and always returned (Black Betty we mean) considerable lighter
than she went; thus proving, that if lovers can live on air, the married
ones do not always partake of things less spiritual. About three o'clock
in the morning, Algernon and Ella took leave of the company and set out
upon their return--he pleading illness as an apology for withdrawing
thus early. The remainder of the party keep together until five, when
they gradually began to separate; and by six the dancing had ceased, and
the greater portion of them had taken their departure. Thus ended the
wedding of Isaac Younker--a fair specimen, by the way, of a backwood's
wedding in the early settlement of the west.

CHAPTER VI.

THE PRESENTIMENT.

Deep and gloomy were the meditations of Algernon Reynolds, as, in
company with Ella Barnwell, he rode slowly along the narrow path which
he had traversed, if not with buoyant, at least with far lighter
spirits than now, the morning before. From some, latent cause, he felt
oppressed with a weight of despondency, as previously mentioned, that
served to prostrate in a measure both his