Evening star., 1902-04-19
J0BSON LEFT ALONE

Soh ou MS arrival nome from the ONCE one
evening a couple of weeks ago.
Does, hey?" was Mr.. Jobson's offhand
reply. well, why n choo go. then? No
cable chains or hawsers or things like that
tied to You, are there, eh?'
Mo- replied Mrs. Jobson; ''only, of
course. I don't like to leave you to shift
for your"
Now. just hold on a minute with that,
my dear" interrupted Mr.. Jobson. taking
Colossus-o Of Rhodes stand in front Of her
and thrusting his hands into his trousers
pockets. Just keep the rest of that in, IL
you want to oblige me. What dye thinks
going to happen to me If you go away. eh?
Think that won't be able to get my coat
on or OF. or that I'll suddenly stop breath
ing, or that I'll forget how to comb my
hair or that I'll lose out on the art of
walking from one end Of the room to the
other, or something like that? If any such
notions have possession Of you, Mrs. job
son, just forget 'em, won't you? Don't
you imagine that won't be able to scrab-
bic along by my little old lonesome. Fact
is, I'd rather enjoy it. Married folks are
too much together, anyhow. They ought
to be away from each other and out of all
communication with each other for two
CT three months each year, at least
I'D only be gone for a couple of days"
put in Mrs. Jobson, muSfngly, land l could
let the housemaid have little vacation
and You could get your meals down town.
and"
"That'n be all O. k" broke in Mr. Job
son, shortly. Il guess l won't miss any
thing in the way of meals or anything else
that's coming to me. Stay as long as you
llke-a week, or two weeks for that matter.
Be a change for both of Go ahead.
Might as well start the first thing tomor-
row morning.
well, maybe I shall remain a week or
ten days" answered Mrs. Jobson, in a
matter-of-fact way that caused the off,
hand Mr.. Jobson to glance sidewise at her,
and then she went upstairs to pack. She
departed after breakfast on the following
morning.
1t was not until Mr. Jobson was remov-
ing his office coat that afternoon that he
suddenly recalled that his wife was away.
He looked a trile blank with the thought.
Then he essayed to whistle a devilmay-
care tune and sailed forth to restaur-
ant for his dinner. The meal seemed rather
tasteless to him, although he bent over it
with rakish air and smoked a cigar over
his demi-tasse with fine bachelor -four
ish. The meal over, he went forth into
the street where he met number of young
blades from his office. Their garrulous,
choppy talk seemed strangely vapid to
him, although he played couple of
games of billiards with them and endeav-
ored to assume the manner of a footloose
middle-aged husband enjoying himself
nightly. They suggested one of the stag
shows to him, but he couldn't see the sug-
gestion at all. He thought he might as
well go along home and finish reading the
evening paper and write letter
The house seemed strange, not to say un-
canny. to Mr.. Jobson when he let himself
in. His heart sank, but he wasn't going
to admit it, so he whistled "a Hot Time
although the tune dwindled away into a
dirge before he had finished with it. Mr..
Jobson lit all of the downstairs gas, and
drew the curtains. Then he leaned on the
mantelpiece and gazed vacantly al the
piano and tried to reflect upon what bully
thing grass widowhood was once in a
while. His eye caught sight of Mrs. job
sons picture on the piano. He hadn't
noticed that photograph before for a long
time. He walked over to 1t and picked it
up.
"Darned pretty woman. that sgirl, all
right he mused. half aloud. brushing
away bit Of imaginary dust from the
photograph with his sleeve. Then, after a
pause. he added: And the best that ever
put on shoe leather, at that"
Compelled to admit to himself that he
was falling into pretty low spirits, Mr. job
son started to whistle some more. Then he
sat down at the piano and began to pick
out. with two fingers of his right hand,
some of the favorite pieces that Mrs. Job
son played for him. Apparently he found
this dull work. and too reminiscent in the
bargain, and he suddenly left off and
walked upstairs, where he lighted all of the
gas. He watered some ferns in little pots
on their dressing room mantel. and while
doing this his eye caught sight of note
which his wife had left on the mantel for
him before leaving
Dear old boy the note read. remember
that your shirts and collars and cuffs are in
the second drawer of the chiffonier | sent
two of your suits to the cleaners before
leaving this morning. They will be ready
in couple of days. Don't forget to fill the
saucer in the birds cage each morning
with water. l left him enough seed for
week. You must wear your overcoat If the
days are chilly. / shall probably stay with
sister for ten days. Shall write every day
or So
Well, it had been a good many years
since Mr.. Jobson had pressed a vaguely
scented bit of note paper to his face, but he
did 1t when he read that note, and then he
tugged at his collar as if a rising lump had
made the collar a trifie to tight for his
neck.
BEST girl that ever came over the hills,
all right" he murmured, and then he sat
down on the couch and began to finish read
ing the evening paper. 1t took him five
minutes to discover the impra cticability of
reading a newspaper held upside down. and
when he made the discovery he threw it
down in disgust and made ready for bed.
1t took him a mighty long time to fall
ing he found himself rejecting that there
had been a whole lot Of things he'd said to
Mrs. Jobson recently that he might just a s
we'll have kept to himself.
Before he started down town the next
morning he received CHEEKY letter from
Mrs. Jobson, telling him that she was en-
joying herself immensely. and that her
sister and brother-in-law were insisting
upon her prolonging her visit to two weeks.
Mr.. Jobson experienced a queer. tight little
clutch about the heart when he read the
letter.
At three o'clock that afternoon Mr.. job
son. from his office. wired to Mrs. Jobson
as follows:
Better return. Am threatened with
pneumonia
Then Mr.. Jobson deliberately went home.
removed his clothes, and propped himself
up in bed.
Mrs. Jobson got in at six o'clock that
evening There was an anxious look in her
eyes as she sat down beside the bed, and
Mr.. Jobson gave her a reproachful, wound
ed-fawn look and said:
Il s'pose you'd let a fellow die right in
his tracks without a helping hand while
you gadded around to box parties and
things in other cities wouldn't you?'
Then Mrs. Jobson knew that he was all
right, and there was a dreamy smile on her
face when he got up the next morning ate
a large breakfast, and went Off to the Office
whistling.