The Prescott daily news., 1918-02-05
White Badge

Ever since MT. Snoggles moved in rom the country he has reioiced in the privilege of wearing that badge of gentility, q white collar. It was not that he failed to realize that the mon- ey is no longer in the white collar job. but in the greasy overalls job. The thing that mattered was that this yoke of responsibility won him the first bit of admiration that his wife ever had expressed for him. She felt that at last he was getting on in the world.
 Loyalty she pressed and cleaned his one suit each Sunday morning. The collars, however, had to be done up at a laundry, for nowhere else could that starchy sheen be imparted. Then the laundries raised their prices and Mir. Snoggles took drastic step.
 When he came home that night he proceeded directly to the bedroom with bundle.
 'Tll be ready for dinner as soon as l dress" he called to his wife in the kitchen.
 Now, in all the novels that Mrs. Snoggles had read the men who dressed for dinner were millionaires. Their valet laid out evening clothes or something of the sort. Pleasant dreams of raise in salary that must have be- fallen the head of the house played through her mind.
 Just as she was hoping that if the company gave him private secretary she would not have blonde hair, MT. Snoggles reappeared-in overallsl
 They were not exactly the old-fash- toned kind. for they were khaki shirt and trousers in one piece.
 "I call them Hooveralls," Mir. Snog- gles explained. You see, my dear, they'll be just the things for tinkcring with the furnace and rolling on the floor with the children. l was just wearing my good clothes out and run ming up big laundry bill staying dressed up at home here every night"
 If Mrs. SnOggles dropped a tear over the futility of her hopes there was no time for it to be observed. In flash Sue and the baby were upon their dad dy, happy at being able to romp with. out the slightest respect for tie or col lar or fear of wrinkling up his suit.
 The next morning was Sunday and Mir. Snoggles, as was his custom on the day of rest, remained in bed while his wife went down and opened up the furnace and prepared breakfast. At last he decided to arise. His Hoover alls were nowhere to be found.
 "Abbie oh, Abbie !" he called. Mrs. Snoggles appeared in the doorway, at. tired in the Hooveralls.
 Just before dinner she consented to change into her skirts, but with the greatest reluctance and only after he had promised to buy her pair out of his next weeks wages.
 There was a knocking at the door that afternoon and Mir. Snoggles, sure that there was no one in the city who would call on him in the limousine that stood at the curb, had no hesitancy in responding.
 'How do you do, Vernon" the visit or said. I'm Mrs. Snoggles' aunt, Frances" She halloed to the rest of the family and they swarmed out of the car.
 In a flash the man in overalls re- membered that his wife possessed some wealthy relatives whom she wished to avoid until she was more settled. They came in, explaining that a letter from the country had given them the address. The call was short and rather stiff. When Mrs. Snoggles told them the name of the great cor poration for which Vernon worked they appeared surprised and asked in what department.
 "I'll bet they thought you drove a truck" Mrs. Snoggles sighed as they left.