Page:Letters of Life.djvu/275

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LOVE AND MARRIAGE.
263

hide among the matted grass. In the bridal coach which led the way were my husband and myself, our little son who had accompanied him on this occasion, and a servant-girl devoted to the care of the children. Several carriages followed with the returning guests, with whom we held pleasant converse when any peculiarly fine prospect attracted admiration. Our dinner had been previously bespoken by the bridegroom at Andover, a rural township which equally divided the distance of somewhat more than forty miles. The whole party partook of it with glee, and, as it was a banquet of some pretension, it seemed to have made an impression in the surrounding region, as, several years after, a substantial-looking, elderly woman called, introducing herself as one who had assisted in cooking my wedding dinner.

The sun drew near the golden verge of his cloudless rest as we approached our home. Our blessed friends, the Wadsworths, gave us cheering welcome from door and window as we passed. Our travelling companions and a few other friends took tea, and spent the evening with us, cheering me with their cordial good wishes. Novel yet sweet to me was the appellation of "Mother" from the dear little ones; while the kind induction into a new abode by him who held supreme authority there, assured my heart and inspired the desire to be faithful in every duty.

Loved friend, whose urgency has called forth these