The Delta independent., 1917-01-26
BARGAIN IN PAINT
BY LAWRENCE BRONSON


card of glossy squares. ostensibly col
| ored by the Rub-er-Steel pigments.
and partly by the fact that the can.
which under ordinary circumstances
would have cost fifty cents. was
marked down for this day only to
forty-seven cents. Jandivere smiled
when Mrs. Jandivere said. II was
clear saving of three cents and for an
| additional two cents she was able to
buy quite nice little paint brush.
Really it was like getting a paint
brush for nothing.
What are you going to do with
it?' he asked.
There are many things can do
with it. | thought the woodwork in
the spare room would look well in thai
shade of green"
We'll. you'll have to wait awhile,
then. Brother Robert will be here on
Thursday and we don't want the room
smelling of paint | don't believe you'll
get painter al this season at days
notice. They're all too busy"
why Im going to do II myself"
said Mrs. Jandivere. What did you
suppose? That's what this paint is
for. It's all ready mixed and a child
can apply it. 1t says so in the cir
cular. 1t dries in ten hours. so there
won't he any trouble about the SMELL"
Have it your own way" said jan
divere. resignedly.
well, how did the painting goT' he
inquired when he came home the fol-
lowing evening. II needn't ask.
though" he added. after look al her
face.
81 wish you'd come upstairs and
look at it." said his wife with a sob
in her voice. 81 can't make ii out.
They must have given me bad paint.
Ii won't color at ALL"
Wont color?"
Not particle except now and then.
1t just sort of smears. And hasn't
ii n peculiar odor? Does all paint
smell Ike thatT
1T does smell panty" said Jan
divere as he went upstairs. why,
you haven't mixed your paint have
you?" he continued as he looked upon
the glistening woodwork.
MIXED it? Why. it's supposed to be
already mixed"
Yes, but you have to stir it, you
know. The paint settles to the bot
,om and leaves just the oil on top.
See here"
He knelt down-and stirred the mix
ture so energetically that he splashed
some of IL on his wife's silk waist.
She cried out in horror:
! Il told you you'd get splashed," he
said. "Why didn't you put on some
thing sensible?"
Il did" she saNd, Indignantly. 81
wore an old gray short skirt and
dressing jacket I'd put in the rag bag
and never got drop on them. But
look at youi You're kneeling in lit
tie puddle of ii yourself. And your
/ nice new suit ~
The paint-defiled garments were put
off and laid aside to go TO the clean
er's and the Jandiveres went down to
dinner There were peas with the
I lamb chops-the canned article. Jan
/ divere was fond of peas ordinarily,
/ his fork and spasm of disgust
crossed his face.
They taste of paint" he said.
Nonsense Its your Imagination.
/ Well. they do. don't they? Now. what
do you suppose?"
Il know what. 1t was the can
opener. opened the paint can with
hat and forgot to speak to her about
IL. That's just what 1t is"
The next evening Mrs. Jandivere
/ had to report large blister in the
palm of her right hand and that the
paint didn't seem to cover the old
woodwork. which was cherry. except
where II was put on so thick that 1t
ran all over the floor. Jandivere went
/ up to look at 1t.
That's so" he said. You'll have
10 put on two or three coats"
II don't believe | can" said the
/ lady. tearfully. And 1t doesn't look
rs smooth and glossy as II did on the
card, either"
Well. I'll get man to-Hellol
You've splashed the wallpaper. seel"
Il couldn't help it," said Mrs. Jan
divere. The brush just would splat-
ter. Well. we rather needed new
paper. anyway. didn't we. dear?'
! Jandivere surveyed the prospect in
gloomy silence. with his hands in his
pockets. Then he left the room and
no further allusion was made to the
paint that evening.
The next night, however. Jandivere,
entered the library before the gas was
lighted. sat down in a malachite green
wicker chair. Mrs. Jandivere explained
that her blister had pained her so
much she had done nothing more to
the room. but had compromised on dec
Grating the chair. which she intended
as surprise.
I'll WAS a SurnriSe." conceded Jan.