Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-24

Charlie Doodenflocker, our good
friend, made three purchases the other
afternoon. as follows
/. A new novel about q wife trying
TO poison her husband.
2. A cake Of flea soap.
3. Twenty "all-day suckers"
The book was for himself, the soap
for the cat, and the candy for small
friend; and since the novel was rather
dismal, and the soap absolutely unap-
preciated, there could be little doubt as
to who got the best of it.
All this made no difference to Doc
denflocker, who has flair for incon-
gruous purchases. If he can go nome
with an electric fan under one arm
and a lemon pie under the other, ne Is
perfectly pleased with himself.
He has real ability at getting happi-
ness out of practically nothing at all
Often we envy his ability, 1t is so
harmless, so utterly innocuous. yet so
efficient, in q day when efilclency Is
considered so highly. Too often eLAcl-
ency is gained at the expense OF otherS
or by treading under foot SentmeheS
dear to the human heart.
Doodenf1ocker's highly efficient Scheme
for getting an extra amount of happ1-
ness in this Journey here below is baSed
solely tl,,on q queer trait in his CHAR
acter which reioices in inCongfultleS'
Because this trait originates in his own
head and seldom goes any fufther' eXs
cept to do good, it runs no cnance OF
hurting any one, something that cannot
be said of many other methods OF Sc
curing pleasure in this terrestrial Ale.
X X X
Tncongruities offer the keen mind one
a1,f
POSSIBLE in a world where wit too often
derenerates into nastiness az" Jokes
most ALWAYS are at the expense OF the
other fellow.
A study of Doodenfiocker's hobby
reveals that when two things disagree,
through some lack Of congruity. one
with the other. the result is Likely
to appeal irrisistibly to one with TINS
comic urge,
There are some women SO quick 10
"catch" these notes that IT. offers one
of their perennial charms. Usually one
NAV detect it by slight twist at one
corner of the mouth, more often the
right.
out of keeping out Of place, disagree
ing, even ahsurd-so the lncongrultieS
of life appeal nightly to Charlie
Doodenfiocker. who is at once con-
Just how one may be a conservative
and a radical at the same time is some
what difficult to explain. but II you
could know Doodenflocker you would
need no explanation. He would show
you. In himself he presents many IN
congruities. at which no doubt ne Is
glad the wise smile.
For him to catch holy sister and
a typical "fiapper" sitting side by side
in a street car is better than to so to
the finest show in town: He might SIT
for three hours at the best theater, and
get no more real "kick" out of it than
the sudden flash he receives at the
placid sight before him.
Pale of brow, having given over the
things of this world. clad in somber
black, set Off by stiff white cloth, the
little sister looks neither to right nor
left. but sits there intent on other
things BY her side the other sits in all
ways differently. She has on tennis
f~ock." her arms are bare and brown,
she is lip-sticked and rouged.
Downtown streets, neighborhoods,
backyards, theaters. highways, plays,
movies, books. all offer opportunities
for the detection Of incongruities large
and small. some that would strike every
one, others that might appeal only TO
Charlie Doodenflocker
For instance, Doodenflocker has a
great habit of grouping dissimilaT books
on tables or In bookcases. The greater