Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1878 — A Husband’s Hobby. [ARTICLE]

A Husband’s Hobby.

Mr. Waite is a model husband—that is to say, in a good many respects. He neither drinks, smokes nor chew’s, stays at home evenings, never gambles, and gives his wife all the money that she wants. It is said that all men have some idiosyncrasy or hobby. Mr. Waite has his. It is a deep-rooted mania for attending auction sales, and buying articles of every description, a la Toodles, without regard as to whether they will ever be of any practical or imaginary use to him. As long as he gets them at a bargain he is satisfied. A good joke about this peculiarity of his was related to me the other evening by a friend of his. Mr. Waite went to an auction sale of a dealer in sporting goods. He bought 200 dumb-bells, at -20 cents a pair, and carried them home in triumph. He stored them in the cellar, where they remained six months or so. Mrs. Waite got tired of seeing them occupying so much space, especially as she wanted the cellar for some purpose of her own. So, imagining that her husband had forgotten all about his novel acquisition, she sold the dumb-bells for a mere song to an auctioneer. That evening Mr. Waite returned home with a hand-cart. His face was flushed but triumphant. “ What have you got in that handcart, my dear,” asked Mrs. Waite. “ Dumb-bells, darling.” “ What?” “ Dumb-bells. Bought 200 pairs at 30 cents a pair. Paid more for them than for the others I got, but you know it will never do to let the price of dumbbells drop.” Mrs. Waite took one look at the articles. Her worst - fears were realized. They were the same old dumb-bells that she had sold in the morning. Mr. Waite had chanced to be in attendance at the sale where they had been offered, and had bought them in at one-half advance over the price he had first paid for them.— Alta California.