Judy loved to hear Miss Lizzie talk, and used to encourage her to praise
her friend, while she sat helping to whip lace or planning the
bridesmaids’ dresses for Molly and Sue. These dresses were flowered
French organdies. Molly’s was covered with a feathery blue flower, that
never was on land or sea, but it was the right color, which was the
important thing; and Sue’s bore the same design in pink. The bride’s
dress, a lovely simple gown of the finest Paris muslin, was all done and
pressed and neatly folded in a box by the careful Miss Lizzie, with one
of her own sandy hairs secretly sewed in the hem, which is supposed to
bring good luck, and a “soon husband” to the owner of the hair.
There was some doubt and much talk about how the bridal party was to
enter the parlor and where the minister was to stand. The parlor at
Chatsworth was not very suitable for an effective wedding, as it was in
the wing of the house and opened only into the hall, giving, when all
was considered, not much room for the growing list of guests. Although
it was a very large room, having only one entrance made it rather
awkward. It was only a few days before the wedding and this important
subject was still under discussion.
“I can count at least ninety-eight persons who are sure to come,” said
Mrs. Brown, “all of them kin or close friends, and how they are to get
in this room and leave an aisle for the wedding party, goodness only
knows; and if the hall and porch are full, it will be very
uncomfortable.”
Judy and Kent were pretending to be the bride and groom, grave Sue was
the minister, John and Paul, flower girls, and Molly, boss. Mildred and
Crittenden were not allowed to practice for their own wedding, as Miss
Lizzie said it was bad luck, and Miss Lizzie was authority on all such
subjects. So the two most interested were seated at the piano,
pretending to be the musicians doing “Chopsticks” to wedding march time.
“Crit, I believe you will have to give Milly up. There is no way to have
a decently stylish wedding in this joint,” said Paul. “Let’s stop the
festive preparations and all of us go to Jeffersonville. It would make a
grand story for my paper.”
Judy had been very quiet for some minutes and her face wore what Molly
called her “flashed upon that inward eye” expression. Suddenly she
cried, “I have it. Come on and let’s get married out of doors.” She
seized Kent by the hand and dragged him out on the lawn, the rest
following in a daze.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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