Sunny Slopes | Page 2

top of his head as he bent adoringly over her. "Of course
it will,--unless your grim old Presbyterians manse all the life out of
me."
"If it ever begins, tell me," he begged, "and we'll join the Salvation
Army. There's life enough even for you."
"I beat you," she teased, irrelevantly. "I am surprised,--a great big man
like you."
"And to-morrow we'll be in St. Louis."
"Yes," she assented, weakening swiftly. "And the mansers will have me
in their deadly clutch."
"The only manser who will clutch you is myself." He drew her closer in
his arm as he spoke. "And you like it."
"Yes, I love it. And I like the mansers already. I hope they like me. I
am improving, you know. I am getting more dignified every day.
Maybe they will think I am a born Presbyterian if you don't give me
away. Have you noticed how serious I am getting?" She pinched
thoughtfully at his chin. "David Duke, we have been married two
whole weeks, and it is the most delicious, and breathless, and amazing
thing in the world. It is life--real life--all there is to life, really, isn't it?"
"Yes, life is love, they say, so this is life. All the future must be like

this."
"I never particularly yearned to be dead," she said, wrinkling her brows
thoughtfully, "but I never even dreamed that I could be so happy. I am
awfully glad I didn't die before I found it out."
"You are happy, aren't you, sweetheart?"
She turned herself slowly in his arm and lifted puckering lips to his.
"Hey, wake up, are you playing tennis, or staging Shakespeare? We
want the court if you don't need it."
Mr. and Mrs. Duke, honeymooners, gazed speechlessly at the group of
young men standing motionless forty feet away, then Carol wheeled
about and ran swiftly across the velvety grass, over the hill and out of
sight, her husband in close pursuit.
Once she paused.
"If the mansers could have seen us then!" she ejaculated, with awe in
her voice.
CHAPTER II
MANSERS
The introduction of Mrs. David Arnold Duke, née Methodist, to the
members of her husband's Presbyterian flock, was, for the most part,
consummated with grace and dignity. Only one untoward incident
lingered in her memory to cloud her lovely face with annoyance.
In honor of his very first honeymoon, hence his first opportunity to
escort a beautiful and blushing bride to the cozy little manse he had so
painstakingly prepared for her reception, the Reverend David indulged
in the unwonted luxury of a taxicab. And happy in the consciousness of
being absolutely correct as to detail, they were driven slowly down the
beautifully shaded avenues of the Heights, one of the many charming

suburbs of St. Louis,--aware of the scrutiny of interested eyes from the
sheltering curtains of many windows.
Being born and bred in the ministry, Carol acquitted herself properly
before the public eye. But once inside the guarding doors of the darling
manse, secure from the condemning witness of even the least of the
fold, she danced and sang and exulted as the very young, and very glad,
must do to find expression.
Their first dinner in the manse was more of a social triumph than a
culinary success. The coffee was nectar, though a trifle overboiled. The
gravy was sweet as honey, but rather inclined to be lumpy. And the
steak tasted like fried chicken, though Carol had peppered it twice and
salted it not at all. It wasn't her fault, however, for the salt and pepper
shakers in her "perfectly irresistible" kitchen cabinet were exactly
alike,--and how was she to know she was getting the same one twice?
Anyhow, although they started very properly with plates on opposite
sides of the round table, by the time they reached dessert their chairs
were just half way round from where they began the meal, and the
salad dishes were so close together that half the time they ate from one
and half the time from the other. And when it was all over, they pushed
the dishes back and clasped their hands promiscuously together and
talked with youthful passion of what they were going to do, and how
wonderful their opportunity for service was, and what revolutions they
were going to work in the lives of the nice, but no doubt prosy mansers,
and how desperately they loved each other. And it was going to last
forever and ever and ever.
So far they were just Everybride and Everygroom. Their hearts sang
and the manse was more gorgeous than any mansion on earth, and all
the world was good and sweet, and they couldn't possibly ever make
any kind of a mistake or blunder, for love was guiding them,--and
could pure love lead