The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-03

thinking of racial problems or so- cial hygiene, but She was saying to the Dean:
 T think we can sneak in a glass of beer at the Appleton House without getting caught. But first l got something to show you: the most fool extravaganza you ever heard of, and how I want it! Do get it. Gideon?"
 What are you asking me for?' he said fondly.
 She bade him stop at 8 old brown house with the modest sign,
 TT Shop & Antiques" She looked nervous as they went up the walk; she yanked the door open as if to get it over; she pointed at an ob- ject, and tightly held his arm. The object was a huge Chinese rug, blue as June lake.
 I Isn't 1t the most beautiful thing you ever saw?" gurgled Peony.
 Nm"
 "Thatll be something for us to have when you're Senator from Iowa"
 "Sweetie, I guess maybe we bet ter wait till l am Senator"
 Its thousand years old - well, a hundred years old, guess - and 1t used to cost fifteen hundred dol lars, but we can get 1t for three hundred"
 "SWeetie, we. haven't got three hundred dollars in the world, and We must be over two hundred in debt - don't really know - kind of hate to add up the bills"
 They drove up to the Appleton House for dinner with the Chinese rug in the back of the car.
 IN celebration they drank not beer but old-fashioned cocktails. and at dinner, looking in a pleased way at all the luxuries, pickled melon rind and ripe olives and nut bread, everything that spelled richness and worldliness and delicacy Of taste, Peony said, Don't forget Dad is a crank about debts. We can count on 1 him to pay up to a thousand, if we i get sunk badly enough, and by the l time that's all dished out, maybe ! you'll be earning more dough Oh, 1 and l got another surprise, just as | big as the Chinese rug, bless its blue Soul!'
 The Dean squeaked, in terror, : T hope it won't cost another three hundredl"
 Tt won't set you back a cent, my boy"
 They both looked relieved.
 Here's the new stunt. Gideon. We've been talking so much about your getting on and taking your proper place in the world, and now it's time to really start doing something. The chairman of the County Censorship Board has just resigned, and they're looking for a new one. And has that board got power! I don't suppose it has any legal position at all but every movie house and library board in the county listens to it. So tonight we're going to call on Mrs. William | Eastwood, and then watch my little man become chairman Of the board!"
 DY nateure Mrs. Eastwood should ID have lived in a lilac shaded cottage, but she was found in a ! compressed flat with an electric log. and portraits Of Mary Baker Eddy, Tennessee Claflin and Mrs. Hetty Green. She had a radio, which was pretty modern in 1926, but her torso, covered with jet to take away the curse of sex, still creaked in the old-fashioned way
 "Oh, I think it's wonderful that you're interested in our little fight for godliness, Dr. Planish. and your dear wife, and you must meet MT. Pederson, the Reverend Chauncey Pederson of the Lu- theran Church, but it's affiliated with the English Lutherans now. I mean it doesn't call itself a Nor wegisn Church any more-I mean, Of course, the Norwegians are a fine, upstanding, God-fearing peo- pie but and - oh yes, I'll tele- phone MT, Pederson right now
 This was Mrs Brasswood speak | ing, She continued speaking as they awaited the Reverend. She | always continued speaking,
 MT. Pederson was a wide, mid | le-sized man, weighing about l90 | in his stocking feet, and he seemed | to be entirely free of vice and practically free of everything else. He welcomed the Dean to their | censorship board; he explained | that the Deans name was sup posed to be voted upon by the other | members of the board, but as those | two dogs weren't even very good | Protestants, the Dean could consider himself elected right now, In fact and here Mrs, Eastwood and he ex- changed some small language of mods and Winks and pious smiling he might almost say that Dean Pla- nish was already chairman ot the board
 Nov, Dean, want to ask you question, Don't you feel, as Mrs Eastwood and I do, that there is no force or factor which IS a stronger factor in producing the dreadful vice that We see rampant about us at this moment, a eondi- ton that would bring a blush Of shame to the cheek Of Nero or any of those notorious high-rollers of history, with King Alcohol ruling his rowdy crew on all sides Of us now, and women, ven young Wo- men, pursuing the males lheFe Peony looked plousl and doing things and acts that ] could not describe in the presence Of ladies, and don't you think that there IS no factor that more grlevously tends to produce these awful con. ditlons than the so-ealled popular and besl-selling novels, with their shameless word- painting Of naked women the smaeked his lips. Mrs, Eastwood looked hungry, and the Dean blushed, while only Peony remained lnnocenU and the at nnea hold iuztIficatiOn in these