Evening star., 1901-12-07
MRS. JoBSoN's NEW COAT

evening about a couple of weeks ago. shat
I'll have to have a new wrap OF some sort
for the cold weather-a jacket or some
thing. Today I was looking over that
astrakhan-trimmed coat that I've had for
| three seasons, and it looks rather faded
and frayed."
"Um," said Mr.. Jobsou. dropping his
enwspaper. You're afraid you'll have to
have a new one, hey? Afraid is good.
Aren't you afraid somebody'll come along
and hand you the title deed to one of the
Thousand Islands. with an Italian renais-
sance villa built in the middle Of it? What
you got to be afraid of? Don't you think
it's up to me to be afraid instead?'
Well" said Mrs. Jobson, calmly, 81 did
think that could get another year out of
the old coat, especially as l wear my seal
skin jacket for very bitter weather, but
about how much is this new garment
going to set me back?" interrupted Mr..
Jobson.
Il ought to be able to get a neat little
jacket for about twenty or twenty-five dol
lars" replied Mrs. Jobson. And" she
went on hastily, Il should like very much
to have you help me pick it out. You have
such excellent taste in such things"
"Ch-huh, that's a pretty good iolly all
right" said Mr.. Jobson, pleased neverthe-
less. I've observed. however, that when L
help you pick out such things I'm kept
euessing as TO now I'm going to pay my
rent for couple of months afterWard"
Mrs. Jobson had observed the same thing.
but she wasn't saying anything about it.
Oh, wouldn't think of getting anything
expensive" she said. II merely want a lit
tie Jacket to wear on days when my seal
skin would be too heavy and warm
On Saturday morning last Mr. Jobson met
Mrs Jobson down town, and they went to-
gether to look over jackets ranging in price
from twenty to twenty-five doIIars-that is
had thot Of
ures in view. Mrs Jobson had other views.
IL want to give you fair warning" said
Mr Jobson as they walked in the direction
OF the store they We're to visit first, that
twenty-five dollars is the very outside dig
that l. m going to make on this job. So you
needn't try to work any bamboozlng
scheme on me to wiring any more out Of
me. m not the president of any more
| tnan ten or fifteen national banks you
know
Mr.. Jobson stood by gloomily while Mrs
Jopson was trying on number of $50 tan
coats. He shook his head over each try-on
the $2o coats. 'Dinky to the last degree.
wouldn't be seen on the street with YOU in
any such rag as that. Thought you said
you .4o,, could get & something decent for s2o?"
Why, 1 think they're real nice :" said
Mrs Jobson, innocently. as she removed
the sixth $50 jacket that she had tried on.
wen, I've got something to say abou.
.nat myself, said Mr.. Jobson. II have to
~ oot, SoO hiOW, ana II you think
I'm going to traipse around Washington
with you in any such tacky rig as that
you're mistaken, that's ALL. Have 'em
snow you some of the SO kind
The $50 grade of jackets were brought
forth by the saleswoman, and Mr.. Jobson
scowled while Mrs. Jobson was trying some
of them on
They make You look like you worked
lop-sided and all punched up in the back,
and"
But of course any jacket would have
10 De altered interrupted Mrs. Jobson. i'll
waraly oeighted over the way her little
scneme was progressing.
Altered nothing" said Mr. Jobson "All
the tailors on earth couldn't make any one
of those things look fit to be seen i'm a
paek yafd. How did you happen to get
your mind set on one O. these measIey.
miserable little jackets, anyhow? WHY
don't you get something thatll cover you
up! see women on the street with those
Long tmngs-come down to their heels and
nt EN- snug-don't mean these imbecile au-
tomoblle coats or raglans, but those long
ones that cling to the waist"
on, put In Mrs. Jobson, you mean the
NeWmarkets. They are pretty, Of course"
and she was seething with inward ioy
'bu. they cost a great deal more than
jackets. you know. Mrs. Kaystreet has one
that looks lovely, even if she is too stout.
but of course her husband makes a great
That's all right about what her husband
makes said Mr.. Jobson. There are a
whole lot of bluffs running around this
town Ihese Jackets that you've been try
ing on won't do, that's all. There's nothing
to 'em. They look silly. You get the
young woman to show you one O. the long
ones, and
We'll, tried one oman awfuIly pretty
one-in this very store only last week"
said Mrs Jobson. 'Of course, I only tried
1t on for fun, to see how 1t would look. It
Is lovely and all that. but couldn't think
or having anything so expensive
There's heap O. things that you can't
think about, Mrs. Jobson." said Mr. job
son oracularly. I'm the one that's doing
the buying In this family. you'll remember,
ana II you think you're going to plow
around this town in one O. the things
you've been looking at with me at your
side you've got another guess. And IL that
dumpy Mrs. Kaystreet can wear one of
those those long things I'm talking about you'll
have look at some Of .em.'
Whereupon Mrs. Jobson winked shrewdly
at the saleswoman, who smiled furtively
saleswoman produced the melton New
market. with storm collar revers of beaver.
that Mrs. Jobson had had put aside for
further inspection on the previous day.
ment and it fitted her like a violin in a
box. and gave her figure a svelte appear
ance that caused Mr.. Jobson to gaze at her
admiringly out of the slants of his eyes
''Uml That's something like it." he said,
surveying the garment with repressed en-
thusiasm How much is the thing?"
Sixty dollars" said the saleswoman.
''Oh goodness me, I couldn't think of
purchasing such an expensive wrap Just
now,' hastily put in Mrs. Jobson, catching
the saleswomans eye and starting to re-
move the coat.
Couldn't. hey?' said Mr.. Jobson "Well.
could. Just you button it up and wear it
out now to sort O. christen It."
"But. my dear" protested Mrs Jobson,
very gleeful interiorly. I'VE can't afford it.
OF course. It's cheap at the price, but how
can we afford to"
Look a-here, madam" said Mr.. Jobson,
as the saleswoman walked away a little
distance at a signal from Mrs. Jobson, II
want you to understand that I'm running
the financial end. and I don't intend that
you shall show me up before saleswomen
In stores, either. You take that coat or
none at all. and Mr.. Jobson glowered upon
her frightfully
Mrs. Jobson wore the melton Newman
ket, and the great white light of under
standing hasn't yet penetrated Mr. job
sons mind. And even when it does Mrs.
Jobson will have the coat.
The Original Judge Lynch.
From the Atlantic.
Tradition sometimes plays strange pranks