Taking Home the Bride 



redoubled their activity, charging — one party upon another 

 — and discharging their long guns into the air. Flaring 

 torches flung a flickering and uncertain light over the 

 tumultuous but rather formidable chaos through which the 

 timid Moorish maiden goes from the nursery to housekeep- 

 ing. We could not help thinking that in happy England 

 some of our hardened and experienced spinsters, who have 

 braved the link-boys and "carriage-stops-the-way-coming- 

 out" struggles of three or four seasons, would hardly go 

 through such a trial in the cause of matrimony : but perhaps 

 we are wrong ! 



i86 



