She stood
out for a bishop, a surpliced choir, a wedding-breakfast after the
English manner--in short, for the utmost attainable in the way of
spendor, thoroughness, and distinction. The preparations moved on with a
swirl and a sweep, and involved the whole household to the exclusion of
all else.
"But, for Heaven's sake," demanded Jane, "how are you going to get all
these people into the house?" She had already disposed of Paston's short
list, and had even found a certain pleasure in the quaint and complicated
addresses that abounded throughout it. But the other list, compiled by
Rosy and her mother, seemed to pass all bounds; not her mother's part,
which was limited to certain old-time friends and connections, but Rosy's
own, which dealt with "society" almost in its entirety. Jane appreciated
now, for the first time, the comprehensive thoroughness of Rosy's
year of social endeavor.
"Here, let me have it," said Rosy, brusquely snatching the list from
Jane. She fixed her eye upon the part of it that was written in her
mother's cramped and antiquated hand. "Who are these Browns?"
"Why, don't you remember the Browns? They were old neighbors of ours; pa
used to think everything of them. They sent Alice a beautiful present."
"Never heard of them in my life," declared Rosy. "They needn't come; they
can just have announcement-cards. Who are the Grahams?--here's four of
them."
"Why," faltered Jane, "they used to have the pew right behind us in the
old church.
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