Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-02-23
BARGAIN IN PAINT |
By LAWRENCE BRONSON.

card of glossy squares, oStenslbly COZ
ored by the Rub-er-Steel pigments
and partly by the fact that the cam
which under ordinary circumstances
would have cost fifty cents, was
marked down for this day only 10
forty-seven cents. Jandivere smile"
when Mrs. Jandivere said. ii was
clear saving of three cents and FOR an
additional two cents she was able 10
buy quite nice little paint brush.
Really it was like getting a palht
brush for nothing.
What are you going to do WIN
it," he asked.
There are many things ! can do
with it. | thought the woodwork IN
the spare room would look well in that
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 roo!n
smelling of paint. don't believe you II
get a painter at this season at a 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 it. 1t says so in the cir
a>cular. 1t dries in ten hours, so there
won't'0 re any trouble about the smell. .
"Have it your own way" said Jan
divere, reSignedly.
"Well, how did the painting so?" he
inquired when he came home the fol-
lowing evening. Il 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
They must have given me bad paint
1t won't color at all"
won't colorw
Not particle except now and then.
1t just sort of smearS. And hasn't
it a peculiar odor? Does all paint
smell like that?"
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
tom and leaves Just the oil on top
See here"
He knet down-and stirred the mix
ture so energeticaly that he splashed
some Of 1t 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?"
II did," she said Indignantly. 81
wore an old gray short skirt and
dressing jacket I'd put in the rag bag
never got a drop on them. But
look at you! You're kneeling in a lit
tie puddle of it yourself. And your
nice new suit!"
The .paint-defled garments were put
off and laid aside to go to the clean
ers 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"
II know what. 1t was the can
opener. l opened the paint can with
that and l 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 all over the floor. Jandvere went
up to look at it.
That's So" he said. You'll have
to put on two or three coats"
~ don't believe l cam" said the
Lady, tearfully. 'And it 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, see'
u couldn't help it," said Mrs. jan
divere THE brush just would spiat-
ter. Well, we rather needed a 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 panied her so
much she had done nothing more to
the room. but had compromised on dec
Grating the chair, which she intended
as a surprise.
sit was a surprise" conceded Jan
diYere, sarcastically. Then he added
in tones of wrath. Where is that
paint"
lie ran upstairs to the spare room.
three steps at a time, before his wife
could answer. He found the paint
His foot came into contact with the
can before he was aware of it and
malachite green was added to the col.
orS in the Daghestan rug.
That was the last thing the paint