Free press., 1907-10-26
MISS BLINK and
MRS. BLINKY

The Young Couple had spent the
suit their desires and their Young
Couple purse. At length they thought
they had found it. 1t was an old house
set in several acres of suburban
orchard and grove land held for spec
ulative hope while the house itself
was rented. Bat the young woman real
estate agent who had accompanied
them had surprised them by her
truth and candOr whe1 she had show
ed how impossible it was for even
Young Couple To 6. end az entire year
in a house only tWO CT whose rooms
had any connection Wi,h Il furnace.
Their surprise was greater. however,
when upon their return to the Young
woman's Office they saw her abrupt
treatment OF TWO possible clients-also
women-who We're waiting there.
Really, Miss Blink and Mrs.
Blinky," she had said, Il don't think
that have anything t~d3y that would
suit you or warrant my spending
further time with you"
After Miss Blink and Mrs. Blinky
had~gone the Young Couple looked at
the agent with vely large eyes.
The young woman smiled.
Il KNOW what you were thinking"
she said.
No, We weren't said the Young
Couple.
But it's like this. resumed the
young woman. Every spring Miss
Blink and Mrs. Blinky, tie one an old
maid and tie ether a widow, turn up
regularly at all OF the real estate of
fees They are taken-lhat is, they
were in the beglnuing-to ell of the
places on our books that arc IN sale.
1t doesn't seem TO matter TO them
whether the house is large Or small;
they are equally interested in the $S,-
cottage and the $25 900 corner prop
erty.
For u time I thought they were
merely buyers in earnest who were
very hard to suit. They showed the
keenest interest in all details. At one
place l remember Mrs. Blinky asked:
Where do you keep the rags that
you have used to oil the fioors?"
The woman opened a closet door
There, she said.
"T thought sO,' Mrs. Blinly said.
'They ought to be burned and not left
around to start spontaneous cOmbus-
tiOns. | always burn mine
Shall we go upstairs and see the
bedrooms?' | asked.
Miss Blink and Mrs. Blinky both
frowued upon the poor woman of the
house.
II don't think that it is necessary
for us to go upstairs said Miss Blink.
Mrs. Blinky added:
eve would never consider buying
a house where the woman of the
house'-she didn't say lady'-leaves
her oil rags like that
AT the time thought this manifest
alton was only bit of odd prejudice.
l determined TO stick to Miss Blink
and Mrs. Blin,ly, for / thought that
when they did like place they would
like il good and hard and be willing TO
pay good price.
But another occasion soon gave me
a glimmer. We were looking at a
house much too pretentious for the
people who were living in it, who were
wild to sell. The woman came down
and went with US through it. Every
thing seemed to be going we'll when
there came howl from a small de-
serted baby on the Tpper floor.
Mrs. Blinky's maternal instinct as
serted itself.
Young woman said she, get back
to that baby. You are anxious to sell
your house, but you shouldn't neglect
your small duty upstairs.
Some days later Miss Blink and
Mrs. Blinky again appeared in my of
flee. They wanted to see mansion
where murder had been committed
Although / explained that the house,
though vacant, wasn't yet on the mar
ket, they persisted. Then, in the light
OF my former experiences, I saw what
they were
Il said to them:
Don't you think that it's rather
rough on a young, hard-working wom-
an to take up her time and effort with
something that seems to constitute
your sole amusement in life? You
know that neither of you wants to
buy; that you are merely amusing
yourselves
1t is amusing. Mrs. Blinly ad-
mitted.
Yet, you see. they came again to-
day"
Yes, and L suppose they will ever
lastingly keep up such curiosity-sat
flying adventures while their strength
holds out