Who Are Dixie-Belle & Mary-Jane

Originally Aired: August 7, 1935

In Lum & Abner #168, "Who Are Dixie-Belle & Mary-Jane," trouble is brewing in Pine Ridge as Abner's sudden transformation into a high-society big spender takes a potentially scandalous turn. After selling his store for $2,000, Abner has been tearing around town in a big secondhand automobile with a chauffeur, gambling on horse races, and living it up at nightclubs. Now his worried wife Elizabeth calls Lum at Dick Huddleston's store with disturbing news: Abner has been calling out the names "Dixie-Belle" and "Mary-Jane" in his sleep. Could the former country storekeeper actually be involved with other women?

Lum tries to reassure Elizabeth that it's probably just Abner's unconscious mind at work, but he and Dick agree to have a serious talk with their friend about his reckless behavior. However, when Abner breezes into the store full of energy and immediately phones Grandpappy Spears to invite him on a trip to see "Dixie-Belle and Mary-Jane," Lum and Dick are left stunned. The evidence seems damning, and Lum can hardly believe what he's hearing.