ing deadly damage to the white muslin.

"I know that the table linen should be absolutely separate," declared
Julia authoritatively, beginning on the small collection of table stuff.
"Please Grace, fetch me the basket."

"I need the basket for my collection," objected Grace. "Mine is much the
most. I have the underlies," she catalogued, holding up a dainty
hand-made camisole that was surely never intended to enter an amateur
washing contest.

"Lovely," exclaimed Louise, dropping a pair of silk hose into the neat
little pile of table linen.

"There," cried Margaret. "We surely didn't undertake this as an
inspection. Let's get right at the wash, Cleo, please put some water in
the machine."

"However do you do that?" asked Grace in genuine awe, for plainly the
washing machine was not connected with any water faucet.

"Why, I have to put that hose on that tub over there and fill it that
way," proudly explained the wash-day hostess. "I should think, Margaret,
if you are going to be boss you would understand something of the
system," she joked.

"Oh, I just love to be Margaret-by-the-day," answered the self-appointed
supervisor, "but even she, you remember, did not know all about
electric washing machines. Now let's see how the hose works."

But no need to see, they could _feel_, for the hose had slipped from its
niche in the washing machine, and seemed to be pouring out volumes of
water on everybody.

"Turn it off," shouted Louise, already pretty wet and surely getting
wetter.

To save more direct contact Cleo had pointed the nozzle at the roof, and
now a light shower was descending on the erstwhile washerwomen, and
their pretty little piles of selected apparel.

Presently the faucet was reached and the hose properly directed into the
cylinder, and while the water flowed in, Margaret put down the first
batch, which was quite properly composed of the table linen.

"Now the washing powder," called Cleo. "Here it is all nicely stocked
and ready. I think it should be very lightly sprinkled on."

"Oh no, never!" protested Louise. "That would simply eat holes in
everything. You have to dilute it. I heard our maid say so."

"All right, I just as soon," agreed Cleo, giggling helplessly. "But go
ahead and dilute. I'm having trouble enough here."

"Say," inquired Julia innocently. "I thought these electric washing
machines did all the washing. Why don't they do it then?" and this
afforded a new cause for laughter th