“Surely!” he cried.  “Any arrangement you make will satisfy me.”

“All right, I’ll expect you with the document and the minister at six, then,” said Kate, and hung up the receiver.

Then she took it down again and calling Milly, asked her to bring her best white dress, and come up right away, and help her get ready to entertain a few people that evening.  Then she called her sister Hannah, and asked her if she thought that in the event she, Kate, wished that evening at six o’clock to marry a very fine man, and had no preparations whatever made, her family would help her out to the extent of providing the supper.  She wanted all of them, and all the children, but the arrangement had come up suddenly, and she could not possibly prepare a supper herself, for such a big family, in the length of time she had.  Hannah said she was perfectly sure everyone of them would drop everything, and be tickled to pieces to bring the supper, and to come, and they would have a grand time.  What did Kate want?  Oh, she wanted bread, and chicken for meat, maybe some potato chips, and Angel’s Food cake, and a big freezer or two of Agatha’s best ice cream, and she thought possibly more butter, and coffee, than she had on hand.  She had plenty of sugar, and cream, and pickles and jelly.  She would have the tables all set as she did for Christmas.  Then Kate rang for Adam and put a broom in his hand as he entered the back door.  She met Milly with a pail of hot water and cloths to wash the glass.  She went to her room and got out her best afternoon dress of dull blue with gold lace and a pink velvet rose.  She shook it out and studied it.  She had worn it twice on the trip North.  None of them save Adam ever had seen it.  She put it on, and looked at it critically.  Then she called Milly and they changed the neck and sleeves a little, took a yard of width from the skirt, and behold! it became a “creation,” in the very height of style.  Then Kate opened her trunk, and got out the petticoat, hose, and low shoes to match it, and laid them on her bed.

Then they set the table, laid a fire ready to strike in the cook stove, saw that the gas was all right, set out the big coffee boiler, and skimmed a crock full of cream.  By four o’clock, they could think of nothing else to do.  Then Kate bathed and went to her room to dress.  Adam and Milly were busy making themselves fine.  Little Poll sat in her prettiest dress, watching her beloved “Tate,” until Adam came and took her.  He had been instructed to send Robert and the minister to his mother’s room as soon as they came.  Kate was trying to look her best, yet making haste, so that she would be ready on time.  She had made no arrangements except to spread a white goatskin where she and Robert would stand at the end of the big living room near her door.  Before she was fully dressed she began to hear young voices and knew that her people were coming.  When she was ready Kate looked at herself and muttered:  “I’ll give Robert and all of them a good surprise.  This is a real dress, thanks to Nancy Ellen.  The poor girl!  It’s scarcely fair to her to marry her man in a dress she gave me; but I’d stake my life she’d rather I’d have him than any other woman.”