“Grandpapa,” Polly rushing over the stairs, met him coming up to Mrs. Whitney’s room, “Joel says it’s the little morning wedding—­please; and Phronsie too!”

The old gentleman gave no sign of his defeat, beyond a “Humph! and so I’m beaten, after all!”

And Dr. Fisher never knew all this.

Mamsie’s wedding-day!  At last it came!  Was any other ever so bright and beautiful?  Phronsie thought not, and thereupon she impeded the preparations by running up to kiss her mother every few moments, until such time as Felicie carried her off to induct her into a white muslin gown.  Polly, here, there, and everywhere, was in such a rapture that she seemed to float on wings, while the boys of the household, with the exception of Jasper, lost their heads early in the day, and helplessly succumbed to all demands upon them.

Every flower had to be put in place by the young people.  Old Turner for once stood one side.  And Polly must put the white satin boxes filled with wedding cake on the little table where one of the waiters would hand them to departing guests.  And Phronsie must fasten Mamsie’s pearl broach—­the gift of the five little Peppers—­in her lace collar the very last thing.  And Jasper collected the rice and set the basket holding it safely away from Joel’s eager fingers till such time as they could shower the bride’s carriage.  And all the boys were ushers, even little Dick coming up grandly to offer his arm to the tallest guest as it happened.

And old Mr. King gave the bride away!  And Dr. Fisher at the last forgot all the one hundred and thirty eyes, and his “I will,” rang out like a man’s who has secured what he has long wanted.  And ever so many of the guests said “What a good father he will make the children,” and several attempted to tell the Peppers so.  “As if we didn’t know it before,” said Joel indignantly.

And Alexia and all the other girls of Polly’s set were there, and Joel’s little blue and white creature came, to his great satisfaction, with her aunt, who was quite intimate in the family; and Pickering Dodge was there of course, and the Alstynes, and hosts of others.

And Mother Pepper in her silver-gray gown and bonnet, by the side of her husband, with Phronsie clinging to one hand, heard nothing but heart-felt wishes for her happiness and that of the five little Peppers.

And there was not so much as the shadow of a skeleton at the wedding breakfast.  And Cousin Mason Whitney took charge of the toasts—­and everybody felt that just the right things had been said.  And then there was a flutter of departure of the bridal party, and in the rattle of the wheels Phronsie piped out bravely as she threw the slipper after the departing coach: 

“Mamsie has been taking care of us all these years; now we’re going to be good and let her be happy.”

XV

MRS. CHATTERTON HAS A NEW PLAN