Evening star., 1899-11-04
MRS. JOBSON'S MANDOLIN

Several months ago Mrs. Jobson attended
an auction sale Of chattels and got q hand
some quartered-oak supposed-to-be Chiffon
fer folding bed for the merest song. When
Mr.. Jobson came home and found the piece
OF furniture installed in the spare room
the tranquility OF the Jobson household was
at an end for several days. Mr.. Jobson
snorted, and the hue of his ordinarily ruddy
countenance changed TO pale purple.
Junk, eh?' said he to Mrs. Jobson. try
ing to imrale her with his hopeles5ly non
tragic blue eyes. You're going to attempt
to convert my home into a junk-shop, mad
anne, are you? Think of going into the
job-lot business after you get me safely
tucked away under the sod, hey? Expect
But" said Mrs. Jobson, Il only had to
give seven dollars, and for"
"Uh-huh-I know all about that" cut in
Mr.. Jobson. And you'd no sooner got out
of the auction room than the aucdoneer
nearly choked to death chuckltng, I'll bet
a shovel"
MIR. Jobson jawed about the folding bed
fer days, and even now Mrs. Jobson keeps
the door of the spare room closed so that,
in passing by. Mr.. Jobson can't see the
auction folding bed-which has, as mat
ter of fact, turned out to be an immense
bargain-and thereby be moved TO Woe and
Tecrmination.
Last week Mrs. Jobson fell again. 1t was
a mandolin, inlaid with mother-of-pearl,
and the auctioneer caught her eye and
knocked it down to her for s12. Mrs. Job
son trembled when she heard Mr.. JobSon
letting himself in the front door. The man
dolin was lying the sitting room table
Mrs. Jobson didn't say anything about 1t
until Mr.. Jobson had noticed it. He thrust
his hands into his trousers pockets and
walked all around the table, taking it In
from different viewpoints. Then he gazed
sternly at Mrs. Jobson.
Belong to you, Mrs. Jobson?' he in
quired nodding in the direction of the man
dolin.
Yes replied Mrs. JobSon, calmly as
possible.
More auction junk, 1 presume?"
We'll, it seemed such genuine bar
gain
Am I to infer that the state of your
memory is such that you forgot the con-
yersation we had some few months ago
with reference to your attempt to render
my household into secondhand store,
or shall l be forced to conclude that you
are deliberately making play for a separ-"
TN tell you about the mandolin" said
Mrs. Jobson, picking it up and turning it
over. 1T was part of the Leavingtowns'
stuff that Is being sold off now. l thought
1t would be so pretty to hang by cherry
ribbons on the dining room wall-cherry
ribbons would just match the wood you
see. and it would be so artistic. 1t was
made in Seville early in the last century
by Ramon y Tollmea-"
"Ramone ee Toll-who-oh?" inquired Mr..
Jobson, sternly.
Ramon Tolmea," went on Mrs. job
son, with an assumed glibness, land the
auctioneer man said it was a rare old ex-
ample. l got it for only S12.
Madame began Mr.. Jobson, fixing his
thumbs in the armholes Of his vest, spread
ing out his legs and studying her intently,
as through pair of field glasses, before
you blew in my toil-Wrung coin on that
dinky-lookfng musical instrument, that was
undoubtedly manufactured last year some
where in New Jersey at q first cost of
something like S12 for the gross, did you
stop to reflect upon how long $12 would
keep this barn we live in warm enough to
keep icicles from forming on the chande
liers? Did 1t strike you that this is about
the season of the year when your husband
requires a pair of hree-and-a-half shoes
and a couple o. dollar suits of underwear
to keep him from freezing to death on the
public highway? Did you pause to think
that there are several millions of men In
this country who have to work like horse
thieves and keep wives and large families
on whole lot less than $12 per week? Did
it
But this is really a work of art you
see," said Mrs. Jobson, land l forgot to
tell you that used part of my quarterly
interest in purchasing"
You will just be good enough to stow
that Delaying pin about your quarterly in
terest. Mrs Jobson," said Mr.. Jobson
haughtily. Il observe that you never de-
vote any portion of your quarterly interest
to the liquidation of the milkman's bill or
tilS sIoCSIy IlldIl > dccOuUC-nOt lnat Ia let
you. even If you had any such DISPOSE
ton, you are to distinctly understand.
" nat money You employed for the pur-
chase. of this cheap fake is neither here
nor there. It's the idea that you should
permit yourself to be so easily gulled-that
you should fall all over yourself to bid big
iron dollars on Paterson, N. j., product
of the era of 1893. and swallow an oily
aucttoneers spiel that it's the precious
handiwork of some grandee and hi-Dago
of ancient Hispaniola, that gets me to
guessing and to wondering whether you We
got"
Just at this point the door bell rang and
Mr.. Jobson went to the door.
Mr.. Jobson?" inquired the little man in
black, with bald head. smooth-shaven
face and a thoroughbred look, who was
standing on the steps.
THE same" replied Mr.. Jobson Step
In
Mr. Jobson," said the little man in black
when he was seated in the parlor, II come
! to you as a representative of the Leaving
| towns, who, you may have heard, are
now disposing of their cEattels preparatory
| to their departure for Europe. BY mistake,
| an old-and, L may add, quite valuable
| mandolin, that has been possessed by the
| LeavingtOwns for several generations-was
| sent TO the auctioneer and disposed OF for
an inconsiderable sum this afternoon.
| understand that your respected lady, Mrs.
| JobSon secured 1t. The Leavingtowns only
| discovered the error a short time ago. They
| are in distress over it. l am empowered to
oieI Sou lilelT Clltch LOT SIOO IOF MIS-. JOD-
| sons bargain. That is really
Well" said Mr.. Jobson, rubbing his chin
! after having secured a genuine old Ra-
| mon Tollmeo for trifiing sum hate to
| let 1t get away from me for any mere
! monetary consideration, but as you say the
| Leavingtowns value 1t for its association,
| | do not feel like being mean in the matter
! OF course. however, they should be required
| to pay for their mistakes, as 1 have to.
| I'll take your check for that amount and
| you may have the mandolin"
| When the little man in black, after pro-
| fuse expressions of thanks. had departed
| with the mandolin under his arm, Mr. job
| son addressed Mrs. Jobson, who had heard
| all the details of the transaction from the
| sitting room.
| Mrs. Jobson,'' he said, II just got home
| In time to turn your folly TO good account
| Here is check for $780, 1t represents a
| net profit of SSS on an investment which
| you would never have made had you-um-
J well. just let 1t be a lesson to you, anyhow
| If hadn't happened to know all the time
| the value of that mandolin you accidentally
| stumbled upon, and hadn't been home when
| that man came with his offer, you'd have
| probably let him have 1t for $3.50. The
| next time YOU feel impeled to buy musica
| instruments at an auctioneer's sale, just
| you telephone me at my office and I'll be
~.