The paper dropped from Mr. Dayton’s hand, and “What can you mean?” dropped from his lips.

“Why,” resumed grandma, “every time he comes he manages to see Berintha alone; and hain’t thee noticed that she has colored her hair lately, and left off caps?”

“Yes; and she looks fifteen years younger for it; but what of that?”

Grandma, whose remarks had all been preparatory to the mighty secret she was about to divulge, coughed, and then informed her son that Berintha was going to be married, and wished to have the wedding there.

“Berintha and the doctor!  Good!” exclaimed Mr. Dayton.  “To be sure, I’ll give her a wedding, and a wedding dress, too.”

Here grandma left the room, and after reporting her success to Berintha, she sought her granddaughters, and communicated to them the expected event.  When Lucy learned of her cousin’s intended marriage she was nearly as much surprised and provoked as she had been when first she heard of Ada’s.

Turning to Lizzie she said, “It’s too bad! for of course we shall have to give up all hopes of the doctor’s money.”

“And perhaps thee’ll be the only old maid in the family, after all,” suggested grandma, who knew Lucy’s weak point, and sometimes loved to touch it.

“And if I am,” retorted Lucy angrily, “I hope I shall have sense enough to mind my own business, and not interfere with that of my grandchildren!”

Grandma made no answer, but secretly she felt some conscientious scruples with regard to Lucy’s grandchildren!  As for Berintha she seemed entirely changed, and flitted about the house in a manner which caused Lucy to call her “an old fool, trying to ape sixteen.”  With a change of feelings her personal appearance also changed, and when she one day returned from the dentist’s with an entire set of new teeth, and came down to tea in a dark, fashionably-made merino, the metamorphose was complete, and grandma declared that she looked better than she ever had before in her life.  The doctor, too, was improved, and though he did not color his hair, he ordered six new shirts, a new coat, a new horse and a pair of gold spectacles!

After a due lapse of time the appointed day came, and with it, at an early hour, came Cousin John and Elizabeth Betsey, bringing with them the few herbs which Berintha, at the time of her removal, had overlooked.  These Bridget demurely proposed should be given to Miss Lucy, “who of late was much given to drinking catnip.”  Perfectly indignant, Lucy threw the herbs, bag and all, into the fire, thereby filling the house with an odor which made the asthmatic old doctor wheeze and blow wonderfully during the evening.