The Glenwood post., 1917-02-10
BARGAIN IN PAINT
BY LAWRENCE BRONSON.

Mrs. Jandivere had bough: 1t down.
town. attracted partly by the show
card OF glossy squares. ostensibly col
ored by the RuI'-er-Steei pigments.
and partly by the fact that the can.
which under ordinary circumstances
would have cost fifty cents. was
mnrked down for this day only to
forty seven cents. Jundivere smiled
when Mrs. .Iandivere 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 II 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 1t. | thought the woodwork in
the spare room would look well in that
shade OF green"
well, you'll nave 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 n 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 Il child
can apply 1t. 1t says so In the cir
cular. 1t dries in ten hours 50 there
won't be any trouble about the smell"
Have 1t your own way" said Jan
divere. resignedly.
well. how did the painting go?" ne
inquired when he came home the fol-
lowing evening. ~ needn't ask.
though" he added. after look at her
face.
81 wish you'd come upstairs and
look at it," said his wife with sob
in her voice. 81 can't make 1t out.
They must have given me bad paint
1t won't color at ALL"
won't color?"
Not n particle except now and then.
1t just sort of snears. And hasn't
it peculiar odor? 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 graz short skirt and a
dressing jacket ~ p:st in the rag bag
and never got drop an them. But
look at you! You're huseiES in a lit
tie puddle of 1t yourself. ..ad your
nice new suitl"
The paint-defled 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
lamb chops-the canned. article. Jan
divere was fond of peas ordinarily,
but at the first mouthful he laid down
his fork and a spasm 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 suppose?"
81 know what. It was the can
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 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 1t was put on so thick that it
ran all 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 | can," said the
lady, tearfully. "And it doesn't look
as smooth and glossy as 1t did on the
card, either"
We'll, ri get man to-Hello!
You've splashed the wallpaper, see |"
II couldn't help it." said Mrs. Jan
divere. "The brush just would splat-
ter. Well, we rather needed new
paper, anyway, didn't we, dear2"
Jandivere surveyed the prospect in
gloomy silence, with his hands In his
pockets Then he left the room and
no further ulluslon was made to the
paint that evening. esa .~p.'-
The next night, However, Jandivere
entered the library before the gas was
lighted. sat Gown in a malachlte green
wicker chair. Mrs. Jandivere explained
that her blister had pained her sc
much she had done nothing more te
the room, but had compromised on dec
Grating the chair, which she INTENDED
as u surprise. .. ~.
IA -