Intrigue

Peter Drake meets and falls in love with Jackie Swazey, the daughter of a feisty suffragette and incipient politician. In order to impress her, he agrees to help Mrs Swazey in her campaign to become elected. His first task is a difficult one - Mrs Swazey's ticket is Prohibition, and her husband, Jackie's Pa, is little more than a drunk. Instead of reforming him, Peter gets on with Pa Swazey like a house on fire, and they end up drunk and in jail! Fortunately the are helped out by a man named Mike Clancey. Unfortunately, he is Mrs Swazey's main opponent in the election - and the price he demands for his help is her elimination from the race. Peter comes up with the perfect solution: he spikes her drink at a Prohibition rally and gets her drunk! Before she sobers up and the sparks fly, Jackie and Peter elope.—Camille Scaysbrook <verona_beach@hotpop.com>

Mrs. Eliza Tilly Swazey is the "man" of the Swazey family, consisting of her daughter, Jackie, and "Pa," who is as putty in the hands of his wife. Mrs. Swazey decides she will run for alderman on the Prohibition ticket. "Pa" is helpless. Jackie "sat up and took notice" when a handsome man flirted with her from a house across the way where a sensational entertainment was in progress. "Pepful" Peter Drake decides to desert the "bunch" and go to the Swazey home and interview Jackie. Mrs. Swazey comes out, bound for the party across the way to demand that peace in the neighbor- hood shall be restored. When she sees Peter he declares that he is a member of the Anti-Vice Committee sent to keep watch of the hilarious outfit. Through this explanation Peter wins favor with Mrs. Swazey, who enlists him in her campaign and makes him promise to march at the head of her political parade. Peter is game. After the parade "Pa" and Peter meet at the club and imbibe until navigation, especially for "Pa" becomes a scientific operation. Peter carries "Pa" home. He drops him at the foot of the stairs and awakens everybody. *'Pa" says he has been assaulted by a burglar. "Ma" summons the police and Peter is apprehended and rushed to jail. When the Swazeys go to Police Court things look bad for Peter until he enlists "Pa" through threatening to expose him. "Pa" goes to Clancy, candidate for Alderman in opposition to Mrs. Swazey, and Clancy gets Peter out after his promising to compel Mrs. Swazey to withdraw from the contest by midnight or back to jail he must go. Mrs. Swazey holds a reception, promising to serve her "Bone Dry Punch." After she has made a speech the punch is passed and everybody takes to it. Peter and "Pa" doctored the punch and the party breaks up in a mild riot. The prohibitionists declare Mrs. Swazey's name shall be erased from the ticket. Jackie and Peter hurry to the marriage bureau while "Ma" is sleeping away the effects of her "Bone Dry Punch" and "Pa" is rejoicing in the dawn of personal liberty.