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Bride and Bridesmaid.

A MARRIAGE PROCESSION.

T has never been my lot to marry, whatever I may have written of one Honoria to the contrary. My affair

with that lady never reached beyond a very embarrassing declaration, in return for which she breathed into my dull, deaf ear an inaudible answer. It was beyond my slender assurance, in those days, to ask for a repetition, whether of acceptance or denial.

One chance for explanation still remained. I wrote to her mother, to bespeak her sanction to our union, and received, by return of post, a scrawl that, for aught I knew, might be in Sanscrit. I question whether, even at this time, my intoler

able bashfulness would suffer me to press such a matter any farther.

My thoughts of matrimony are now confined to occasional daydreams, originating in some stray glimpse in the Prayer Book, or the receipt of bridecake. It was on some such occurrence that I fell once, Bunyan-like, into an allegory of a wedding.

My fancies took the order of a procession. With flaunting banners, it wound its Alexandrine way-in the manner of some of Martin's painted pageants-to a taper spire in the distance. And first, like a band of livery, came the honourable company

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of Match-makers, all mature spinsters and matrons—and as like aunts and mothers as may be. The Glovers trod closely on their heels. Anon came, in blue and gold, the parish beadle, Scarabeus Parochialis, with the ringers of the handbells. Then came the Banns-it was during the reign of Lord

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Eldon's Act-three sturdy pioneers, with their three axes, and likely to hew down sterner impediments than lie commonly in the path of marriage. On coming nearer, the countenance of the first was right foolish and perplexed; of the second, simpering; and the last, methought, looked sedate, and as if dashed with a little fear. After the Banns, like the judges following the halberts, came the Joiners: no rough mechanics, but a portly, full-blown vicar, with his clerkboth rubicund-a peony paged by a pink. It made me smile to observe the droll clerical turn of the clerk's beaver, scrubbed into that fashion by his coat, at the nape. The marriageknot, borne by a ticket-porter, came after the divine, and raised associations enough to sadden one, but for a pretty Cupid that came on laughing and trundling a hoop-ring.

The next group was a numerous one, Firemen of the Handin-Hand, with the Union flag-the chief actors were near. With a mixture of anxiety and curiosity, I looked out for the impending couple, when-how shall I tell it ?-I beheld, not a brace of young lovers, a Romeo and Juliet-not a "he-moon here, and a she-sun there "-not bride and bridegroom, but the happy pear, a solitary Bergamy, carried on a velvet cushion by a little foot-page. I could have foresworn my fancy for ever for so wretched a conceit, till I remembered that it was intended, perhaps, to typify, under that figure, the mysterious resolution of two into one, a pair nominally, but in substance single, which belongs to marriage. To make amends, the high contracting parties approached in proper person-a duplication sanctioned by the practice of the oldest Masters in their historical pictures. It took a brace of Cupids, with a halter, to overcome the "sweet reluctant delay" of the Bride, and make her keep pace with the procession. She was absorbed like a nun in her veil; tears, too, she dropped, large as sixpences, in her path; but her attendant Bridesmaid put on such a coquettish look, and tripped along so airily, that it cured all suspicion of heartache in such maiden showers. The Bridegroom, dressed for the Honeymoon, was ushered by Hymen, a little link-boy; and the imp used the same impor

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tunity for his dues. The next was a motley crew. nuptial ode or Carmen, there walked two carters, or draymen, with their whips; a leash of footmen in livery indicated Domestic Habits; and Domestic Comfort was personated by an ambulating advertiser of "Hot Dinners every day."

I forget whether the Bride's Character preceded or followed her; but it was a lottery placard, and blazoned her as One of Ten Thousand. The parents of both families had a quiet smile on their faces, hinting that their enjoyment was of a retrospective cast; and as for the six sisters of the bride, they would have wept with her, but that six young gallants came after them. The friends of the family were Quakers, and seemed to partake of the happiness of the occasion in a very quiet and Quaker-like way. I ought to mention that a band of harmonious sweet music preceded the Happy Pair. There was none came after the veteran Townsend, with his constables, to keep order, making up the rear of the Procession.

The Man in the Honeymoon.

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NE widow at a grave will sob A little while, and weep, and sigh! If two should meet on such a job, They'll have a gossip by and by. If three should come together-why, Three widows are good company! If four should meet by any chance, Four is a number very nice,

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