Evening star., 1901-02-16
JOBSON'S HOSPITALITY


| Jobson put himself fairly and squarely on
record on the subject Of his attitude toward
prospective visiting relatives OF his own
and Of Mrs. Jobson's for the inaugural
ceremonies.
II just want to tell you one thing right
now," said he, oracularly to Mrs. Jobson
there's going to be one Induction Of a
President, namely, on the 4th Of March
next that's not going to be seized by @
couple o thousand Of our kith and kin as
an occasion to swoop down upon us and
run US out Of house and home. That's
whatl I've been keeping open house dur
Ing Inauguration times for about quarter
Of century now. and I'm through with
that job I'm going to"
But. you know" said Mrs: Jobson.
you've already invited Uncle John and
Aunt Mary and Cousin Cynthia and"
Who, meT' exclaimed Mr.. Jobson, turn
Ing upon her. Never did anything of the
sort! Never even dreamed of inviting 'em
The idea Of inviting 'em never so much as
occurred to me in my moments Of widest
delirium, and II you say any such thing
as
And you know those people we met
down at the seashore last summer" again
interrupted Mrs. Jobson. "You remember
how you insisted that they should spend
couple of weeks with US during the in
auguration period?'
Did. hey?" replied Mr. Jobson "well. I
did whole lot of idiotic things down at
the seashore, Mrs. Jobson, that 1 WASH I
to have hurled in my teeth fifteen or twen-
ty times day. Moreover 1t doesn't make
bit of difference who invited--not that
acknowledge that ever invited anybody.
The fact remains that this plant, with all
OF the appurtenances thereof. is going to
be sealed book to all hands except two
persons, man and woman, of the name of
Jooson, during the Inauguration blow
~ ninO to - I. .;,,-~
Inauguration business myself, too without
having ten or fifteen uncles and aunts and
cousins that l hardly know tagging around
a1ter me- morning. noon and night, and
coolly bilklng me for seats in the stands,
and popcorn, and hot scotches to keep 'em
warm. and all the rest of the"
But" cut in Mrs. Jobson. 'how are you
going to keep them away? If they invite
themselves-as l am afraid some of them
are likely to do-you can't hurt their feel
tngs. you know
Il can't, hey?'' said Mr.. Jobson. "well,
you just watch me, that's all! 1 amt a
mean man or stingy man, but I'll be eter-
nally ginswoggled If I'm going to be played
for good thing right up to the hour l go
to my last resting place. and II YOU
think
But" again cut In Mrs. Jobson, what
can you write to them? Or. rather, what
shall 1 write to them? Shall 1 say that
we've. decided to give up housekeeping,
Or"
Mrs. Jobson;" said Mr. Jobson, with
great deliberation, you'll have nothing
whatsoever to do with writing to them. I'll
time. What's more, I'm not going to do
any beating about the bush, or practice
any evasion or dodging. I'm just going to
write to EN- that l don't want 'em-that's
now, you are not to make any replies
to these people, but you're to pass their di-
rect or limiting communications right over
to me, and I'll attend to them. You see If
l dontr'
About month ago, when Mr.. Jobson got
home from his office one evening, Mrs Job
son silently handed him letter.
Who's 1t from. and what's in it?" in
quired Mr.. Jobson. "Life's too short to
read letters after office hours
We'll" said Mrs. Jobson. its to me- and
it's from Cousin Marjorie-and, really.
think she's the incest cousin you've got
inauguration. She didn't say where she
was going to stop. but
Well. why don't you invite her" in
quired Mr.. Jobson, as he got ready for din
her. sure
Mrs. Jobson smiled inwardly. and that
evening she invited Cousin Marjorie.
couple Of evenings later Mrs. Jobson
handed Mr.. Jobson another letter, which he
again asked her to brief for him.
IT'S from that couple we met at the
beach-rather, from her." said Mrs. Jobson.
"They sent these fine photographs Of them
band are seriously thinking of attending the
Inauguration"
THAT so?" said Mr.. Jobson "WeIl, ask
'em, then. Nice folks. Be glad to have
EN-"
Again did Mrs. Jobson execute her little
inward smiling act.
About a week later on he remarked when
he got home:
Received letter at the office this morn
ing from your Uncle John, saying that he'd
be along. with Aunt Mary and Cousin Gym
thia, about March l. Says it'll be the first
Inauguration he's seen since Andy Jackson
took the oath. Wrote him to come right
ahead with the folks. It'H be interesting
to study the oil codger's enthusiasm over
the sights of the modern Washington"
Other letters came, and Mr. Jobson d.
rected Mrs. Jobson to respond to each of
them with invitations to the Inauguration,
until Mrs. Jobson began to figure on how
all of the invited guests were to be accom-
About a week ago. while Mr.. Jobson was
reading his evening paper. he suddenly had
an idea.
by the way" said he to Mrs. Jobson.
what's the matter with your inviting that
swagger little widow, Mrs. Saucyeye, your
fifth cousin. over from New York to stay
with US for the inauguration? Rattling
pretty woman. Like to have good-looking
folks around the house on these festive oc-
casions. Just drop her a line and ask her"
Mrs. Jobson Stiffened visibly.
There won't be a bit of room left in the
mousse, Sne said, 'anQ, besides, l don't eX-
actly approve Of the way Carrie Saucyeye
treated her late husband, who was Just as
good man as ever was, and"
Mr. Jobson rose from his chair and gIared
at Mrs. Jobson.
WELL" said he. when 1t comes to meas
ly, st1ngy, ungenerous and utterly inexcus-
able inhospitality, you. Mrs. Jobson, sure
are a caution and the limit! If you let this
habit Of avarice grow upon you. 1 don't
know what's going to become Of you! Here,
when we've got good chance to enjoy our
selves, and to have break in our monot-
onous lives by filling up the house with
rollicking, good-natured folks during in
auguration week. you want to shut your
self up like hermit or a member Of the
Buddhistic sisterhood and keep the house
gloomy and dull and try the best you know
how to prevent me from having a little
pleasure out of my lifel If ever I saw the
like Of such
But Mr.. Jobson's feelings overcame him
and he picked UP his hat and coat and tore
out of the house.
Mrs. Saucyeye, however, will not be
among the guests under the roof Of the
Jobson domicile during Inauguration week.
Mounted Men in Africa.
From Blackwoods Magazine.
Here are the horses tethered by their
head-riemS in double rows of ropes