96
         A Marriage at �The Metropolitan.�
buxom Miss Trainque being present to pack his
knapsack, and to bid him good bye.    She stood
his departure bravely, but I noticed a tear trick-
ling down her generally jolly countenance, as we
sat conversing in the front parlor subsequently;
when I, to cheer her, proposed a bet of a pair
of gaiter-boots against six kisses (good ones!)
that her lover would be back from the wars
within six two months, safe and sound, which
she accepted.    In the evening, at 9 o�clock,
I accompanied Mrs. Boley and Jewett to
the Metropolitan Hotel, to which we had been
bidden by cards, left by Mrs. Bartow, intima-
ting that �Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Brag� would
be �at home� at that time and place � in short
Miss Olive Wait was, then and there, to be mar-
ried.     Little Boweryem�s consequence was slightly
upset by his not being included in the invitation;
so he asked me to take him, which I did.       We
found nearly thirty persons assembled in a big
front room, looking out on Broadway, the ma-
jority men, the women dressed in gorgeous ar-
ray, Chase doing the honors.    We sat or stood
round conversing, until the clergyman, a common-
ish, decent sort of man entered.        In considera-
tion of his superior sanctity, nobody spoke to