I found him making ready to depart, but in consultation with politicians.  He was running for Congress again in Illinois, and the presidential campaign was on.  But when I told him of my desire he thought for a moment, and consented.  He was being importuned to make an address at Nashville.  Now he would stay to do so and attend the wedding.  I was very happy over these fortunate circumstances and returned quickly to Dorothy.  If only General Jackson could be persuaded to come, and Mr. Polk.  We had many things to do.  I set about running errands for Mrs. Clayton.  Dorothy was notifying her friends, getting her veil, her dress into readiness.  Mammy and Jenny were cooking all sorts of delicacies; they had requisitioned old Mose who was the slave of a neighbor, Mr. Parsons, and the wedding preparations progressed with speed.  I had traveled hither without the slightest expectation of this sudden consummation and therefore had no clothes suitable for the occasion.  I had to attend to that as best I could.

The hour came.  Douglas arrived with Mr. Polk, who had also been a friend of Mr. Clayton’s.  But General Jackson was unable to come.  He was not strong.  He sent a bottle of rare wine and a bouquet and his hearty congratulations; all by a colored messenger who was excited and voluble.  General Jackson!  It was less than a year when he passed from earth.

Mr. Polk was a full-faced, rather a square-faced man, with broad forehead, packed abundantly at the temples, rather intense eyes, and lines running by the corners of his nose, which slightly looped his mouth upward in an expression of decision and self-reliance.  He was already called a small man.  But I did not see him so.  He was of pleasing presence of distinguished decorum, and chivalrous manner.  But after all Douglas was the center of attraction.  Mr. Polk escorted Mrs. Clayton to the wedding breakfast, and Douglas took in Mrs. Rutledge, an aunt of Dorothy’s.

So we were married, and I was happy.  I had found a wife and I had found a mother.  Douglas departed, promising to see me in Chicago soon.  The guests went their way.  I was here with Dorothy, with Mrs. Clayton, Mammy, and Jenny.

There is something good for the soul in being for an hour, even if for an hour only, the central thought of every one; in having one’s wishes and happiness the chief consideration of interested friends.  And here were Mammy and Jenny, who had no thought but to serve me and Dorothy; here was Mrs. Clayton, who strove so gently to attend to my wants, whatever they were, to put herself at the disposal of these first hours of Dorothy’s new life and mine.  Mose was at the door with the horses and the carriage, loaned by his master, to drive us into the country and over the Cumberland hills.  Mrs. Rutledge lingered a while in evident admiration of me, and with happy tears for the radiant delight which shone in Dorothy’s face.

We set forth with old Mose, who was talking and pointing out to me the places of interest, the hills, the huts, the houses which were associated with stories or personalities of the neighborhood.  And here was Dorothy by my side, scarcely speaking, her beautiful head at times, as we drove in secluded places, resting delicately upon my shoulder, her eyes closed in the beatitude of the hour.