The young Methodist minister married us the next day in the presence of many beaming guests . Aunt Philippa , splendid in black silk and point-lace collar , neither of which lost a whit of dignity or lustre by being made ten years before , was composure itself while the ceremony was going on . But no sooner had the minister pronounced us man and wife than she spoke up . `` Now that 's over I want someone to go right out and put out the fire on the kitchen roof . It 's been on fire for the last ten minutes . '' Minister and bridegroom headed the emergency brigade , and Aunt Philippa pumped the water for them . In a short time the fire was out , all was safe , and we were receiving our deferred congratulations . `` Now , young man , '' said Aunt Philippa solemnly as she shook hands with Mark , `` do n't you ever try to get out of this , even if a Methodist minister did marry you . '' She insisted on driving us to the train and said goodbye to us as we stood on the car steps . She had caught more of the shower of rice than I had , and as the day was hot and sunny she had tied over her head , atop of that festal silk dress , a huge , home-made , untrimmed straw hat . But she did not look ridiculous . There was a certain dignity about Aunt Philippa in any costume and under any circumstance . `` Aunt Philippa , '' I said , `` tell me this : why have you helped me to be married ? '' The train began to move . `` I refused once to run away myself , and I 've repented it ever since . '' Then , as the train gathered speed and the distance between us widened , she shouted after us , `` But I s ` pose if I had run away I 'd have repented of that too . '' Bessie 's Doll Tommy Puffer , sauntering up the street , stopped to look at Miss Octavia 's geraniums . Tommy never could help stopping to look at Miss Octavia 's flowers , much as he hated Miss Octavia . Today they were certainly worth looking at . Miss Octavia had set them all out on her verandah -- rows upon rows of them , overflowing down the steps in waves of blossom and colour .
Miss Octavia 's geraniums were famous in Arundel , and she was very proud XXXXX them .
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