be made one. The only room on the first floor was crowded with
people. The minister had not arrived, and the crowd was gazing at the
young groom and his pretty bride-elect as they sat in two chairs in the
middle of the company, with their arms around each other, never speaking
a word to any one. The heavy weight of people began to settle the floor,
and as two joists gave way I struggled to escape through an open window,
thinking we would be precipitated into the cellar below. But the
good-natured company took no notice of the snapping timbers, only
ejaculating, "She'll soon touch bottom;" and to my inquiries about the
inconvenience of being pitched through to the cellar, a rustic youth,
with great merriment depicted upon his countenance, replied:

"Sullers, captain, why, there ain't a suller to a buildin'
within thirty miles of the Quarters. We never uses sullers
hereabouts."

By my side was a young fisherman, who had got home from a cruise, and
was overflowing with affection towards every girl present. "O, gals," he
would cry, "you don't know how nice I feels to get back to you once
more!" Throwing his arms around a bright-eyed girl, who vainly tried to
escape him, he said, "O, weary mariner, here is thy rest! No more shall
he wander from thee."

This sentimental strain was interrupted by an old lady, who reached her
arm over my shoulder to administer a rebuke. "Sam, ye're a fool!" she
cried; "ye're beside yourself to-night, and afore this paper-canoe
captain, too. Ef I was a gal I'd drap yere society, wid yere familiar
ways right in company."

The blow and the admonition fell harmlessly upon the head and the heart
of the sailor, who replied, "Aunty, I knows my advantages in Hunting
Quarters--_wimen is plenty, and men is few_."

The crowd roared with laughter at this truism, but were quieted by the
shout of a boy that the preacher was a-coming; whereupon the reverend
gentleman elbowed his way through the guests to the quiet couple, and
requested them to stand up. A few hurried words by the clergyman, a few
bashful replies from the young people, and the two were made one. The
crowd rushed outside of the house, where a general scramble took place
among the boys for their girls. Then a procession was formed, headed by
the clergyman, which marched along the sandy road to another house in
the woods, where the second marriage was to be celebrated.

It was amusing to see the young men dash away from the pro