“MY DEAR LITTLE DARLING SISTER:  I want to see you more than tongue can tell.  Norah let Susy bake some biscuits last night, because there wasn’t anybody at home but mother, and grandma, and Susy, and Norah, and me.  But they were as tough as sew leather.  Susy forgot the creamor tartar, and soda, and salt.  She wasn’t to blame.

     “I’m so lonesome I can’t wait to see my darling sister.

     “Now I have some news to tell:—­

     “Mother is going to be married!

     “You will think that is funny; but she is going to be married to
     the same husband she was before.

     “It will be a Crystal Wedding, because it is fifteen years.

     “She invites you and father to come home to it; she couldn’t have
     it without father.

     “You are going to be the bridesmaid!  How queer!  Mamma didn’t think,
     the first time she was married, that ever it would be you that
     would be her bridesmaid!

     “From your dear, dear

     “PRUDY.”

     “P.S.  There will be wedding cake.”

     “P.S.  No. 2.  Johnny Eastman is going to be bridegroom, to stand
     up, if he doesn’t do anything naughty before.  P.P.”

The look of “mouldy melancholy” disappeared from Dotty’s face entirely.

“A wedding!  A crystal wedding!  What can that be?  I didn’t know my father and mother would ever be married any more.  Aunt ’Ria, were you and Uncle Henry ever married any more?”

“This is a sort of make-believe wedding,” replied Mrs. Clifford; “that is all.  And since you are to be bridesmaid, Dotty, I wonder if I cannot find a pair of white slippers for you.  I remember Grace had a pair some years ago, which she has never worn.”

[Illustration:  THE WHITE SLIPPERS.—­Page 167.]

The slippers were produced, and fitted perfectly.  Dotty danced about, embraced her auntie, made a great many wild speeches, and finally found herself in her uncle’s lap, kissing him and laughing aloud.

“I suppose now,” said Mr. Clifford, “we cannot keep you much longer and I am sorry, for it is very pleasant to have our little cousin here to talk with us.”

“I don’t wan’t um go ’way, I don’t want um go ’way,” spoke up little Katie.

“But I must go to meet my papa,” returned Dotty, with a business air.  “I have to be at home to get ready for the wedding.”

It was very pleasant to know people liked her to stay.  She ran into the kitchen, and said to Katinka,—­

“O, Katinka, my papa and mamma are going to be married again!  Do you know I’ve got to start day after to-morrow?”

“So?” replied Katinka, not very much impressed.  “I’m going to a party.  I must up stairs go, and make my hairs and shut my dress.  Gute Nacht.”

“I’m only going to stay one more day; aren’t you sorry?” said Dotty to broken-nosed Phebe, who came in from the pantry with a long face.