ing a share of
the time in selecting her "trousseau."

Meanwhile, in due course the rectory was made a new place, inside and
out, and a few weeks after their return the transformed house,
repainted inside and out, papered and curtained and charmingly fitted
with new furniture, was again occupied by the Maxwells.

That the interest of the parish should for a while be concentrated on
the doings at the rectory, and diverted from her own important
preparations, was a blessing to Hepsey--for she continually declared
to Mrs. Betty that, little as she knew Jonathan in his new manner, she
knew herself less!

It was decided that the wedding should be in the church, and a
reception held after the ceremony, for the bride and bridegroom, at
the rectory--and that, in this way, the whole parish would celebrate,
in honor of the auspicious occasion, and of other happy results of
Hepsey's parish meeting.

The day before the wedding, while Mrs. Betty and Virginia were busily
occupied at Thunder Cliff and the rectory, dividing their attentions
between the last touches to Hepsey's wardrobe, and preparing
confections for the wedding guests, Donald Maxwell was closeted with
Mr. Bascom at Willow Bluff for a considerable time. It was known that
the Senior Warden was to support his colleague, Jonathan, at the
morrow's event, and it was presumed that the rector was prompting him
in his duties for the occasion.

The ceremony next day at the church was a center of fervent and
cordial good-will and thanksgiving, as Jonathan, supported by
Sylvester Bascom, took to wife Hepsey, given away by Mrs. Betty, with
Virginia as a kind of maid of honor, hovering near. It was well for
Donald Maxwell that his memory served him faithfully in conducting the
service, for his eyes were in misty conflict with his bright smile.
Nickey from the front pew, watched his mother with awestruck eyes, and
with son-like amazement at her self-possessed carriage under the blaze
of so much public attention.

There followed a procession from the church, and soon the rectory,
house and garden, were alive with chattering groups, of all sorts and
conditions, for the invitations had been general and public,
irrespective of class or sect, at Hepsey's special request. There was
a constant line of friends, known and unknown, filing past bride and
bridegroom, with congratulatory greetings and cordial good wishes.
There were speeches from delegations of various local bodies, and f