The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-05-01
JOBSON AT A CONCERT

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reason that won't have time to-day TO stop
It the theater to buy EN- myself"
"Oh, said Mrs Jobson, brightly, IN 90
right down town this morning and get them
i have little shopping to do, anyhow
and"
Now, wait a minute" interrupted Mr..
Jobson. Every time that 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 a horrible hash and
a miI-up in making connections, and the
busiSess always winds up in row"
"But," put in Mrs. Jobson, an surely ar.
range this time to-"
"No, you won't" broke in Mr.. Jobson.
''Pm going to do the arranging myself this
time, and then III know that there Il be at
least a fair chance that well hear some Of
this music and get home without an all
hands-'round melee. This concert which we
are to attend to-day is advertised 70 begin at
AIS o'clock this afternoon, and in all human
probability it will begin approximately at
that time. Now, / want you to stop at the
theater and buy the tickets. Tell the man
at the box office that you want him 10 keep
one Of the tickets for me-haye him slip
il into an envelope with my name on It.
/ Then, when the hour for the concert arrives,
all you've got to do is 10 walk in and take
your seat, and when I get around III cal
at the box Office and get my ticket and JOIN
you. Now, do you think you can remember
to attend to this just the way I've ind-
catedv
Mrs. Jobson thought she could, said 50
amiably, and Mr.. Jobson, after repeating
the details Of the arrangement two or three
times in a tone indicating his belief that
Mrs. Jobson, being very young child, or an
abnormally stupid person, had to have 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 20 down town, and the
result was that she did not reach the theater
until close onto one 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 theat-
rical production that evening. Upon inquiry
she found that there was every likelihood
that there would be plenty Of seats for the
concert, and 30, instead Of waiting in line,
she concluded 10 attend TO her shopping
and return to the theater in ample time to
get the concert seats. She became so inter
ested in her shopping that she did not find
her way back to the box Office Of the theater
until close onto four o'clock. She was not
worried, however, inasmuch as Mr.. Jobson
had told her in the morning that he would
not reach the theater 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 bis Office, and, with the
concert in mind, he closed up his desk and
left the Office at three o'clock in the after
noon. He strolled over TO billiard hall and
watched a game or two, and then he went TO
the theater. 1t was about twenty minutes
to four when he strolled up 10 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 Job
son.
Mr.. Jobson began to turn purple, but that
didn't appear TO annoy the box office man
in the last. He went right on shaking bis
head and repeated that no concert seat had
been left for a gentleman by the name OF
Jobson. Mr.. Jobs0n glared around at the
line OF people beginning to form back OF him,
and he was heard to mutter something about
being dumped again, and serves me right
for depending upon a pinhead," and IN
take her to whole lot OF concerisagain, 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
4 wrathful flourish. He strobe into the thea
ter and entered the box in solemn grandeur.
IL was only few moments later that Mrs.
Jobson got along TO the box Office and pur-
chased two seats.
please put this one" she said to the box
office man, "in an envelope marked Mr.. Job
sonny husband, who will call for it."
Hes already called, ma a'am," said the box
Office man with q smile, "and-and-well,
he seemed to be bit put out, ma am, and
he's taken a box and gone in"
Mrs. Jobson, in a high state Of alarm, took
only one seat then, and huriedly entered the
theater. She asked an usher to send word
TO the gentleman sitting alone in one Of the
boxes" that a lady would like to see him for |
a moment. The usher conveyed the message |
10 Mr.. Jobson, who replied that he hadn't |
come to the theater to see any ladies-that |
he had come 10 listen to a concert, had pur- |
chased a box for the purpose and did notin-
tend TO be annoyed under any circumstances |
during the remainder of his occupancy Of |
that box. The usher retired in confusion,
told Mrs. Jobson of what Mr.. Jobson bad |
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. crosslegged magnificence, all by |
himself, in the stage box, with heavy scowl |
on his face, as il 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" be said to her, when they had
entered the vestibule of the Jobson domi-
Gle. when a man is internal idiot enough |
to be willing to take chance on being
stood up by a woman, he ought at least
to have enough address and gumption about
him to SEE to it that the woman by whom
he is stood up sn't his wife. You
stood me up tod 4 in pretty scientific
manner. You claim Vat 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 seat coupon, and
they're pretty easy to get by people with
axes 70 grind. That, however, has nothing
whatever to DO with the matter-whether
you really attended the concert or not.
What desire to say to you is this: may