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’