was done so quietly
that only those who knew her well, and had watched her since she had
come to Poketown, realized that she had exerted more influence than a
girl of her age was supposed to be entitled to!

It was Janice who spoke with Mr. Cross Moore that very night, after the
women had loudly discussed the new idea with their husbands and other
male relatives at the supper table. Mr. Moore was to put the ordinance
through at the next meeting of the Board of Selectmen, covering the
date of the Clean-Up Day, and the amount of money to be appropriated
for the removal of rubbish by hired teams.

"Put a paragraph into the motion, Mr. Moore, making it a fifty-dollar
fine for any taxpayer, or tenant, who puts rubbish out on the curb on
any other day save the two mentioned in the main ordinance," Janice
whispered to the selectman; "otherwise you will set a bad precedent
with your Clean-Up Day, instead of doing lasting good."

"Now, ain't that gal got brains?" Moore wanted to know of Walky Dexter.
"Huh! Mary Ann can't tell me that the Widder Petrie started this idea.
It was that Day gal, as sure as aigs is aigs!" and Walky nodded a
solemn agreement.

There was more to it, however, than the giving notice to the people of
Poketown that they had a chance to get rid of the collection of rubbish
every family finds in cellar, shed, and yard in the spring. People in
general had to be stirred up about it. Clean-Up Day was so far ahead
that the apostles of neatness and order---those who were thoroughly
imbued with the spirit of the thing and realized Poketown's need--had
time to preach to most of the delinquents.

There were cards printed, too, announcing the date of Clean-Up Day and
its purposes, and these were hung in every store and other public
place. Janice urged the young people's society of the church into the
work of getting the storekeepers to promise to clean up back rooms,
cellars, sheds, and the awful yards behind their ancient shops.

There were a few--like Mr. Bill Jones--who at first refused to fall in
with the plans of those who had at heart the welfare of the old town.
Mr. Jones had been particularly "sore" ever since he had been ousted
from the school committee the year before. Now he declared he wouldn't
"be driv" by no "passel of wimmen" into changing the order of affairs
in the gloomy old store where he had made a good living for so many
years.

But Bill Jones reckoned without the new spirit that was