uadrille, with its
graceful gravity, but the merry, social, old country dance; the true
dance, as the squire says, for a wedding occasion; as it sets all the
world jigging in couples; hand in hand, and makes every eye and every
heart dance merrily to the music. According to frank old usage, the
gentlefolks of the Hall mingled, for a time, in the dance of the
peasantry, who had a great tent erected for a ball-room; and I think I
never saw Master Simon more in his element than when figuring about
among his rustic admirers, as master of the ceremonies; and, with a
mingled air of protection and gallantry, leading out the quondam Queen
of May--all blushing at the signal honour conferred upon her.

[Illustration: Master Simon Opens the Ball]

In the evening, the whole village was illuminated, excepting the house
of the radical, who has not shown his face during the rejoicings. There
was a display of fireworks at the school-house, got up by the prodigal
son, which had wellnigh set fire to the building. The squire is so much
pleased with the extraordinary services of this last-mentioned worthy,
that he talks of enrolling him in his list of valuable retainers, and
promoting him to some important post on the estate; peradventure to be
falconer, if the hawks can ever be brought into proper training.

There is a well-known old proverb that says, "one wedding makes
many"--or something to the same purpose; and I should not be surprised
if it holds good in the present instance. I have seen several
flirtations among the young people that have been brought together on
this occasion; and a great deal of strolling about in pairs, among the
retired walks and blossoming shrubberies of the old garden; and if
groves were really given to whispering, as poets would fain make us
believe, Heaven knows what love-tales the grave-looking old trees about
this venerable country-seat might blab to the world. The general, too,
has waxed very zealous in his devotions within the last few days, as the
time of her ladyship's departure approaches. I observed him casting many
a tender look at her during the wedding dinner, while the courses were
changing; though he was always liable to be interrupted in his adoration
by the appearance of any new delicacy. The general, in fact, has arrived
at that time of life when the heart and the stomach maintain a kind of
balance of power; and when a man is apt to be perplexed in his
affections between a fine woman and a