?" said Ed, but he looked laughingly at
Cynthia.

"Indeed I wouldn't! I don't want any one's name at present. I'm going to
be the only daughter of the house a while," she returned saucily.

"I wonder if I ought to go on and ask all the maids?" There was such a
funny anxiety in his face that it added to the merriment.

"You needn't ask this one," said Ward Adams, and Cousin Lois Reade
blushed scarlet, though they all knew she was engaged.

"But I'm going to dance with every maid. And just at twelve I'm going to
hunt for a glass slipper."

His look at Cynthia said he needn't hunt very far, and she blushed,
which made her more enchanting than before.

They all laughed and talked, the older men teasing the bride a little
and giving her advice as to how she should break in her new husband.
Young people's weddings were expected to be gay and every one added his
or her mite. The fine new house was duly admired. On one side it was all
one long room, beautifully decorated. On the other a library, for books
were beginning to come in fashion, even if you were not a clergyman or a
student. Then a kind of family sitting-room, with a large dining-room at
the back. Some of the fine old houses were taken for public purposes
later on.

They went out to refreshments and the bride cut the cake with a silver
knife. Large suppers were no longer considered the style, but there was
a bountiful supply of delicacies. They drank health and long life to the
bride and groom, and good wishes of all kinds.

The black waiter, in white gloves and white apron, stood in the hall to
deliver boxes of wedding cake as the older people took their departure.
And then the fiddlers began to tune up. There were two minuets to take
in all the party. Cynthia and Mr. Jordan were in the head one, with the
bride. He was a little stiff and excused himself, as he wasn't much
given to dancing. It didn't matter so much in the minuet.

Then they paired off any way. Mr. Ed Saltonstall caught Cynthia's hand.

"I'm just dying to dance with you, and this is the basket quadrille.
Jordan dances like a pump handle, but he's a good fellow. Now let us
have something worth while. I know you dance beautifully."

"How do you know?" piquantly.

"I'd like to be nautical and impertinent, but I'm afraid you'd report
me to Mr. Leverett. Oh, it's in you, in every motion. Aren't you glad
you didn't live in those old Puritan days when you would have been put
in the stocks if yo