Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-14
AT A CONCERT


son looked pleased.
'Ill have to rely upon you to buy the
tickets" went on Mr.. Jobson. IT don't know
whether 1t is safe for me to do that or not.
but I'll take another chance. for the reason
that won't have time today to stop at the
theater to buy 'em myself"
"Oh," said Mrs. Jobson, brightly, 'In go
right down town this morning and get them
Il have little shopping to do. anyhow
and"
Now, wait a minute" interrupted Mr..
Jobson. Every time that I take you any
where, or rather, when make an arrange
ment to meet you to take you anywhere to
which tickets are required to gain admis-
sion. there's invariably horrible hash and
mix-up in making connections. and the
business always winds UP in a row. You're
never on hand. or you've got some sort OF
an excuse for not getting the tickets IN
time, or you've been delayed by car
blockade, or You had to stop in somewhere
to buy new veil, or have new heel put
on your shoe-something always happens
with regard to which you have long and
elaborate explanation that doesn't explain.
But" put in Mrs. Jobson, "Ill surely ar
range this time to
mo. you won't" broke in Mr.. Jobson.
I'm going to do the arranging myself this
time. and then I'll know that there'H be at
least a fair chance taat we'll hear some OF
this music and get home without an all
hands-'round melee. Now, look at me.
MIS-. Jobson-never mind paying so much
attention to the folding of that napkin, but
look at me- This concert which we are to
attend today is advertised to begin at 4:l5
O'Clock this afternoon. and in all human
probability 1t will begin approximately at
that time. Now I want you to stop at the
theater and buy the tickets. Tell the man
at the box-off1ce that you want him to keep
one of the tickets for me-have him slip
it into an envelope with my name on it.
Then, when the hour for the concert arrives,
all you've got to do is to walk in and take
your seat, and when I get around I'll call
at the box-of1ice and get my ticket and
Join you. You won't have to wait for me
at any stage Of the game. for I'm going to
be busy today and won't be able to reach
the theater until minute or so before 4:l5.
Now, do you think you can remember to
attend to this Just the way I've indicated
I want it attended to. so that we won't
cross each other on the road, so to speak,
about fourteen times. and thus make hash
Of the whole AFFAIR."
Mrs. Jobson thought she could, said so
amiably, and Mr.. Jobson, after repe ating
the details Of the arrangement two or three
times in a tone indicating his belief that
Mrs. Jobson, being very young chlld, or
an abnOrmally stupid person, had TO nave
things impressed upon her by such methods,
went on down town to his office.
Several friends of Mrs. Jobson's dropped
In that forenoon while she was endeavor-
ing to get ready to go down town, and the
result was that she did not reach the the
alter until close on to 1 o'clock. When she
got there she found that there was quite
line Of people in front of the box office
awaiting their chance to purchase seats for
the theatrical production that evening.
Upon inquiry she found that there was
every likelihood that there would be plenty
Of seats for the concert, and so, instead OF
waiting in line, she concluded to attend to
her shopping and return to the theater IN
ample time to get the concert seats. She
became so interested in her shopping that
she did not find her way back to the box
Office of the theater until close on to
o'clock. She was not worried, however, In
aSnuch as Mr.. Jobson had told her In the
morning that he would not reach the the
alter until the concert was ready to begin.
Mr.. Jobson found that he hadn't so much
business as he thought he was going to
have when he reached his Office, and, with
the concert in mind, he closed up his desk
and left the office at o'clock in the after
noon. He strolled over to billiard hall
and watched game or two. and then he
went to the theater. It was about twenty
minutes to when he strolled up to the
box Office and asked for a concert ticket
that he said his wife was to leave there
for him that day, giving his name. The box
Office man shook his head and said that no
ticket had been left there for anybody by
the name of Jobson.
Mr.. Jobson began to turn purple, but that
didn't appear to annoy the box Office man
in the least. He went right on shaking his
head and repeated that no concert seat had
been left for a gentleman by the name Of
Jobson. Mr. Jebson glared around at the
line of people beginning to form back Of
thing about being dumped again. and
serves me right for depending upon pin
head" and TN take her to a whole lot of
concerts again, oh, yes!'
Have you got box?' he inquired Of the
box Office man, and the latter nodded pleas
antly in the affirmative.
Gimme a box, Them growled Mr.. job
son, and he produced his wallet and paid
the somewhat heavy figure for the box
with a wrathful flourish. He stride into
the theater and entered the box in solemn
grandeur.
It was only a few moments later that
Mrs Jobson got along to the box Office and
purchased two seats.
please put this one," she said to the box
office man. ''in an envelope marked Mr..
Jobson-my husband, who will call for It,"
Hes already called, ma'am," said the
box Office man with smile, ''and-and-
well. he seemed to be a bit put out. ma'am.
and he's taken box and gone in
Mrs Jobson, in q high state Of alarm,
took only one seat then. and hurriedly en-
tered the theater. She asked an usher to
send word to the gentleman sitting alone
in one Of the boxes that lady would
like to see him for q moment. The usher
conveyed the message to Mr.. Jobson, who
replied that he hadn't come to the theater
to see any ladies-that he had come to
listen to a concert had purchased a box
for the purpose and did not intend to be
the remainder of his occupancy Of that
box. The usher retired in confusion, told
Mrs. Jobson of what Mr.. Jobson had said
and escorted her to her seat.
She didn't hear much Of the music of that
concert, for her attention was taken up
throughout in observing Mr.. Jobson sitting
in gloomy, crossed-legged magni1cence, all
by himself In the stage box, with a heavy
scowl on his face. as II the music caused
him the most intense agony of mind and
body. Mr.. Jobson never once looked around
the theater in search of her.
She caught up with him on the street
after the concert and he raised his hat to
her with ominous politeness and helped
her on the car.
Madam" he said to her, when they had
entered the vestibule of the Jobson domi-
cile when a man is internal idiot enough
to be willing to take a chance on being
stood up by a woman. he ought at least
to have enough address and gumption about
him to see to 1t that the woman by whom
he Is stood up isn't his own wife. You
stood me up today in a pretty scientific
manner. You claim that you attended that
concert, but I've got my own Ideas on that
subject-the only evidence that you attend
ed It that you possess is a seat coupon. and
they're pretty easy to get by people with
axes to grind. That, however, has nothing
whatever to do with the matter-whether
you really attended the concert or not