he was set at rest
upon that point when she lifted the lid of the trunk and found a waist of
one of her own dresses lying upon the top of various packages, and she
knew that he had sent it as a measure and guide.

Everything else was wrapped in fine packing paper, and she concluded not
to open anything until morning, although her curiosity was greatly
excited.

She knelt and prayed long and fervently, for she felt very solemn in view
of the important event that was to occur on the morrow.

Then she retired, and was soon sleeping peacefully and restfully, as only
the pure and innocent can sleep.

But when the first rays of the sun streamed in at her window in the
morning, she arose, and, after putting her room in perfect order, she
opened the precious trunk and began to remove and undo the packages stored
therein.

First, there was a long, flat box.

Opening it, she found a misty and ample veil of finest tulle, simply
hemmed with a heavy thread of silk.

Then there was another smaller but deeper box, which contained a lovely
wreath of pure white heath, with bouquets of the same mingled with lilies
of the valley, for the corsage of her dress.

Still another, in which there was a pair of shining white satin boots,
silken hose, and kid gloves, with a dainty handkerchief, fine and sheer as
a cobweb.

Last, but not least, incased in several wrappings of soft white paper was
the wedding-dress.

Virgie's face paled and flushed many times while she was undoing this, for
many hopes were centered in it, and tears rose unbidden to her eyes when
at last it was laid out on the bed before her.

She had seen nothing one-half so lovely for years--not since she used to
watch her mother dress for gay receptions and parties in the happy days so
long ago.

It was of the finest India mull, very simply yet beautifully made, over an
underskirt of plain white silk--an airy, gauzy thing, just suited for a
youthful bride.

"How kind! how thoughtful!" the young girl breathed, as her glance ran
over the different articles comprising her toilet. "He has not forgotten a
single thing, and it is all so delicate and beautiful. This wreath of
heath--how suggestive! and nothing could be prettier.

"Oh papa! I am glad you will have your wish, for it may be the very last
one that can be gratified," she concluded, with a long sigh.

Had it not been for her father's condition, she would have been supremely
happy on that bright morning. Eve