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 he could scarcely believe it real, but for some time took the whole for a dream, so inconceivable did it appear to him, that a rich man should thus remember the poor. Frank, however, soon put an end to all his doubts, and brought tears of gratitude to his eyes. This was a sufficient reward for his benefactor, who, to carry through the part of an angel which he had undertaken, vanished from his sight and left him to explain the whole as he best could.

On the next morning the dwelling of the lovely bride looked like a fair; Frank sent so many haberdashers, jewellers, milliners, lace-merchants, tailors, shoe-makers and sempstresses, to offer their services or their different wares for her choice. She spent the whole day in selecting and arranging the various articles which, in those days, made up a bridal dress, and in giving orders to the tailor and milliner. The bride-groom went, in the mean time, to procure the banns to be published; for, in those days, the wealthy and high-born were not ashamed to tell the whole world, they meant to contract the solemn engagement of marriage; and, before Rh