A Pink Wedding, 221 



the bridegTOom^s fellow sportsmen were dressed in 

 full hunting costume, wearing " pink/^ with white 

 leathers and top-boots, and, mingling with the 

 numerous elegantly-dressed ladies, added a finish- 

 ing touch to a beautiful and unique picture. 

 Then the Rev. Canon Norman, assisted by Dr. 

 Collis, the vicar of Melton, proceeds to read the 

 Service, and in a few minutes the youthful bride 

 and bridegroom are pronounced to be man and 

 wife, and the company advance to offer their' con- 

 gratulations. If there is anything in omens, then 

 happy will be the bride that the sun shone on. 

 Having duly registered their signatures, the bride 

 and bridegroom left the church, their path being 

 strewed with flowers by some pretty little damsels 

 selected from the school, dressed in white, and 

 brimful of happiness at having had the good fortune 

 to be selected to perform such an important and 

 graceful part of the ceremony. 



The visitors then adjourned to The House for 

 breakfast, the band of the Melton Volunteers, stationed 

 on the lawn, playing an excellent selection of music. 

 Without some notice of the presents, an account, 

 nowadays, of a wedding would be incomplete ; it will 

 give, therefore, some idea of their number and value 

 if I state that no fewer than 3,000 people were ad- 

 mitted to see them during the two days they were 

 on view. On the departure of the bridal party, the 

 multitude of lookers on adjourned to the paddock 

 where the Belvoir hounds were announced to meet in 

 honour of the occasion ; others surrounding the house in 

 their eager desire to have a peep at the bride. 



After the breakfast was over the guests strolled on 



