" They
kept order for themselves, and were too busy with practical life and
thought, to hang about or gossip on the way to their various homes.
Several members of the congregation on hearing that their friend
Leigh was going to take his marriage vows before them all, had
provided themselves with flowers, and these managed to pass in front
of the platform where, simply and without ostentation, they handed
up their little bouquets and clusters of such blossoms as they had
been able to obtain and afford in winter,--violets especially, and
white chrysanthemums, and one or two rare roses. These floral
offerings meant much sacrifice on the part of those who gave them,--
and the tears filled Sylvie's eyes as she noted the eagerness with
which poor women with worn sad faces, and hands wrinkled and brown
with toil, handed up their little posies for her to take from them,
or laid them with a touching humility at her feet. What a wonderful
wedding hers was, she thought!--far removed from all the world of
fashion, without any of the hypocritical congratulations of
"society" friends,--without the sickening, foolish waste, expense
and artificiality, which nowadays makes a marriage a mere millinery
parade. She had spoken her vows before thousands whom her husband
had helped and rescued from heathenism and misery, and all their
good wishes and prayers for her happiness were wedding gifts such as
no money could purchase.
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