The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-01-11
Choosing a Companion
A Story Of Aunt,
Nephew and Some
body Else.

good nature and my Willingness 10
oblige my Aunt Caroline, from whom,
j may admit, had certain "expecta-
tioDs."
/ had been paying her brief visit
In the country-a duty yisit-and
on the eve of my departure she ad-
dressed me as follows:
Charles, when you get back TO
town, l want you to look round and
see if you can find a suitable COM
panion; bright, cheerful person,
you understand, not too old. and with
no objection TO the country"
"Bright-cheerful- too old
no objection TO the country" l re-
peated, making a mental note of the
qualifications. Very good. And the
salary"
Thirty pounds year"
Small, isn't it?" | ventured.
quite enough" declared my aunt,
IN a way which showed there was
NO more to be said on the point.
In thinking the matter over that
night in my own room, l confess that
l did not altogether relish the COM
mission. | would have wrisgled out
of it willingly if l could, but pru-
Dental reasons left me no choice.
On arriving in town lost no time
In starting upon my quest for a
bright, cheerful person. not too old -,
and with no objection to the coun-
try" The readiest course | could
adopt, as it seemed to me, was to call
at some Of the registry Offices and as
certain if they had anyone answering
the description on their books.
The very next morning / made
quite round Of these Institutions.
At each and all / was received with
open arms, and requested to wait
while they waded through inter-
minable pages of names, addresses
qualifications, etc. / cut the matter
short in every instance by saying
that If they found lady likely to
suit, / should be glad If they would
ask her to call at the Waverly Hotel
where | happened TO be staying, be-
tween and that afternoon, for the
purpose of an interview.
Having set the ball rolling. as It
were, and feeling that nothing fur
ther could be done at the moment,
i turned into my club for lunch.
There | Unexpectedly ran across an
old friend, Tom Railton, whom had
not seen for long time.
We lunched together and ad-
5ourned TO the smoking room after
ward, where we sat chatting and sip
ping our coffee for the best part of
an hour. Railton was very enter
tanning companion, and. as usual,
had plenty of good stories 10 tell.
Presently, as / glanced up at the
clock, ! started. / had forgotten all
about the appointments at the no.
tel. 1t was just possible that some
one might have called from one or
other of the registry Offices and be
waiting there for me now, as it was
past 3 o'clock already.
Sorry, old man." / said, jumping
mp, but l must be off at once. /
ought to have been back at my hotel
ten minutes ago.
"Oh, where's the hurry?" put in
Tom.
/ explained the matter TO him in
. few words.
Then III come along with you"
he announced. in reply. IF you
find no one there, as is very likely
TO be the case. we can toddle off
somewhere together"
AS the hotel was in another quar-
ter of the city, it was drawing on
o'clock before We reached It. The
moment we entered the waiter came
bustling up TO me with something
like look Of relief On his face.
Glad you've got back, sir" he
said. They're all waiting for you"
All! Who?" / asked blankly.
Ladies, sir-from the registry
offices. Said you appointed for EN-
to call here at 3 o'clock. They we're
mp 10 the minute, most of 'em. /
showed 'em into the morning room
upstairs, and they've been glaring
st each other ever since without
speaking a word"
The picture dismayed me. stood
there irresolutely. hardly knowing
what to do.
Are-are there many OF them?"
4 asked.
"A whole roomful. sir Every
ofice sent a batch of its own for
you 10 choose from"
Good heavens! A roomfull I
felt cold all down the spine. I turned
and looked distrsctedly at Railton
The only sympathy I got was a grin.
Tor he seemed to regard IL as one Of
the best jokes he had come scrsss
for a long time.
Let's have a look at thep." he
said, quite cheerfully. as though the
room upstairs contained some in
teresting collection from the animal
world