The June roses over the porch were awake bright and early on thatmorning, rejoicing with all their hearts in the cloudless sunshine,like friendly little neighbors, as they were. Quite flushed withexcitement were their ruddy faces, as they swung in the wind,whispering to one another what they had seen, for some peeped in atthe dining room windows where the feast was spread, some climbed upto nod and smile at the sisters as they dressed the bride, otherswaved a welcome to those who came and went on various errands ingarden, porch, and hall, and all, from the rosiest full-blown flowerto the palest baby bud, offered their tribute of beauty andfragrance to the gentle mistress who had loved and tended them solong.

Meg looked very like a rose herself, for all that was best andsweetest in heart and soul seemed to bloom into her face that day,making it fair and tender, with a charm more beautiful than beauty.Neither silk, lace, nor orange flowers would she have. "I don'twant a fashionable wedding, but only those about me whom I love,and to them I wish to look and be my familiar self."

So she made her wedding gown herself, sewing into it the tenderhopes and innocent romances of a girlish heart. Her sisters braidedup her pretty hair, and the only ornaments she wore were the liliesof the valley, which 'her John' liked best of all the flowers thatgrew.

"You do look just like our own dear Meg, only so very sweetand lovely that I should hug you if it wouldn't crumple your dress,"cried Amy, surveying her with delight when all was done.

"Then I am satisfied. But please hug and kiss me, everyone,and don't mind my dress. I want a great many crumples of thissort put into it today," and Meg opened her arms to her sisters,who clung about her with April faces for a minute, feeling thatthe new love had not changed the old.

"Now I'm going to tie John's cravat for him, and then to staya few minutes with Father quietly in the study," and Meg randown to perform these little ceremonies, and then to follow hermother wherever she went, conscious that in spite of the smileson the motherly face, there was a secret sorrow hid in the motherlyheart at the flight of the first bird from the nest.

As the younger girls stand together, giving the last touchesto their simple toilet, it may be a good time to tell of a fewchanges which three years have wrought in their appearance, forall are looking their best just now.

Jo's angles are much softened, she has learned to carry herselfwith ease, if not grace. The curly crop has lengthened intoa thick coil, more becoming to the small head atop of the tallfigure. There is a fresh color in her brown cheeks, a soft shinein her eyes, and only gentle words fall from her sharp tongue today.

Beth has grown slender, pale, and more quiet than ever. Thebeautiful, kind eyes are larger, and in them lies an expressionthat saddens one, although it is not sad itself. It is the shadowof pain which touches the young face with such pathetic patience,but Beth seldom complains and always speaks hopefully of 'beingbetter soon'.

Amy is with truth considered 'the flower of the family', forat sixteen she has the air and bearing of a full-grown woman, notbeautiful, but possessed of that indescribable charm called grace.One saw it in the lines of her figure, the make and motion of herhands, the flow of her dress, the droop of her hair, unconsciousyet harmonious, and as attractive to many as beauty itself. Amy'snose still afflicted her, for it never would grow Grecian, so didher mouth, being too wide, and having a decided chin. These offendingfeatures gave character to her whole face, but she never could see it,and consoled herself with her wonderfully fair complexion,keen blue eyes, and curls more golden and abundant than ever.

All three wore suits of thin silver gray (their best gowns forthe summer), with blush roses in hair and bosom, and all threelooked just what they were, fresh-faced, happy-hearted girls, pausinga moment in their busy lives to read with wistful eyes the sweetestchapter in the romance of womanhood.

There were to be no ceremonious performances, everything was to beas natural and homelike as possible, so when Aunt March arrived, shewas scandalized to see the bride come running to welcome and leadher in, to find the bridegroom fastening up a garland that hadfallen down, and to catch a glimpse of the paternal ministermarching upstairs with a grave countenance and a wine bottle undereach arm.

"Upon my word, here's a state of things!" cried the old lady,taking the seat of honor prepared for her, and settling the foldsof her lavender moire with a great rustle. "You oughtn't to beseen till the last minute, child."

"I'm not a show, Aunty, and no one is coming to stare at me,to criticize my dress, or count the cost of my luncheon. I'm toohappy to care what anyone says or thinks, and I'm going to havemy little wedding just as I like it. John, dear, here's yourhammer." And away went Meg to help 'that man' in his highlyimproper employment.

Mr. Brooke didn't even say, "Thank you," but as he stoopedfor the unromantic tool, he kissed his little bride behind thefolding door, with a look that made Aunt March whisk out herpocket handkerchief with a sudden dew in her sharp old eyes.

A crash, a cry, and a laugh from Laurie, accompanied by theindecorous exclamation, "Jupiter Ammon! Jo's upset the cake again!"caused a momentary flurry, which was hardly over when a flock ofcousins arrived, and 'the party came in', as Beth used to say whena child.

"Don't let that young giant come near me, he worries me worsethan mosquitoes," whispered the old lady to Amy, as the rooms filledand Laurie's black head towered above the rest.

"He has promised to be very good today, and he can be perfectlyelegant if he likes," returned Amy, and gliding away to warnHercules to beware of the dragon, which warning caused him to hauntthe old lady with a devotion that nearly distracted her.

There was no bridal procession, but a sudden silence fell uponthe room as Mr. March and the young couple took their places underthe green arch. Mother and sisters gathered close, as if loath togive Meg up. The fatherly voice broke more than once, which onlyseemed to make the service more beautiful and solemn. The bridegroom'shand trembled visibly, and no one heard his replies. But Meglooked straight up in her husband's eyes, and said, "I will!"with such tender trust in her own face and voice that her mother'sheart rejoiced and Aunt March sniffed audibly.

Jo did not cry, though she was very near it once, and was onlysaved from a demonstration by the consciousness that Laurie wasstaring fixedly at her, with a comical mixture of merriment andemotion in his wicked black eyes. Beth kept her face hidden on hermother's shoulder, but Amy stood like a graceful statue, with amost becoming ray of sunshine touching her white forehead and theflower in her hair.

It wasn't at all the thing, I'm afraid, but the minute she wasfairly married, Meg cried, "The first kiss for Marmee!" and turning,gave it with her heart on her lips. During the next fifteen minutesshe looked more like a rose than ever, for everyone availed themselvesof their privileges to the fullest extent, from Mr. Laurenceto old Hannah, who, adorned with a headdress fearfully andwonderfully made, fell upon her in the hall, crying with a soband a chuckle, "Bless you, deary, a hundred times! The cake ain'thurt a mite, and everything looks lovely."

Everybody cleared up after that, and said something brilliant,or tried to, which did just as well, for laughter is ready whenhearts are light. There was no display of gifts, for they werealready in the little house, nor was there an elaborate breakfast,but a plentiful lunch of cake and fruit, dressed with flowers.Mr. Laurence and Aunt March shrugged and smiled at one another whenwater, lemonade, and coffee were found to be to only sorts ofnectar which the three Hebes carried round. No one said anything,till Laurie, who insisted on serving the bride, appeared before her,with a loaded salver in his hand and a puzzled expression on his face.

"Has Jo smashed all the bottles by accident?" he whispered,"or am I merely laboring under a delusion that I saw some lyingabout loose this morning?"

"No, your grandfather kindly offered us his best, and AuntMarch actually sent some, but Father put away a little for Beth,and dispatched the rest to the Soldier's Home. You know he thinksthat wine should be used only in illness, and Mother says thatneither she nor her daughters will ever offer it to any young manunder her roof."

Meg spoke seriously and expected to see Laurie frown or laugh,but he did neither, for after a quick look at her, he said, inhis impetuous way, "I like that! For I've seen enough harm doneto wish other women would think as you do."

"You are not made wise by experience, I hope?" and there wasan anxious accent in Meg's voice.

"No. I give you my word for it. Don't think too well of me,either, this is not one of my temptations. Being brought up wherewine is as common as water and almost as harmless, I don't care forit, but when a pretty girl offers it, one doesn't like to refuse,you see."

"But you will, for the sake of others, if not for your own.Come, Laurie, promise, and give me one more reason to call this thehappiest day of my life."

A demand so sudden and so serious made the young man hesitatea moment, for ridicule is often harder to bear than self-denial.Meg knew that if he gave the promise he would keep it at all costs,and feeling her power, used it as a woman may for her friend's good.She did not speak, but she looked up at him with a face made veryeloquent by happiness, and a smile which said, "No one can refuseme anything today."

Laurie certainly could not, and with an answering smile, hegave her his hand, saying heartily, "I promise, Mrs. Brooke!"

"I thank you, very, very much."

"And I drink 'long life to your resolution', Teddy," cried Jo,baptizing him with a splash of lemonade, as she waved her glass andbeamed approvingly upon him.

So the toast was drunk, the pledge made and loyally kept inspite of many temptations, for with instinctive wisdom, the girlsseized a happy moment to do their friend a service, for which hethanked them all his life.

After lunch, people strolled about, by twos and threes, throughthe house and garden, enjoying the sunshine without and within. Megand John happened to be standing together in the middle of the grassplot, when Laurie was seized with an inspiration which put thefinishing touch to this unfashionable wedding.

"All the married people take hands and dance round the new-madehusband and wife, as the Germans do, while we bachelors andspinsters prance in couples outside!" cried Laurie, promenading downthe path with Amy, with such infectious spirit and skill thateveryone else followed their example without a murmur. Mr. and Mrs.March, Aunt and Uncle Carrol began it, others rapidly joined in,even Sallie Moffat, after a moment's hesitation, threw her trainover her arm and whisked Ned into the ring. But the crowning jokewas Mr. Laurence and Aunt March, for when the stately old gentlemanchasseed solemnly up to the old lady, she just tucked her cane underher arm, and hopped briskly away to join hands with the rest anddance about the bridal pair, while the young folks pervaded thegarden like butterflies on a midsummer day.

Want of breath brought the impromptu ball to a close, and thenpeople began to go.

"I wish you well, my dear, I heartily wish you well, but I thinkyou'll be sorry for it," said Aunt March to Meg, adding to thebridegroom, as he led her to the carriage, "You've got a treasure,young man, see that you deserve it."

"That is the prettiest wedding I've been to for an age, Ned, andI don't see why, for there wasn't a bit of style about it," observedMrs. Moffat to her husband, as they drove away.

"Laurie, my lad, if you ever want to indulge in this sort ofthing, get one of those little girls to help you, and I shall beperfectly satisfied," said Mr. Laurence, settling himself in hiseasy chair to rest after the excitement of the morning.

"I'll do my best to gratify you, Sir," was Laurie's unusuallydutiful reply, as he carefully unpinned the posy Jo had put in hisbuttonhole.

The little house was not far away, and the only bridal journeyMeg had was the quiet walk with John from the old home to the new.When she came down, looking like a pretty Quakeress in herdove-colored suit and straw bonnet tied with white, they all gatheredabout her to say 'good-by', as tenderly as if she had been going tomake the grand tour.

"Don't feel that I am separated from you, Marmee dear, or thatI love you any the less for loving John so much," she said, clingingto her mother, with full eyes for a moment. "I shall come every day,Father, and expect to keep my old place in all your hearts, though Iam married. Beth is going to be with me a great deal, and the othergirls will drop in now and then to laugh at my housekeeping struggles.Thank you all for my happy wedding day. Goodby, goodby!"

They stood watching her, with faces full of love and hope andtender pride as she walked away, leaning on her husband's arm, withher hands full of flowers and the June sunshine brightening her happyface - and so Meg's married life began.