Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1926-08-07
To the Wrong
Cleaner
~~~~NNNN = - NNS
By SIDNEY BLAIR


"A Martha Allan whenever she took
any of her clothes to be cleaned,
dyed or pressed. Strange things hap
pened to them. There was the case of
q white felt hat which had become
family history; the cleaner to whom
1t was sent had lost 1t, and 1t had ap-
peared again two months later. when
white felt hats had gone out of style.
and the weather had turned so cold
that nobody who hoped to be fashion
able could possibly wear one.
And as Martha was one of the ed
itors of a fashion magazine. she had
to dress fashionably or not at all, as
she expressed 1t.
"YOu can dress, and you can just
put on Clothes" she told her sister.
TITS the latter that attracts me, and
the former that have to do"
One man who ran cleaning and
dyeing establishment which she ia
vOred had gone insane and scrubbed
the floor with her favorite gray
georgette frock. Another one had run
away, taking his wife and all his
best serge coat dress-with him.
Martha had grown sensitive and
superstitiOus about 1t. She refused to
90 to a cleaners herself with her
clothes, or to telephone to have the
cleaner send for them.
IF some one else does It, the jinx
doesn't hang over me-" she told her
sister one morning. $50 you be an
angel and leave that black satin
frock Of mine to be pressed, won't you.
Janet2 want to wear it tomorrow"
"All right; I'll take 1t to that new
man near the corner" said Janet.
Janet was called out of town that
afternoon to see friend. And the
next morning there was nobody who
could go to call for Martha's frock;
nobody but Martha.
"Oh, well, can do It; the dress
will be there, and I'll get 1t; that's
simple enough" she told herself and
went to the shop near the corner
The frock was not there. The man
in charge knew nothing about 1t. He
had never even heard Of black satin
sister had left it the morning before,
she told him. He replied that she
hadn't. Martha lost her temper, i'm
pressively. The mans wife, who was
about Martha's size, appeared on the
scene, and Martha. sure that the wife
had seen her black frOck, liked 1t and
appropriated 1t, threatened to call the
|
| Immediately.
The man, almost in tears. begged
her to look at the black dresses hang
| ing in his case, ready to be returned
to their owners. Perhaps hers was
there, with another name put on 1t
by mistake. Would she look? She did,
| unSucceSsfully.
She went home at last, furious at
the man, at herself for losing her
temper, at the world in general. Her
whole day was ruined. Everything
went wrong.
She had lunched with young man
whom she particularly liked, and to
whom she poured forth her tale Of
woe.
"But-are you sure there's no mis-
take?" he asked. "Surely the man
wouldn't lie to you"
'There isn't any mistake; he's
stolen the Dress" Martha declared, pos
itively. Anyone else in the world
would find him perfectly honest. but
not II"
Her sister returned to town that eve
ming, and the next morning at break
fast asked Martha IL she had got her
black frock from the cleaner the day
before. Martha told her tale all over
again.
"But-did you go to that little man
hear the corner. across the streetr
asked Janet. HE speaks perfectly
good English, and"
ACROSS the street, No! l went to
the one on this side. A big man. very
dark"
81 took it to the little blond man"
Janet exclaimed, between bursts
Of laughter. "And there you went to
the other one and scOlded him and
threatened to have him arrested for
something he didn't do at all"
II don't think it's so funny" Martha
retorted 'T'll never dare to 90 past
his shop again. TIL be 50 ashamed
or II do go, I'll have to crawl on my
hands and knees SO that he won't see
mel"
But she did pass the shop that very
day, or rather, she did not pass. but
went In and apolOgized
"Just for the sake Of my conscience"
she told the nice young man. when
she had luncheon with him few days
later. I'D been so horrid to him, and
although he didn't quite understand
what 1t was all about, the apology
made me feel better"
The nice young man looked at her
quizzically, with smile that Martha
couldn't fathOm.