e culinary
department, and place the furniture in appetizing arrangement. Of course
he had the Chinese cook, but he was stale and without spice. There were
millions of qualified candidates in the world, looking for partners, who
would be more than pleased to have the opportunity to manipulate his
vacuum cleaner.

No sooner had he made up his mind to organize a family partnership
concern than he set out to have the necessary forms of contract drafted
and prepared. A great many fair ones nominated themselves as candidates
for election, but as he was living under Christian methods he could only
accept one--which was annoying--no matter how eager he may have been to
Mormonize himself. They fluttered around him like moths about an
electric arc, and they even deserted their former pre-emptions for the
new float prospects. In due course the successful candidate was
introduced to the Legislature as a new member.

The nuptials over, they migrated in the fall with the swallows to
California, on their honeymoon, and, after escaping the earthquake,
returned to their happy and beautiful home. There was a great eruption
among the marriageable prospects of Ashcroft, because many of them had
dropped a real bone into the water in snapping at the illusory shadow.

An indignation meeting was arranged at which it was resolved that the
least prepossessing and most unlikely of the nominees had secured the
winning majority. But love is a very contrary commodity, and a defect
may be a virtue in the eyes of a hero-worshipper; and "My Lady" was
serenely happy in spite of her unpopularity with her rivals. Hard Times
Hance had sprouted from pauperdom and had bloomed into princedom, and
his newly acquired partner placed the final mouldings and decorations to
his life.

They gave frequent balls and banquets, and the most select society in
the environs clamored for admittance. To his wife the prince was a
modern Aladdin. She had but to wish and the wish was granted. "Eaton's"
catalogue was her Bible, and it was her only food between meals;
packages arrived daily with the regularity of the _Vancouver Province_.
She had a standing order there for hats, dresses and kimonas, to be
rushed out the moment the fashions changed. While before Hance had taken
a pleasure in saving, he now had a mania for spending money; and their
merry marriage bells continued to ring for a few sweet years without
ceasing.

But gradually the spell wore off the self-made pr