hrifty and modest girls in the town, and the
stalwart appearance of our coxswain, who, although so young, has
already helped to save hundreds of human lives from the raging sea,
the gathering was graced by the presence of the bridegroom's
bed-ridden mother. Old Mrs Massey had been carried in, bed and all,
to the scene of festivity; and it is due to the invalid to state that,
despite rheumatics and the singularity of her position, she seemed to
enjoy herself exceedingly. Besides this, the friends and comrades of
the coxswain--backed by the enthusiastic groomsman, Joe Slag--would
not permit Massey to don wedding garments, but insisted on his dancing
himself dry, in the rough garb in which he had effected the rescue.
This he had no difficulty in doing, having already run himself more
than half dry in hastening from the lifeboat to the church, which
latter he reached only just in time.

"The little girl whom Massey personally saved was also present, with
her mother and grandfather; and one interesting episode of the evening
was the presentation to our coxswain of a gold watch and a purse of
fifty sovereigns by the grateful old grandfather. Another peculiarity
of the proceedings was that Massey insisted--although the clergyman
was present--on his old mother asking God's blessing on the feast
before it began. All who are acquainted with our liberal-minded vicar
will easily understand that he highly approved of the arrangement.

"To crown all, the feast was conducted on strictly teetotal
principles. We have frequently advocated the principles of total
abstinence in these columns--at least for the young, the healthy, and
the strong--and we are glad to acknowledge that this wedding has
greatly helped our cause; for the fun and hilarity in all, the vigour
of limb in dancing, and of lung in singing--in short, the general
jollity--could not have been surpassed if the guests had been swilling
rivers of beer and brandy, instead of oceans of tea. Yes, as one of
the Irish guests remarked, `It was a great occasion intoirely,' and it
will be long before the event is forgotten, for the noble deeds of our
Greyton lifeboat are, from this day forward, intimately and
inseparably connected with her coxswain's wedding!"

Thus spake the Greyton oracle; but, prophet though that journal
professed to be, the oracle failed to discern that from that time
forward the names of Ro