ee how
the bride and bridegroom looked, holding each other by the hand, with the
tall Percy on one side, and the short Prudy on the other,--the dear
Prudy, who was so sorry for her sister that she could not enjoy taking
her place, though a fairer little bridesmaid than she made could hardly
be found in the city.

The same clergyman officiated now who had married Mr. and Mrs. Parlin
fifteen years before; and after he had married them over again, he made a
speech which caused Dotty to cry a little under her handkerchief; or, if
not the speech, it was the panacea that brought the tears--she did not
know which.

He said he remembered just how Edward Parlin and Mary Read looked when
they stood before him in the bloom of their youth, and promised to live
together as husband and wife. They had seemed very happy then; but he
thought they were happier now; he could read in their faces the history
of fifteen beautiful years. He did not wonder the time had passed very
pleasantly, for they knew how to make each other happy; they had tried to
do right, and they had three lovely children, who were blessings to them,
and would be blessings to any parents.

It was here that Dotty felt the tears start.

"I'm not a blessing at all," thought she; "he doesn't know anything about
it, how I act, and had temper up stairs with Johnny! Johnny's put my eyes
out for it, and I'll have to go to the 'Sylum, I suppose. If I do, I
shan't be a blessing so much as I am now! To anybody ever!"

By and by aunt Eastman presented the bride with a bridal rose, which
looked as nearly as possible like the one she had given her at the first
wedding, and which grew from a slip of the same plant. Dotty could not
see the rose, but she heard her aunt say she hoped to attend Mrs.
Parlin's Golden Wedding.

"I shall be ever so old by that time," thought the little girl.
"Fifteen from fifty leaves--leaves--I don't know what it leaves; but I
shall be a blind old lady, and wear a cap. Perhaps God wants to make a
very good woman of me, same as Emily, and that's why he let Johnny put
my eyes out."

Here some one came along and offered Miss Dimple a slice of wedding cake,
which tasted just as delicious as if she could see it; then some one
else put a glass of lemonade to her lips.

"Has my little girl a kiss for me?" said Mrs. Parlin, coming to the sofa
as soon as she could break away from her guests.

The gentle "mother-touch" went to Dotty's heart. She threw her