The wedding morning dawned bright and clear. All the invited guests who
had passed the night on shore were early arrivals upon the yacht, which
then immediately started across the lake, heading for Michigan City.
The crew had outdone themselves in making everything about the vessel even
more than ordinarily clean and bright, and everyone was arrayed in holiday
attire. The young men of the party had taken care to provide abundance of
flowers, especially for the saloon where the ceremony was to take place.
There they all assembled, drawn by the familiar strains of the Bridal
Chorus from "Lohengrin," played by Violet on the small pipe organ which
the captain's thoughtfulness had provided for his wife's amusement and his
own pleasure, as well as that of his daughters.
A hush fell upon them as Cyril entered and took his appointed place,
followed closely by the bridal party, which consisted of Mr. and Mrs.
Dinsmore and the bride and groom; Annis preferring to be without
bridesmaids, and Mr. Dinsmore having expressed a desire to take a
father's part and give her away.
The short and simple ceremony was soon over, and after the customary
congratulations and good wishes, all repaired to the dining saloon where
they partook of a delicious breakfast.
All this time the vessel was speeding on her way, and the lake being calm,
and such breeze as there was favorable, she made excellent headway,
carrying them into their port in good season for catching their trains
without being unpleasantly hurried.
Then the _Dolphin_ turned and retraced her course, arriving at her old
station near the Peristyle before nightfall; so that the returned
passengers were able to spend their evening, as usual, in the beautiful
Court of Honor.
Captain Raymond and his wife and daughters returned to the yacht rather
earlier than was their wont, and sat on its deck awaiting the coming of
the others.
"Papa," said Lucilla, breaking a momentary silence, "I have been wondering
why you took the cousins to Michigan City rather than to Pleasant Plains
as you did before."
"Because it would have taken a good deal longer to go to Pleasant Plains;
for which reason they preferred Michigan City, not wishing to take the
cars here because of the great crowds about the stations, causing much
inconvenience and some peril to those who must push their way through
them."
"I wondered that the bride and groom were willing to go on the cars at all
after hearing of the many accidents on the trains of late, papa," said
Grace.
"I trust they will not meet with any," said her father. "The crowds are
coming in this direction, and I think it is on those trains that most of
the accidents occur. But we will all pray for them, asking the Lord to
have them in his kind care and keeping."
"Yes, indeed, papa!" she replied, in earnest tones. "I am so glad that we
may, and that we know--because he has told us so--that he is the hearer
and answerer of prayer. Still I am glad we are not going home by rail."
"So am I," he said; "yet yachts are sometimes wrecked; and in fact there
is no place where we could be certain of safety except as our heavenly
Father cares for and protects us; and in his kind care and keeping we are
safe wherever we may be."