Raspberry Jam | Page 4

the
living-room.
"Hello, girls," he said, gaily; "how's things?"
He kissed Eunice, shook Aunt Abby's hand and dropped into an easy
chair.
"Things are whizzing," he said, as he took the cup Eunice poured for
him. "I've just come from the Club, and our outlook is rosy-posy. Old
Hendricks is going to get, badly left."
"It's all safe for you, then, is it?" and Eunice smiled radiantly at her
husband.
"Right as rain! The prize-fights did it! They upset old Hendrick's
apple-cart and spilled his beans. Lots of them object to the fights

because of the expense--fighters are a high-priced bunch--but I'm down
on them because I think it bad form--"
"I should say so!" put in Eunice, emphatically.
"Bad form for an Athletic Club of gentlemen to have brutal exhibitions
for their entertainment."
"And what about the Motion-Picture Theatre?"
"The same there! Frightful expense,--and also rotten taste! No, the
Metropolitan Athletic Club can't stoop to such entertainments. If it
were a worth-while little playhouse, now, and if they had a high class
of performances, that would be another story. Hey, Aunt Abby? What
do you think?"
"I don't know, Sanford, you know I'm ignorant on such matters. But I
want to ask you something. Have you read the paper to-day?"
"Why, yes, being a normal American citizen, I did run through the
Battle-Ax of Freedom. Why?"
"Did you read about Hanlon--the great Hanlon?"
"Musician, statesman or criminal? I can't seem to place a really great
Hanlon. By the way, Eunice, if Hendricks blows in, ask him to stay to
dinner, will you? I want to talk to him, but I don't want to seem unduly
anxious for his company."
"Very well," and Eunice smiled; "if I can persuade him, I will."
"If you can!" exclaimed Miss Abby, her sarcasm entirely unveiled.
"Alvord Hendricks would walk the plank if you invited him to do so!"
"Who wouldn't?" laughed Embury. "I have the same confidence in my
wife's powers of persuasion that you seem to have, Aunt Abby; and
though I may impose on her, I do want her to use them upon me deadly
r-rival!"

"You mean rival in your club election," returned Miss Ames, "but he is
also your rival in another way."
"Don't speak so cryptically, Aunt, dear. We all know of his infatuation
for Eunice, but he's only one of many. Think you he is more dangerous
than, say, friend Elliott?"
"Mason Elliott? Oh, of course, he has been an admirer of Eunice since
they made mud-pies together."
"That's two, then," Embury laughed lightly. "And Jim Craft is three and
Halliwell James is four and Guy Little--"
"Oh, don't include him, I beg of you!" cried Eunice; "he flats when he
sings!"
"Well, I could round up a round dozen, who would willingly cast
sheeps' eyes at my wife, but--well, they don't!"
"They'd better not," laughed Eunice, and Embury added, "Not if I see
them first!"
"Isn't it funny," said Aunt Abby, reminiscently, "that Eunice did choose
you out of that Cambridge bunch."
"I chose her," corrected Embury, "and don't take that wrong! I mean
that I swooped down and carried her off under their very noses! Didn't I,
Firebrand?"
"The only way you could get me," agreed Eunice, saucily.
"Oh, I don't know!" and Embury smiled. "You weren't so desperately
opposed."
"No; but she was undecided," said Aunt Abby; "why, for weeks before
your engagement was announced, Eunice couldn't make up her mind
for certain. There was Mason Elliott and Al Hendricks, both as
determined as you were."

"I know it, Aunt. Good Lord, I guess I knew those boys all my life, and
I knew all their love affairs as well as they knew all mine."
"You had others, then?" and Eunice opened her brown eyes in mock
amazement.
"Rather! How could I know you were the dearest girl in the world if I
had no one to compare you with?"
"Well, then I had a right to have other beaux."
"Of course you did! I never objected. But now, you're my wife, and
though all the men in Christendom may admire you, you are not to give
one of them a glance that belongs to me."
"No, sir; I won't," and Eunice's long lashes dropped on her cheeks as
she assumed an absurdly overdone meekness.
"I was surprised, though," pursued Aunt Abby, still reminiscent, "when
Eunice married you, Sanford. Mr. Mason is so much more intellectual
and Mr. Hendricks so much better looking."
"Thank you, lady!" and Embury bowed gravely. "But you see, I have
that--er--indescribable charm--that nobody can resist."
"You have, you rascal!" and Miss Ames beamed on him. "And I think
this a favorable moment to ask a favor of your Royal Highness."
"Out with it. I'll grant it, to the half of my kingdom,