Omaha daily bee., 1921-08-07
An Arrogant Insolent Laundress
y Forces Helen to Reckless
Defiance.

Twenty minutes OF 10 anc no sign
OF Mrs. Mcclure Helen's resent
ment at her tardiness gave way to a
panicly fear that she might not
come at all.
The two tubs OF clothes, put to
soak the night before, filled her
with a sick dismay. II was too
late now TO get any one else-dnd
the clothes would be ruined il they
soaked another night.
1t was just week since Cora lett
"A dreary week OF fruitless efforts
to get another maid. She had been
to eight agencies, answered II ad-
vertisements--and they were still
maidless. .....
In a way Warren enjoyed the
change of going ou. for dinner. But
as Helen could not get even a
cleaning woman, the work was be-
coming too hard.
And now must she do the wash
ing, too? She shuddered at the
mass OF clothes soaking in the gray
suds.
A sudden shrill OF the kitchen
bell brought a joyous reacticn. She
opened the door to the stout, over
dressed nonchalant washerwoman.
"Why, it's almost TO-" resented
Helen, her indignation replacing her
anxiety now that Mrs. Mcclure had
arrived. .... -.
II couldn't get here no earlier"
planting her bundle on the kitchen
table with a defiant thud.
Not deigning to offer any further
excuse, she removed her feather
burdened hat and began unlacing her
high-heeled, run over, taffy-colored
shoes.
"You can go into the maids
room to undress," admonished Helen
sharply.
But ignoring thi. rebuke, Mrs.
Mcclure calmly continued to dis
robe. Taking off her diaphanous
shirtwaist and the beribboned cam
i.olc beneath, she dropped her short
blue skirt and stood, a grotesque
figure, in rusty pettieoat and
soiled corset gaping widely at the
top. 80,
Arrayed in a grimy waist, old
black skirt, and hcelless slippers
from her bundle, she rolled up her
sleeves past the bulging biceps OF
her red freckled arms, and turned
to inspect the size of the wash.
"Now Mrs. Mcclure, these are
my good napkins. Do them very
carefully and don't starch them too
much. And this silk underwear. IN
the basket-don't put it in too hot
water--just 1ukewarm."
"You don't have to tell me moth
in" bristling. "Guess | knows how
to wash silk. The ladies l works
for wears nothin' but silk"
"Well, here's the starch and blue
ing. Don't make the clothes so blue
this week. And don't blue this linen
waist at all-it's meant to be cream"
But Mrs. MCGUIRE had turned on
the hot water full force. insolently
drowning further instructions.
As Helen ran the sweeper over the
library, she thought OF the four dol
lars a day she was paying Mrs: NC
CURE for her impadent indolence;
She had come at 10, yet she would
leave promptly at 6. She never
made up for any lost time.
busting the bedroom, Helen saw
the dresser scarf she had intended to
have washed. Taking it OFT, she
4 <~,,x tho l-f4chan
Il forgot to put this ill.," apoloe,.
setically. "It isn't TOGO late, is 1t:
"H'ow much d'you think can
wash in one day? Two weeks wash
here now" -,
'It is not two weeks wash, re-
torted Helen crisply. And you
could have done it easily ii you'd
come on time"
II amt no sweatshop worker.
Them DAYS is over. Well, give it
lere!" Snatching the scarf, she
squashed it down in the tub.
With an effort Helen kept her
temper. Then turning to leave, her
glance fell on the clothes in the boil
er which Mrs. Mcclure was now
roughly prodding.
"My pink silk combinations!
You're not boiling :hose:"
"Twon't hurt 'em. Mrs. Martin
she wears nothin' bur silk always
boil hers. She likes 'em Clean"
81 don't care what you do ior
Mrs. Martin or for anybody else!
Il ruins silk things even to put them
in hot water. just told you that.
Now take those right out. Be care
full You'll tear them!' as Mrs. NC
Guire ruthlessly jerkcd them out Oh
the end OF the clothes stick.
Rescuing the frail garments from
further mistreatmcnt, Helen rihsed
them in cold water and hung them
on the towel rack. Mrs. Mcclure
EXPRESSED her animosity by rubbing
on the board one of the good table
cloths with vicious H'gor.
Fearing to offer further criticism
lest she say too much, Helen dis
creetly left the kitchen. :.
This was the last time she would
have Mrs. Mcclure. Warren want
ed her to send the clothes to laun-
drv. It would be better to pay laun
dry prices than to put up With 'n's
woman's insolence. ~,
II was just II when Mrs, NC
CURE appeared at the, door OF
"XVhat do | get fo- my luneh' !
.,on't see nothin' in that ice box
"Why. there's bacon and eggs ana
bread and butter. told you we
were going out for our dinner.
II like meat for my lunch. Oh
gotta have somethin' to eat when
Won do a big wash. | get falnt IN
The middle of the afternoon II don I
get a good meal. ),
"There's plenty OF bacon-isn !,