--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Clayton, Roberta Flake collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 26 number: 8 published: 1923-06 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Roberta Flake Clayton, "Jean’s Awakening", *Improvement Era* 26, no. 8 (June 1923): 699–702.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2608unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2608unse start_page: 699 end_page: 702 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1923-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2608unse publication_year: 1923 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1923, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Jean’s Awakening Jean's Awakening By Roberta Flake Clayton Richard and Jean are seated at the table eating. Richard: And so my little girl has been doing society today. Jean: Yes, indeed, Mrs. Martin entertained very beauti- fully for Margie. All the ladies of my club were there. Richard: Your club? I didn't know you had a club; I will have to look a leedle oudt, won't I? Jean: My card club, silly. Richard: Why, Jean, you don't mean that you play cards? Jean: Sure, I do, we play every Tuesday afternoon. Richard. Why, I didn't know you even knew one card fiom another. Jean: — Well, I know more than you give iue credit for, then; I know enough to have beaten them all, today; and my, how peeved some the girls were when I won this prize (indi- cating) the most beautiful one of the season! Richard: I'm surprised at you, Jean, you not only play cards, but you gamble. What would your father and mother think? I've often heard them say that cards were instruments of the devil, and they wouldn't allow a pack in the house. Jean: Oh, dad and mother were old fashioned and had queer notions, but tell me what harm there is in it. Richard: You said yourself, that the other ladies were envious of you because you won the prize. To one less honest than my little girl the temptation to cheat in order to win such a valuable article as that migh be too great. Then, too, there is the danger of one going beyond one's means in order to en- tertain more lavishly, dress more extravagantly, and offer a more costly prize than another. Then, too, there is the waste of precious time that might be used to a better advantage. By the way, isn't Tuesday afternoon Relief Society o.ay? Jean: Oh yes, but that doesn't matter, we don't go to Relief Society any way. That's only for young mothers and grand- mothers. You see, the old ones tell the young ones: "I never let my Willie or Johnie or Kate do so and so, and when my Mary was sick with the chicken-pox or measles or mumps, I gave her this or that or the other." Nothing about Relief So- ciety to interest me! Richard: But, listen, dear, don't you think you need to learn all those things? That knowledge will come in mighty handy when our children come along. 700 IMPROVEMENT ERA Jean: Oh, well, there will be plenty of time for that; I don't propose to be tied down with babies for a long time, yet; but there, let's not get started on that subject again. Mrs. Mar- tin insisted on my bringing you some of the refreshments. Try these, and see how good they are, and then tell me if that isn't nicer than old dry Relief Society. Richard (eating cake) : This cake is delicious. (Takes up the glass and tastes, then looks at Jean in amazement) Jean, what is this? Jean: Oh, that is some of Mrs. Martin's home-brew, and she has a dozen varieties, you should see her cellar. We all like to go to Mrs. Martin's she always has something different. Why don't you drink it? Richard: Jean, dear, you know I've never tasted any in- toxicating beverages in my life. Adam's ale is strong enough for me. Jlean: Oh, Dick, don't be so foolish. That is only home made blackberry brandy, and won't hurt you. (Goes to him coaxingly.) Richard: You are right, there, little girl. (Goes and emp- ties the glass) it won't hurt me or any one else now. I wish I could as easily make all that stuff harmless. Jean: Richard Brown, you're a regular old crank about some things. I wish you were like Jack; he doesn't mind tak- ing a drink occasionally, and he never preaches at Margie; he doesn't care if she plays cards; he plays, too; and oh, he smokes the most delicious cigars. He brought us home from the party in his car, and how I did enjoy inhaling the smoke from his cigar, and when he saw how I liked it he gave me one and said for you to smoke it for me, so here it is. Let me light it for you. Richard: Jean, I can't understand you. Sedond hand smoke never appealed to me, and you know I never smoke. What is getting into my giddy little girl's head, anyway? Have you forgotten what the Word of Wisdom says about tobacco and strong drinks, how they are not for the use of man, and then the promises to those who abstain from them. I'll take the Lord at his word. Jean: Oh, yes, that's what you say about tithing, too, and I don't see that any blessings have been poured out on us greater than we can contain. Since we were married you have given the bishop enough to have bought me a beautiful diamond or an automobile. Richard: I have only been honest with the Lord; he gives us all we have, and the least I could do is to give him one tenth in return. You have never wanted for anything as yet, have you? JEAN'S AWAKENING 701 Jean: Oh, well, it isn't that; of course, we have what we want or need, but lot's of folks that don't pay their tithing get along as well as we do, and the Church is rich and doesn't need it! Richard: That may be true, but we need the blessings that tithing brings, you know the^ money we have left, goes much farther, and that I am able to keep my position while other men are let off and — Jean: Oh well, don't be so preachy, there is a dance at Delmonicas tonight, and I want to go. Let's get ready. Richard: We cannot go tonight, Jean, this is Mutual night. Jean: Well, what of it? You don't have to go every time, do you? Richard: Jean, none of our people go to Delmonicas, and I don't think it is just respectable there, and besides I have to give the lesson in Mutual; so come on, little girl, let's go there and combine duty with pleasure and have the satisfaction that we have been of some service. Jean: Dick, I'm so tired of service and duty, Mutual and Church, I wish I'd never hear of them again. You love your old religion better than you do me, so run along to Mutual you might be late! f^ Richard: Won't you go,twith me, Jean, dear? Jean: No m'am, if you^won't take me to the dance, I'll stay at home. I have one of the six best sellers,T7ie Midnight Frolic, by the author of the Wise or Otherwise. I'll get my pleasure from that. Richard: I wish you'd go to Mutual, dear, the lesson is a very interesting one. Jean: No, thank you. Richard: Well, come to the piano and let's have a hymn before I go. Jean: A hymn! What's the matter with having a her for a change? (Goes to the piano and sings a popular air.) Richard: Well, bye-bye dear, if you get sleepy just say your prayers and go to bed. (Exit.) Jean: That man will be the death of me, yet — with his Sunday school, Church, Mutual, and half a dozen other things. I had enough religion at home without marrying the personifi- cation of it. I think it's all right to go to church once in a while, especially if you have something new you want to wear, but this way of going twice a week and three times on Sunday; it's too much for me. Dick's good alright; he's too darned good. I wish he'd drink and smoke a little and cuss some, and be a little bit human. I never knew of him ever doing anything that would be out of place in Sunday school. — Oh, well, I 702 IMPROVEMENT ERA should worry — I'll enjoy my book and leave him with his hymn- snging brethren. (Lies down and begins to read, but falls asleep and dreams.) (Richard comes staggering on the stage with hair over face, with arm around a woman, followed by another couple. All singing, "For he's a Jolly Good Fellow") Richard: Who's a jolly ^ood fellew, hie — ? Chorus: You's a jolly good feller— ye 'ighness, Dick Brown, hie — Richard: Well, pash 'em around again, boys; the stuff inebriates, but never obnoxicates, that makes you forget you have a Sunday school teacher at home. One of them goody good little girls that eats religion, talks it, and even whistles it with 'er soup. Say, let's have a little game, I'm a bit shy on pin money, and I'd jist like to clean some of you. How much you got tucked away in your stocking band, Nell? Nell: Enough to coax your little hard earned dough awav from home. (All begin to play cards. After a few hands Dick wins and is about to take the stakes, when Pete reaches for it; then they tussle and the table is overturned; the woman grabs the money and leaves Dick and Pete still scuffling. Dick chokes Pete and throws him in a chair, and the light goes out, leaving the stage dark. Jean falls from the couch and screams) : Don't let him kill me, too. (Just then Dick comes in, turns lights on. Jean is on the floor crying and begging for mercy, when Dick rushes over and picks her up she awakens.) Richard: Why, what's the matter, dear? You are trem- bling all over. Did you get frightened? What happened? How came you on the floor, dear? Jean (still sobbing clings to him): Dick, is this really you, and haven't you been drinking? and you didn't kill that terrible man? Richard: Of course not, girlie. I haven't had a drink of anything stronger than Adam's ale, and as for killing anyone — you must be dreaming! Jean. I guess that is what I have been doing;, but instead of a dream it was a night-mare. But it taught me a lesson, dear. I did not realize where I was going. I want you just as you are, and in the future your wish shall be mv will. Yes, I will join the Belief Society, and learn how to take care of Bichard the second. Please forgive, dearie. I am so sorry I was so fool- ish. Oh, I'm so glad it was only a dream. In the future I am going with you to Mutual, and I want my name on the tithing records, too. Nothing in this world do I value more than my really and truly Latter-day Sain^ husband. Phoenix, Arizona.