After All;

Before the betrothed couple now was a fair landscape of delight , and they looked forward to the happy time now rapidly approaching . That period of bliss was drawing nearer and nearer , and they would soon enter the happy land together , never more to be separated . They hacl many goodly days to see yet , in which their tears of pain should be " transformed to orient pearl advantaging their loan with interest . " Their affection had grown stronger and stronger with the storms that hacl blown over itand now nothing could shake their happiness . They

, looked forward to the future with a mutual hope and confidence that one would be the constant helpmate of the other , and that they would live long and useful lives . Lt last the day before the wedding came , full of preparations sufficient to keep all hands busy . It was to be a quiet , yet handsome wedding , and all were exuberant with expectancy . Miss Louisa Delcote and Miss Phillis Belsize were to be two of the charming bridesmaidsancl they could not help envying the

, beautiful bride , though they by no means grudged her the happiness she enjoyed . All went merry , and everyone was on the tiptoe of expectation , and they were all proud to have a hand in the marriage of two of the nicest and handsomest people they knew .

CHAPTER XXVI . Ten-times-double gain of happiness . —RICHARD III . THERE were signs of a wedding , with a vengeance , superstitious and' otherwise . There was to be no mistake about it this time . The happy pair had not been forging the links of love in tribulation all these years for nothing . No , the consummation of their devout wishes had arrived at last . To-day they

were to be joined in the holy bonds of wedlock . They hacl borne their cross , now they should wear the crown . A panacea had come at last to soothe their sorrows , a balm for their wounded spirits . Not in vain had they passed through troubles and trials , and been faithful in adversity ; for :

Even as rivulets twain , from distant and separate sources , Seeing each other afar , as they leap from the rocks , and pursuing Bach one its devious path , but drawing nearer and nearer , Bush together at last , at their trysting place in the forest ; So these lives that had run thus far in separate channels , Coming in sight of each other , then swerving and flowing asunder , Parted by barriers strong , but drawing nearer and nearer , Bushed together at last ,- and one was lost in the other .

Pleasant was it to look back upon the vicissitudes of their past lives , and to marvel how they had ever safely suffered them all . Certainly their happiness of to-day was hei ghtened by the recollection , for they had been tried and pro ved . true . Charming were the bridesmaids , Phillis Belsize and Louisa Delcote , in their beautiful dresses . The shapely form of the former was draped in a delicate mauve satin dress . A nodding poppy set off her long wavy auburn hair , and

snowy lilies floated ancl were smothered in the wealthy tresses that flowed over her soft shoulders ; while a gorgeous sunflower blazed from her handsome bosom , adding to her unique and bewitching appearance . It was a peculiar costume for a bridesmaid , but aistheticism was still in the ascendant and fashionable , and Ophelia professed herself deli ghted with the idea . Little did she know that the cultured damsel so eccentricall y tricked out had once essayed to steal the heart

of her lover . But that was all over ; Phillis had certainly given up all hopes of such a thing now . Her friend , Lousia Delcote , wore a pretty pale pink dress , profusely trimmed with lovel y forget-me-nots . Truly was she a sight to make an old man young again , as the sparkling flowers in streaks and sudden avalanches alternatel y hid and revealed the beauties of her piquant form . Here they nestled in a snowy valley , while there they wreathed a shapely limb , only heightening its perfection . Dangerous was it to gaze at those thrilling orbs beneath that crown of overflowing blue , as her tiny fingers toyed with the fragile necklace of 2 L 2