"Oh, do!" cried Alice; "have it over again, can't you?"
"Oh, no! that would not do," said Lily. "Well, we put the bride and groom in the middle-room, leaning against the door; and, as the minister could not stand up alone, I tied him fast to a chair; he did not speak loud: so it was a kind of tableau."
"Why, like a picture, my dear;" said Lily, who was two years older than Alice, and of course knew a great deal more. She made all her explanations with sweetness and good-nature. She did not say, "Pooh! don't you know that?--what a goose!" as some children do. She had been taught true politeness by her dear mother, and every one who knew Lily loved her dearly.
"Just think, Alice," said Lily, "when the doors were opened, every body burst out laughing at the groom. Now, please don't you make a face or laugh;" and Lily opened the door leading into the reception-room, and Alice and her sister burst out laughing, too,--they could not help it; for--though the bride was a splendid lady, with a tarlatan dress and thread-lace veil--the groom--who was no less than the Count de Morny--was a knit-worsted doll, most dismal to behold. His brown-worsted wig not being finished on the top, he had to keep his cap on before all the ladies. His eyes were made of steel beads, sewed close together; one was perfect, but half of the beads had dropped out of the other, making him look as if he were winking at the company. He wore white-worsted mittens, black pantaloons, and a fiery red jacket. His nose was made by sewing the middle of his face into a hard knot, and it was a nose of a shape never before seen on this earth: and, altogether, the poor Count de Morny looked very much like a monkey with the toothache; and must have known it, for he hung his head as if he were ashamed of himself.
And now Lily set up the count and his bride on the sofa, with the minister on her other side--all, in great state and dignity, ready to receive the company.
They arrived very fast; and, before long, fourteen little girls, and three little boys--the only live gentlemen of the party,--and about twenty dolls were assembled.
When they were ushered into the reception-room, and saw the comical-looking groom, there was such a peal of merry, childish laughter that you would have thought the room was full of singing-birds--such little rollicking trills and carols, it was perfectly delightful to hear them. But Lily, with a very solemn and grave air, said, "Ladies, the groom is not of a very _prippersessing_ appearance, but (as Mr. Curtis told me to say) he has a great deal of money."