Theweddingcompanywassmall，butselect。JudgeBaxterandhiswifewerethereandtheKeiths——Mrs。Keithcondescendedtoornamenttheoccasion；someofthe“bestpeople“hadseenfittomakemuchofMaryLathropandMrs。Keithneverpermittedherselftobeveryfarbehindthebestpeopleinanything——andMrs。Wyethwasthere，andMissPease，andMr。GreenwhohadreceivedaninvitationandhadcomefromBoston，andDoctorHarley，andSimeonCrockerandhis“steadycompany，“oneofthetea-roomyoungladies，andAnnabeland——and——well，adozenorfifteenmore。
　　Whentheministerasked，“Whogiveththiswomantothisman？“Zoethanswered，bravely，“Ido——thatis，meandShadrach。“Butnoonelaughed，becauseZoethhimselfwastryingtosmileandmakingratherwetweatherofit。AsfortheCaptain，hisexpressionduringtheceremonywasasortoffixedgrinwhichhehadassumedbeforeenteringtheroomandhadevidentlydeterminedtoweartothefinish，nomatterwhathisemotionsmightbe。ButMissPease，alwayssusceptible，hadadelightfulcryalltoherself，andIsaiah，retiringtothehall，blewhisnosewithavigorwhich，asCaptainShadsaidafterwards，“hadthePollackRipfoghornsoundin’likeadeefanddumbsign。“
　　Maryhadmanagedeverything，ofcourse。Heruncleshadtriedtoremonstratewithher，tellinghertherewereplentyofotherstoarrangetheflowersandattendtowhatthelocalnewspaperwould，initsaccountoftheaffair，besuretocallthe“collation，“andtomakethehundredandonepreparationsnecessaryforevensosmallandsimpleaweddingasthis。Butsheonlylaughedattheirremonstrances。
　　“Iwouldn’tmissitforanything，“shesaid。“Ihavealwayswantedtomanagesomeone’sweddingandIamcertainlynotgoingtoletanyoneelsemanagemine。Idon’tcareabitwhetheritistheproperthingornot。Thisisn’tgoingtobeaformalaffair；I
　　won’thaveitso。UncleShad，ifyouwanttosay’Jumpin’fire’
　　whenCrawforddropsthering，asheisalmostsuretodo，youhavemypermission。“
　　ButCrawforddidnotdropthering，andsotheCaptain’sfavoriteexclamationwasnotuttered，beingunnecessary。Infacttherewerenomishaps，everythingwentexactlyasitshould，receptionand“collation“included，and，toquotefromtheSouthHarnisslocaloncemore，“Agoodtimewashadbyall。“
　　Andwhenthebrideandgroom，dressedintheirtravelingcostumes，camedownthestairstothecarriagewhichwastotakethemtothestation，Maryranback，amidtheshowerofriceandconfetti，tokissUncleZoethandUncleShadoncemoreandwhisperintheirearsnottofeelthatshehadreallygone，becauseshehadn’tbutwouldbebackinjustalittlewhile。
　　“AndIhavetoldIsaiahaboutyourrubbersandoilskinswhenitrains，“sheadded，inShadrach’sear，“andheisnottoforgetUncleZoeth’smedicine。Good-by。Good-by。Don’tbelonesome。Promisethatyouwon’t。“
　　Buttopromiseiseasyandtokeepthatpromiseisoftenhard，asShadrachobservedwhenheandZoethwerealoneinthesitting-roomthatevening。“Ifeelasifthewholevitalsofthisplacehadgoneawayonthatafternoontrain，“theCaptainadmitted。“AndyetI
　　knowit’sawfulfoolish，’causeshe’llonlybegoneacoupleofweeks。“
　　“I’mgladthatquestionaboutthenameissettled，“musedZoeth。
　　“Thatkindoftroubledme，thatdid。“
　　ThepartnershadworriednotalittleoverthequestionofwhetherCrawford’snamewaslegallySmithorFarmer。IfitwereFarmerandhemustbesocalledinSouthHarniss，theyfearedtherevivaloftheoldscandalandallitsmiserablegossip。ButwhentheyaskedCrawfordhereassuredthem。
　　“Iconsultedmylawyeraboutthat，“hesaid。“Myfather’smiddlenamewasSmith；thatiswhyhetookit，Isuppose。EdwinSmithisnotsoverydifferentfromEdgarSmithFarmer，shorter，that’sall。
　　HeandmymotherweremarriedunderthenameofSmith。Motherneverknewhehadhadanothername。IwasbornSmithandchristenedSmithandmylawyertellsmethatSmithIam。IftherehadbeenanyquestionIshouldhavepetitionedtohavethenamechanged。“
　　SothatquestionwassettledandShadrachandZoethfelteasierbecauseofit。
　　“Zoeth，“observedShadrach，afterreplyingtohisfriend’sremarkconcerningthename，“doyouknowwhatIkindoffeltasifwe’doughttohavehadherethisafternoon？“
　　“No，Shadrach，“repliedZoeth，“Idon’t。Whatwasit？“
　　“Seemedtomewe’doughttohadoneofthemmusicboxchairs。I’dliketohaveputitunderthatKeithwomanandseenherfacewhentheCampbellsstartedtocome。Ho，ho！“
　　“Whatintheworldmadeyouthinkofthat？“demandedhispartner。
　　“Oh，Idon’tknow。Thinkin’aboutMary-’Gusta，Ical’late，setmetorememberin’howwefustmetherandaboutMarcellus’sfuneralandall。Thatmademethinkofthechair，yousee。Iain’tthoughtofitaforeforyears。“
　　Zoethnodded。“Shadrach，“hesaid，“thatwasablesseddayforyouandme，thedaywhenwebroughtthatchildhomeinouroldbuggy。
　　TheLordputherthere，Shadrach。“
　　“Well，IguesslikelyHedid，maybe，inawayofspeakin’。Doesseemso，that’safact。“
　　“Ourliveswasprettysotandnarrowaforeshecame。She’schangedeverything。“
　　“That’sso。Hello！What’sthatnoise？Ideclareifitain’tIsaiahliftin’uphisvoiceinsong！Inahymntune！Whatdoyouthinkofthat？“
　　Fromthekitchen，abovetherattleofdishes，Mr。Chase’snasalfalsettoquaveredshrilly：
　　“Thereshallbeshowersofblessin’s——“
　　TheCaptaininterrupted。
　　“Hi，you——what’syourname——JennieLind——comeinhere，“hehailed。
　　Mr。Chaseappeared，hisarmsdrippingsoapsuds。“Whatdoyouwant，callin’meoutofmyname？“hedemanded。
　　“Wanttoknowwhatstartedyousingin’aboutblessin’s？FustI
　　thought’twastheweathervanesqueakin’。Whattunedyouup，eh？“
　　Isaiahlookedratherfoolish，buthegrinned。
　　“Iwasthinkin’aboutMary-’Gusta，“hesaid。
　　“Youwas，eh？Well，she’sbeenablessin’tous，there’snodoubtaboutthat。“
　　“Indeedshehas，“concurredZoeth。
　　ButIsaiahhadthefinalword。
　　“Huh！“hedeclared，“she’smore’noneblessin’，she’sawholeshower。That’swhatsetmetosingin’about’em。“
　　Hedepartedforthekitchenoncemore，thefalsettorisingtriumphant：
　　“Thereshallbeshowersofblessin’s，Send’emuponus，ohLord！“
　　CaptainShadlookedafterhim。Thenheturnedtohisfriendandpartnerandsaidearnestly：
　　“Doyouknow，Isaiah’sgettin’realkindofsensibleinhisoldage。“
　　End