Will would not go to sea until Bet was his
wife, and so it was decided by the two that they would go to church
as soon as ever the parson could be found who would be willing, as
they expressed it, to tie the knot between them. Certain preliminaries
had to be gone through, of which they were profoundly ignorant; and
Will discovered, when he made inquiries, that a short delay was, after
all, inevitable.
In some way, girls in Bet's class look upon marriage more solemnly
than those who are born in higher grades. To them the marriage itself
is all in all,--they have neither time nor money to give to dress and
presents, and wedding paraphernalia. Bet would go to Will Scarlett in
her poor, neatly-mended gown and when she gave herself to him she
would bring him nothing else,-no outward adornings, no household
furniture--nothing but just her steadfast spirit, her heart filled to
overflowing with the greatest love she had ever known, and her great
beauty. Will and Bet would have to live from hand to mouth, and would
be still quite regarded as the poorest of the people; but love on such
an occasion as this is very apt to laugh at poverty, and these two
during the few days that followed were perhaps the happiest pair in
the great city.
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