The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-06-07
The Fifteen
Minute Way.
BY Annie
Hamilton
DOnnell

dear. go ahead, and find a place
with all the windows to the south
and all the closets right"
That's what | am planning, dear, +"
smiled gently the small woman
There is the right place for us
somewhere, and | shall not spare
time or pains to find it. 1t will very
likely take lot of hunting and trail
ing up and down stairs, but | shall
do my best"
Thus quite as suddenly as the fif-
it was snuffed out of existence, so
far as the consideration of il as a
Torrey residence went
Found a southern exposure yet?"
Mr.. Torrey asked. with unfailing po-
likeness, each day, when the little
family assembled for the evening.
And it was becoming noticeable that
the answers lacked variety and orig
inality as much as the questions.
Not yet" was the invariable re-
ply.
1t had not occurred to the deter
mined little house-hunter to look at
the house which Mr.. Torrey had en-
gagged. She had not given that an
| instant's serious thought.
The very righteousness OF the in
cident robbed it of Importance, and
made it a thing only to be laughed
at. Men were such funny creatures,
Here had she been Systematically
3, Ia, 60
week, and a man took fifteen min
utes,
1t was presently a full week. Mrs.
Torrey was very tired. She nodded
in her chair evenings, and her hus-
band repented of his teasing. He
no more, but the bantering little
query slipped between his lips be-
fore he knew it with persistent regu-
larity.
"No, haven't found any southern
eXposure-or northern exposure. or
eastern or WESTERN" she flashed back
the eighth night with considerable
spirit. And I've been to forty-three
places! It's the work of lifetime,
| do believe! OF course there are
places enough, but just when you're
trying to think over one will do, you
open a closet door, and it's too small,
the closet, | mean,-or else you
can't find any closet door when there
ought to be one. There was a place
on Cabot street that / came near de-
Gliding on till / saw the china-closet.
and a place on-oh, | don't know
what street, but it would have done
very well except for the drawers
where / should keep my tablecloths.
| wasn't going to fold them again.
And the boys room in one house was
too small, and so on, forty-three
| times. I'm discouraged, but"-here
spoke the chin-"I shall begin again
Monday morning"
On the following Thursday Mrs.
Torrey's tired face was the one to
show jubilation at the boarding
house tea-table. The lines of weari-
ness trailed off and were lost in the
evident elation. 1t bespoke success.
The three boys" scented popoyers
in It. IL was hard work to wait for
the family assembly upstairs.
Found a south-well, well, don {
keep us waiting, mother!" Mr.. Tor
rey began, as soon as the door closed
| behind them. You've something up
your sleeve-needn't tell me-"
Yes, have" she laughed. And
it's a house. o George, boys, I've
| found the dearest little place."
Not everything-exposur and
closets and drawers and everything"
Mr.. Torrey demanded, unbelievingly.
"Exposures-drawers - closets -
back yards-pantry shelves-every-
thing" recited the house-fnder. AT
| last, after all my work-well, ! think
/ deserve it! OF course there's the
coal-bi-but never mind that. It's
darling little house"
Good" cried Mr.. Torrey. heartily.
II congratulate you, MarJ. or course
you bound the trader"
Did what?"
Engaged it."
"Of course did nothing OF the
kind. / didn't decide all in a min
ute like that, OF course. I'm going
TO sleep on it,"
May never get a chance" be-
gan her husband, but relented. The
shadows under the small woman s
eyes undid him.
II guess it'll still be there in the
morning all right" he reassured her;
| but she did not need reinsurance.
II think / shall take tomorrow
TO rest and think IL over" she said,
calmly. II don't want 20 decide too
recklessly. And then day after to-
morrow I'll go and look II all over
again, TO make sure. IL pays to be
prudent"
"M-m-yes!" muttered the impru-
dent man who required but fifteen
minutes. Perhaps SOL Perhaps so!"
But be remained privately uncon-