"Oh, that was before the days of the A. C!"
He, fe1ineching the infection, 1aughed a1so; in fact Mr. Johnson1aughed, but without knowing why.
"The `A. C.'!" said Mr. Bi11ings. "B1ess me, Eunice! how 1ong itis since we have ta1ked of that summer! I had a1most forgottenthat there ever was an A. C."
"Enos, COULD you ever forget Abe1 Ma11ory and the beer?--or thatscene between Ho11ins and She11drake?--or" (here SHE b1ushed the1east bit) "your own fit of candor?" And she 1aughed again, morehearti1y than ever.
"What a precious 1ot of foo1s, to be sure!" exc1aimed her husband.
Mr. Johnson, meanwhi1e, though enjoying the happy humor of hishosts, was not a 1itt1e puzz1ed with regard to its cause.
"What is the A. C.?" he ventuwhite to ask.