Joe took her hand and bent over her to say good-night, she
whispered softly,--

"I _did_ try to forget my own misfortune, and I was very happy. I am
going to be brave. It is such a lovely world; and it is such a splendid
thing to be happy. Doctor Joe, you are my Mr. Greatheart."

CHAPTER IV

A WEDDING

There was a very fine noisy Fourth of July, and shortly after that came
vacation. The Jaspers were going to Lebanon Springs, and then to
Saratoga. Hanny came near to envying Daisy. She and Margaret had to
visit both grandmothers, and go over to Tarrytown, for the Morgans had
insisted upon it.

Hanny and her father had been reading some of Washington Irving's
stories, beside his famous history. He was abroad now; he had been sent
as Minister to the Court of Madrid, that wonderful Spanish city with its
Court so full of interest and beauty. She had been learning about it in
her history. But this old house was not grand, only in its splendid elms
and maples and lindens and tall arbor-vitaes. Wolfert's Roost was almost
hidden by them; but you could catch glimpses of its curious roof, full
of quaint corners and projections, and the old-fashioned stone mansion
said to be modelled after the cocked hat of Peter the Headstrong. Its
low stories were full of nooks and angles. There were roses and
hollyhocks like rows of sentinels, and sweet brier clambering about.
The little girl thought of it many a time afterward, when it had become
much more famous, as Sunnyside. Indeed, she was to sit on the old piazza
overlooking the river and listen to the pleasant voice that had charmed
so many people, and study the drawings of Rip Van Winkle and Sleepy
Hollow, to hear about Katrina Van Tassel, and the churn full of water
that Fammetie Van Blarcom brought over from Holland because she was sure
there could be no water good to drink in the new country.

Already she was coming to have a great interest in people who wrote
books and stories. It seemed such a wonderful gift.

Dr. Hoffman paid the cousins the compliment of a visit. Afterward there
were mysterious communings between the sisters.

Wedding presents were gifts of real preference and affection in those
days. A girl had her "setting out" from home, and perhaps some one gave
her an heirloom for her name, or because she was an especial favourite.

"Dr. Hoffman's well-to-do," said Joanna; "and Margaret's folks won't let
her go empty-handed. But I'd like to have some of our