The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-07-17
By Annie
Hamilton
DOnnell,

Mr.. Torrey asked, with unfailing po-
likeness, each day, when the little
family assembled for the evening.
And it was becoming noticeable that
the W lacked variety and orig
inality as much as the questions.
mot 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
searching for a house for almost a
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
made frequent resolutions to tease
no more, but the bantering little
query slipped between his lips be-
fore he knew it with persistent regu-
larity.
"No, I 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 a lifetime,
1 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, I mean,-or else you
can't find any closet door when there
ought to be one. There was a place
on Cabot street that I came lei de-
Gliding on till 1 saw the china-closet,
and a place on-oh, I don't know
what street, but it would have done
very we'll except for the drawers
where I should keep my tablecloths.
1 wasn't going to fold them again.
And the boys room in one house vas
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 citation. 1t bespoke success.
The three boys" scented popovers
in it. 1t was hard work to wait for
the family assembly upstairs.
Found a south-well, we'll, don't
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 mel"
Yes, I have" she laughed. "And
it's a house! o George, boys, I've
found the dearest little place."
mot neutrality-suspicious. and
closets and drawers and everything?"
Mr.. Torrey demanded, unbelievingly.
"Exposures-drawers - closets -
back yards-pantry shelves-every-
thing" recited the house-inder. AT
last, after all my work-well, I think
1 deserve it! Of course there's the
coal-bi-but never mind that. It's
a darling little house."
Good" cried Mr.. Torrey, heartily.
Il congratulate you, Mary. Of course
you bound the trader"
Did WHAT"
Engaged it."
"Of course I did nothing of the
kind. I 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.
Il guess it'll still be there in the
morning all right" he treasured her;
but she did not need reassurance.
II think l shall take tomorrow
to rest and think it over" she said,
calmly. II don't want to decide too
r~ecklessly. And then day after to-
morrow I'll go and look it all over
again, to make Sure. 1t pays to be
prudent"
"M-m-yes!" muttered the impru-
dent man who required but fifteen
minutes. Perhaps so! Perhaps SOL"
But he remained privately uncon-
WINGED.
The next morning but one an ex-
cited little woman appeared at
George Torrey's place of business.
why, Mary-why, my dear" that
gentleman exclaimed, distressed at
once by the palpable signs of trouble.
1--WE lost it, George! My lovely
little house! Look out Of the win
dow-don't look at me-or l shall
cry! It's all to do over again-all-
ALL"
There, there" he soothed her.
Tell me all about it," And Mary,
grown suddenly weak, told all.
Some one had engaged it already
1T wasn't to be let at all, but the
child didn't know. 1 suppose I got
my slips mixed, and there weren't
any dates, anyway"
THE child? Slips? Dates?" Had
househunting gone to her brain?
20 dear, yes, how stupid you are!
Cant you understand? The newspap-
er slips I cut out! That one must
have been a week or two old. The
woman said some one engaged the
house a while ago, and she forgot to
tell the child. She was away and
she-O dear, the woman was away,
and the child showed me over the