eat
him, you may ask him to dinner, if you like."

Her eyes sparkled like diamonds, and there was a dangerous look in them
which would have boded ill for Mr. Spinney or any other Republican had
he happened to thrust his head inside our doors just then. As for me,
I felt a little sheepish at my lack of courage, I must confess, and I
cried with genuine ardor:

"Hurrah for Reform! You're right, my dear," I added, "I must pitch in.
I haven't been quite so pusillanimous, however, as it would seem, for I
have got Nick Long to superintend my campaign."

You may remember that Nicholas Long, or Nick Long, as we always speak
of him, has never stood high in Josephine's good graces on account of
his unorthodox habits regarding church-going. He has an unpleasant way
of encountering us on our way to the sanctuary in the toggery of a man
who is going to take a day off in the country. He has, however, a
cool, analytical mind, and his name has been associated for some years
with reform politics. In obtaining his services as a manager I felt
that I had done well and wisely. Josephine looked a little sober, as
though she was not altogether gratified at my selection, but realizing,
very likely on second thought, that the children's habits were formed,
she contented herself by remarking:

"I shall keep my eye upon him and make sure that he doesn't get you
into any mischief."

"You seem to forget," I said, "that he is a leading reformer."

Josephine smiled incredulously. "Fred," she continued presently, with
a pensive air, "I wish it were the custom here, as it is in England,
for a candidate's wife to go about and buttonhole people and beg votes
and kiss babies for him, and all that sort of thing. I'm not so young
as I was, I know, but I dare say I should appear quite as well as Mrs.
Daniel Spinney, whoever she may be. I really think I could make a
fairly respectable speech just on the strength of my conjugal devotion
and righteous indignation against that villain of a man. 'Ahem: Fellow
Democrats, I beseech you in the name of common sense and decency, in
the name of the Goddess of Liberty, and of good government and order,
and as you love your cradles and your firesides, not to vote for that
dyed-in-the-wool Republican and spoilsman, Daniel Spinney, but to vote
early and often for that talented, noble, self-sacrificing, upright
citizen and Democrat, Frederick ----'"

"_E pluribus unum_! Let her go, Gallagher! Erin go bra