The Washington times., 1914-08-27
Peters
AdUentureS
IN
Matr1m0nY
RvIEONA DAJRYMPIE
By LEONA DAIRYMPIE
Author Of tho new novel. Diane a
the Green vaH." awarded Q prize
Of Si0. 900 by IDA n Tar6su and
g. s. Mcclure ~ judge

LVIII.
THE CLEANUP" SOCIETY.
- AIRY is very busy.
m For days now I have seen
| wv her bustling prettily about,
scribbling occasional notes on
a pad. Automobiles cali for her fire.
quently. and. altogether. she seems very
busy. indeed.
Mary" I inquired one night. whats 8
up, anyway? You're by far the busiest
person in the family"
Mary gIowed.
| Peter" she exclaimed naively. i've
just been wondering II you'd notice how
dreadfullv busy really am. 1 honestly
have waited. You know lots of people
tell how men never notice what thei-
wives are about. and I made up my
mind I'd wait until you asked me-
Well" / hinted mildly. Il certainly
have noticed considerable activity of an
-er-hupr-undomes.i nature. I At
tribute a certain hole in my left sock
and the fact that the laundry Is late to
some of it,
| Mary frowned
Peter" she exclaimed. proudly. is that
| / belong to a cleanup society.
What" ventured to inquire. rs a
cleanup society? Is 1t a pledge for all
women to keep their homes in order be-
fore they undertake to do anythinI
else?''
] Mary flushed.
| Peter" she said, with dignity. chats
one of those horrid male things men say
when they think they're sarcastic. That
wasn't at all what I meant. And. be-
! sides. most of the women In the society
are not situated as I am. THEY have
maids"
economic reproach. THEY have maids
inquired again what a cleanup So
| cieyt was.
It's for the purpose of cleaning up
the town In general" explained Mary
not intending, I'm sure, to be slangy
TO see that there are no stray paper:
lying about the streets and all that sor
of thing. The high school boys anc
girls are helping US and we're having a
most wonderful time. 1 do enjoy 1t. II
| sary. Yesterday we had a most dis
agreeable time with a saloonkeeper who
left horrid smelly beer kegs lined alons
! the sidewalk. Really. Peter. I do dis
| like to boast. but I'm by far the most
important person In the thing. The mer
We expose most all frown at me-
| ! smiled at this somewhat doubtful
distinction. and Mary went on cleanins
up the town a commendable enoub,h
! ambition perhaps, but one likewise
| fraught with disastrous consequences t
my busy little wife.
| One morning the telephone at my
office rang. and when answered Il
somthing suspiciously like sob cams
| over the wire.
| "Oh, Peter" walled my wife.
For heavens sake. Mary I gaspec
in alarm. whats happened"
| "I-I'ye been arrested"
Arrested"
"Yes-and I'm home now-and--anc
I-oh. Peter"
Tell me what has happened. Mary
I exclaimed sharply. and don't be s.
It's about the cleanup society.
walled Mary. live been hurryini
around making people cleanup in Mrs.
Browns auto, and-and while I wa
gone horrid man came sneaking an
spying about the house and found II
forgotten to put my ash can lid on.
carried something out and forgot-and
oh. Peter, he made the most horribl
fuss Just because there were a few file
and things buzzing about
He spoke of typhoid and ash-cai
regulations. and when l told him politel.
enough that I'd been so busy I had for
gotten Just this once. he grew most OF
fensive and suggested that II one wer
running A cleanup society the bes
thing was to enforce its principles a
home first. He's the saloon man VIII
had the beer kegs about. and. oh. Peter
will YOU come home now? II ma,
have to go to Jail. l think he said--
I laughed at the absurdity of Mar.
Going to Jail over an ash can cover. bu
II went home distinctly thoGghtfllly.
| Copyright. 1914. Newspaper Feature Service.