The Yale expositor., 1922-12-21
A Storm in a
Teacup
BY CLARA DELAFIELD

Maud Dartley stood petrified, star
ing ut the incrminating object. Oh,
bul perhaps we'd better begin at the
beginning Hop Sing was
No, better start with the Dartleys
and the Jetleys. They lived next door
10 each other in Roperstown. Each
inhabited an identical frame house,
painted green and black Each had the
same strip of lawn. Each shared the
robins impartially. They were, in fact,
typical suburbanites, and loved each
other as suburbanites do.
Each owned an auto and gramO-
phone, baby and baby carriage,
and neither owned q servant.
Mr.. Dartley owned Mrs. Dartley,
and Mr. Jetley Owned-no! Mrs. Dart
ley owned Mr.. Dartley and Mrs. Jet
ley owned Mr.. JetIey. Mr. Dartley
also owned some fine pleated shirts,
which Mr.. Jetley very much admired.
Mrs. Dartley was giving party.
You know those parties-iced grape
fruit with cherry IN it, and infer
mented grape juice, and cut glass over
round lace doylies Mrs. Dartley had
made the terrible discovery that her
best doylies were dirty. Hop Sing
had to be called into instant requiSl-
tion.
Thursday. Hop Sing, Thursday"
Mrs. Dartley held up tive fingers, and
she said Thursday" very loud, which
is as every one knows, the way to
make a Chinaman understand any
thing.
This was Wednesday night. and
Mrs. Dartley had called at the laundry
to find out how her doylies were get
ting on.
There was some trouble about get
ting in, but Maud Dartley was deter
mined woman, especially with heather.
She went through the window. She
called and called, and then went
through the house
She found Hop Sing In a tiny room,
lying on box couch. A tiny pipe, a
peanut oil lamp and some black pills
were beside him. Hop Sing opened
his eyes and grinned feebly at her.
One arm went round In the air in a
peculiar manner. It was just az If
Hop Sing had imagined that the air
was her waist.
Mrs. Dartley, dreadfully shocked,
ran back into the laundry.
"That's what comes of opium smok-
ing" she said with conviction. It's al
most as bad as beer drinking"
It was clear she would have to at
tend to the doylies herself. Hunting
about the shelves, Mrs. Dartley sudden.
ly came upon her husbands things.
She recognized them Immediately by
the pleated shirts.
Suddenly her heart gave bound.
Among the shirts and collars which
Mr.. Dartley had done up himself, as
was his custom, she saw a pink silk
waist. And then her heart seemed to
stand still.
That pink silk waist was Mrs. Jet
ley's!
Monster Oh, what does 1t meant"
she whispered, as, forgetting the doy-
lies, she tottered homeward. She had
trusted Mr. Dartley too WE'LL she had
left him look after his own laundry,
which Is the height Of confidence In a
devoted wife, and he was sending Mrs.
Jetley's waist with his things!
There was no mistaking that pink
silk waist, which had Haunted itself
over lnhumerable unfermented grape
juice tables. His guilt was clear Mr..
Dartley was paying for Mrs. Jetley's
laundry. Worse, he was sending II
with his
What scandal If 1t became known
in Roperstown!
She hurried home, her eyes brim-
reached the strip of lawn before the
house she recoiled. There sat the
monster, with Mr.. Jetley on one side
and Mrs. Jetley on the other smoking
cigars and drinking cool drinks, chat
ting and laughing as II the world had
not suddenly tumbled about their
ears
She crept round toward the back Of
the house under the shelter OF the big
locust trees. Inside, she paused un-
certainly. How could she nerve her.
self for the denunciation which IL was
her wifely duty to make?
And yet it had to be made.
She stood in the hall. The voices
Of the men came floating out to her.
II guess that's one on you, old man."
laughed Jetley. II found out the place
all right, all right"
"You did, confound your
"Sure 1 did, Dartley, and sayl /
got q dozen Of the prettiest pleated
shirts you ever saw, trihe shop
soiled, but just like yours, and old
Hop Sings doing them up for me.
Maud Dartley gasped and stood on
the stoop Of the house.
"Hello, dear Why, what's the mat
terT asked her husband.
ooh darling T-T-T aautf Oaf fba