The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1917-01-25
BARGAIN N PAINT
BY LAWRENCE BRONSON.

can OF malachite green prepared paint,
AIRS. Jandivere had bought It down.
town. attracted partly by the show
caro- 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. It was q
clear saving Of three cents and for an
additional two cents she was able to
buy quite nice little paint brush.
Really 1t was like getting a paint
brush for nothing.
what are you going to do with
it1'' 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"
"Well. 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 at this season at days
notice. They're all too busy"
why. I'm going to do It myself"
said Mrs. Jandivere. "What did you
suppose? That's what this paint is
for. It's all ready mixed and child
can apply It.. 1t says so 10 the cir.
cular. 1t dries in ten hours. so there
won't be any trouble about the smell"
"Have it your own way" said Jan.
divere. resignedly.
swell, how did the painting got" he
inquired when he came home the fol.
lowing evening. II needn't ask,
though" he added, after q look at her
face.
Il wish you'd come upstairs and
look at It." said his wife with sob
In her voice. II can't make 1t out.
They must have given me bad paint.
1t won't color at all"
"Won't color?"
mot q particle except now and then.
1t just sort Of smears. And hasn't
1t peculiar odor1 Does all paint
smell like that?"
ut does smell panty" said Jan.
divere, as he went upstairs. "Why,
you haven't mixed your paint, have
your" he continued as he looked upon
the glistening woodwork.
MIXED 1t? Why. it's supposed to be
already mixed"
"Yes, but you have to stir It, you
know. The paint settles to the bot
tom and leaves just the oil on top.
See here"
He knelt down-and stirred the mix.
ture so energetically that he splashed
some Of 1t on his wife's silk waist.
She cried out In horror:
II told you you'd get splashed," he
said. "Why didn't you put on some.
thing sensible?"
II did," she said. Indignantly. II
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 you! You're kneeling in lit
tie puddle Of it yourself. And your
nice new suit"
The paint-def1led garments were put
of and laid aside to 60 to the clean.
er's and the Jandiveres went down to
dinner. There were peas with the
lamb chops-the canned article. Jan.
divere was fond Of peas ordinarily,
but at the first mouthful he laid down
his fork and spasln Of disgust
crossed his face.
''They taste Of paint" he said.
"Nonsense! It's your Imagination.
Well, they do. don't they? Now. what
do you SUPPOSED"
II know what. It was the cam
opener. opened the paint can with
that and forgot to speak to her about
it. That's just what it is"
The next evening Mrs. Jandivere
had to report a 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 it was put on SO thick that it
ran oil over the floor. Jandivere went
up to look at 1t.
"That's So" he said. "You'll have
to put on two or three coats"
II don't believe l can," said the
lady, tearfully. "And 1t doesn't look
as smooth and glossy as 1t did on the
card, either"
We'll. I'll get a man to-Hello!
You've splashed the wallpaper. seel"
II couldn't help it." said Mrs. jan
divere. 1.-THE brush just would splat-
ter. Well. we rather needed new
paper, anyway. didn't we. dear?"
Jandivere surveyed the prospect 10
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 malachite green
wicKer chair. Mrs. Jandivere explained
that her blister had panied her so
much she had done nothing more to
the room, hut had compromised on dec
Grating the chair. which she intended
as surprise.
ut was surprise" conceded jan
diyere, sarcastically. Then he added
10 tones of wrath. "Where is that