Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-27
Mr.. JOBSON'S GENEROSITY

At noon the other day Mrs. Jobson re-
ceived, per messenger boy, large, fra
grant bunch of double violets. with Mr..
Jobson's calling card attached thereto, and
his affectionate Fluctuations scrakled on
the back of the card.
Mrs. Jobson couldn't understand it. She
turned the violets upside down and side
ways, and studied them from all points of
view. Then she scrutinized the card as if
it were written In Arabic and the job Of
:. translating it were difficult and slew.
"Violets!'' said she to herself. wonder
ingly. "And from Mr.. Jobson. Let me re-
call how many years it has been"
But she couldn't recall.
II wonder If there's anything the mat
ter?" she unused. "Violets. And from Mr..
Jobsonr'
Another messenger boy rang the bell
about :; o'clock and handed Mrs. Jobson a
two-pound box of chocolate creams, nicely
done up. Resting ON top of the candies
was Mr.. Jobson's calling card, his affec-
Tomato Fluctuations scrawled on the back
of the card
Mrs Jobson fustered by the receipt of
the yiolets, was now simply flabbergasted.
There's something wrong; Pm sure there
isl she said to herself, excitedly. 1T can't
be that he's dr.. NO that Is out Of the
question! Perhaps, though, his mind is
wandering little-he was Eighty when he
had that return of the grip in Decemberl
What can the matter be? If he has become
little Eighty again as the result of the
grip. maybe his fiightiness has taken the
form of the delirium of grandeur that l
was reading about somewhere not long
ago. l do wish that he'd come home, so
that could put him to bed and put mus
tard plaster on him and send for the doc
tor. Goodness gracious me, there surely Is
something wrong"'
Thus Mrs. Jobson worked herself up to
high pitch of nervousness. Violets and
F,.nr, hAr hr,cl .t,d n In, q "
1t was all very delightful-but it was too
delightful. Mrs. Jobson had foreboding
of trouble However, she put on her pref
test tea gown. pinned the violets thereto,
and waited anXiouSly for Mr.. Jobsons
familiar step.
Mr.. Jobson got home at the usual hour.
He wore an expression of benignity as he
entered the vestibue where Mrs. Jobson,
in saluting him, found out that he hadn't
drank drop.
Why; you dear old e2tr n thing hing
lovely violets in my life, and as for those
Tut, tut, little one" said Mr.. Jobson.
amiably, don't speak of EN-. Just hap
pened to think to send 'em up to you. You
know, and they're no moTe.n you deserve,
at that. tell you what. If I were a rich
man, you'd have everything"
But Mrs. Jobson scarcely heard what he
said Little one!' she was saying to her
self. why, it's been years and years since
he"
Have you been specializing in stocks,
my dear?' Mrs. Jobson asked him. timidly.
'Stocks? Who. me? Well I'd like to see
myselfr' said Mr.. Jobson, good naturedly
mo, ma'a no stocks for me!'
Mrs. Jobson looked him over carefully,
but he was all right, so far as she could
see. His extraordinary good nature sat on
him as naturally as if that We're his every
day manner. He stepped out into the hall
for O moment, got package that he had
dropped on the rack in coming in and open
ed it.
Happened to remember, as I was COM
ing up, that you wanted some books" said
you up few. Hope you'll like en-"
Mrs. Jobson took the books and looked
them over in dazed kind of way. They
were just the books she had been wanting
tons. too. She couldn't refrain from giving
him hug.
why. you generous, silly old thing!' she
said. Just the books that I've been pining
for for ages. Won't you please tell me
what it is all about-what I've done to de-
serve all these lovely pre-"
''Never you mind" said Mr.. Jobson. smil-
ing amiably. Il only wish I We're as rich
what to do with their money -if you
wouldn't have thumb rings and automo-
biles and couple O. thousand silk skirts,
and-oh, by the way. that reminds me. Saw
tailor made dress in window as was
walking downtown today that want you
to have. Sign on it says that it's Paris
ulOuel anu ludt IL 8 Deen marked DOWN from
$S5 to $50. Don't know whether that's
true or not, but it's a dandy, and I want
you to get your things on after dinner and
We'll go down and have a look at 1t. It's
made out O. some kind O. black stuff.
with a lot of this here frizzy-wizzy, spang-
ley stuff splattered all over the waist and
skirt-I dunno If I can give you any Idea
of it, but I'll bet a hat you'll like 1t. We
can look it over this evening, and tomor-
row you can go down and buy it. It'll just
about fit you, I should say, from the looks
of it."
Mrs. Jobson was stunned.
why, you darling old"
by the way, you might well tog out
in your best tonight" said Mr. Jobson, in
terrupting her. Got a couple of seats for
the theater, and after the show we'll have
bite at-weIi, any place you want to co.
that?'
Mrs. Jobson went upstairs and put on her
things in a trance. She was almost in
tears,
II don't know what in the world I'd do
II anything was the matter with the dear,
lovely old"
Here her mind wandered into speculation
noon and evening. She got herself up In
her best, and when she descended the
stairs Mr.. Jobson. himself decked out in
his evening clothes, rewarded her with a
gaze Of admiration.
by Jove, you do look nice my dearv' he
exclaimed, quite enthusiastically. trr bet
there won't be woman in the theater
looking half SO spick and span," and he
gave her regular old-fashioned kiss.
like woman in dream. The play was