MARDI GRAS "MELLERDRAMA"

It was Mardi Gras time in NEW ORLEANS ___, and PEARL ___ had to pay the taxes before the Mardi Gras ended -- or else lose PADDLEWHEEL ___! To make things worse, PEARL ___ was in love with a handsome young man named PAUL ___ State. PAUL ___ had everything a woman could ever want but, alas, no money. Now there was an evil, ugly old man named PETE ___ Persnickety who had nothing a girl could ever want but, alas, money!

PETE ___ wanted PEARL ___ to marry him, and PETE ___ knew she needed money for PADDLEWHEEL ___, so, PETE ___ proposed to PEARL ___, but as much as she wanted to save PADDLEWHEEL ___, PEARL ___ could not marry PETE ___ Persnickety, because she loved PAUL ___ State -- oh, what a pickle! If only she could think of a way to rob PETE ___ and pay PAUL ___!

Suddenly, PEARL ___ hit upon an idea! Since it was Mardi Gras time in NEW ORLEANS ___, shy couldn't PAUL ___ State disguise himself as PETE ___ Persnickety and make the money the way PETE ___ did? But how did PETE ___ make his money? PEARL ___ told PAUL ___ about her idea. They decided that PAUL ___ would follow PETE ___ one day to see how he made his money -- after all, they had to find some way, or PADDLEWHEEL ___ would run aground! PAUL ___ told PEARL ___ not to worry, he would find out how PETE ___ made his money, or his name wasn't PAUL ___ State.

The next day, PAUL ___ followed PETE ___ all around NEW ORLEANS ___. Wherever PETE ___ was, PAUL ___ was right behind. And PAUL ___ found out how PETE ___ made his money! He told PEARL ___ that all PETE ___ did all day was go around and collect the money from all the wishing wells in NEW ORLEANS ___ -- coins THAT people had thrown in to make wishes. PAUL ___ figured that since PETE ___ had no corner on the market, he could collect the coins for PEARL ___ and for PADDLEWHEEL ___. In the meantime, PEARL ___ would keep PETE ___ busy by having him take her to the Mardi Gras in NEW ORLEANS ___.

In order not to arouse suspicion, PAUL ___ decided to wear PETE'S ___ mask. When PAUL ___ put on a PETE ___ mask, you could not tell the difference between them. PAUL ___ looked exactly like PETE ___ -- why they actually looked like two PETES___ in a pod!

So, while PEARL ___ and PETE ___ danced the hours away, PAUL ___ made the rounds of the wishing wells for PADDLEWHEEL ___. On the last day of the Mardi Gras, in NEW ORLEANS ___, PETE ___ and PEARL ___ were sure pooped from all that dancing! However, PAUL ___ State wasn't pooped! Proudly, he brought back to PEARL ___ the money he had collected from the wishing wells in NEW ORLEANS ___. Anxiously, PEARL ___ and PAUL ___ counted the money. There was enough there not only to save PADDLEWHEEL ___, but also to allow PAUL ___ and PEARL ___ to be married. PEARL ___ was beside herself with joy. She told PAUL ___ how wonderful he was to have done so much for her, and she would be so happy to become Mrs. PAUL ___ State.

On the day of the wedding in NEW ORLEANS ___, PEARL ___ again, marveled to PAUL ___ how he had fooled PETE ___ and saved PADDLEWHEEL ___. PAUL ___ told her she should never have worried. After all, didn't she know THAT when it comes to protecting property, you're in good hands with PAUL ___ State!!

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