Three days after the wedding Mr. Middleton's carriage again stood before
the door. When all was ready, Uncle Joshua knelt down, and winding his arm
around Fanny, prayed in simple, touching language that God would protect
his Sunshine, and at last bring them all to the same home. "All of us; and
don't let one be missing thar." There was a peculiar pathos in the tone of
his voice as he said the last words, and all knew to whom he referred.
Long and wearisome at Mr. Middleton's were the days succeeding Fanny's
departure, while in Dr. Lacey's home all was joy and gladness.
It was about dark when Dr. Lacey arrived. Happy as a bird, Fanny sprang up
the steps. Everything about her seemed homelike and cheerful. Kind, dusky
faces peered at her from every corner, while Aunt Dilsey, with a
complacent smile, stood ready to receive her. Fanny was prepared to like
everything, but there was something peculiarly pleasing to her in Aunt
Dilsey's broad, good-humored face. Going up to her she took both her
hands, and said, "I know we shall be good friends. I shall like you and
you shall love me a little, won't you, just as the old aunties did I left
in Kentucky?"
Aunt Dilsey hadn't expected all this, and the poor creature burst into
tears, saying, "Lord bless the sweet miss! I'd die for her this minute, I
would."
Rondeau, Leffie and the other blacks belonging to the establishment, now
came forward, and in the crowd little Jack's bow was entirely
unappreciated; but Fanny next day made amends by giving him nearly a pound
of candy, which had the effect of making him sick a week, but he got well
in time to be present at Leffie's wedding, which took place just a week
after Dr. Lacey's return.
Leffie, who chanced to be just the size of her young mistress, was thrown
into ecstasies by the gift of a thin pink and white silk dress, which
Fanny presented to her for a bridal gown. Aunt Dilsey, in order to show
her thanks, went down on her knees, a thing she never attempted again, as
it took her such an unheard-of length of time to recover a standing
posture. Dr. Lacey had made Leffie the present of a pair of gold earrings,
so that she was really a pretty bride, and Rondeau was the happiest negro
in all New Orleans.
As weddings seem to be the order of this chapter, we may here, as well as
anywhere, dispose of Mrs. Carrington, whom, you will remember, Raymond
said he would one day marry. When he left Frankfort, he had no definite
idea as to what he should do, but after reaching Cincinnati, it occured to
him that his mother had a wealthy old bachelor uncle living in St. Louis,
and thither he determined to go. This uncle, Mr. Dunlap, received the
young man cordially, for he was the first relative he had met with in
years. There was something, too, in the manner with which Raymond
introduced himself that won for him a place in the crusty old man's good
opinion.