The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-07-17
The Fifteen
Minute Way.

its first words, but it had been brew
ing in all four minds.
I'VE must go to Housekeeping"
Mrs. Torrey said. George, we will"
Mary, you're a jewel-shake
hands," was Mr.. Torrey's reply. He
had been waiting for this a weary
while. Across the table two study
books were slammed down.
Mama, honest? Oh, that's good"
from Maurice.
20 goody!" from nine-year-old
Alan. The entire family, then, had
been waiting.
Eyes, we've boarded long enough.
I think we've been pretty patient.
= Now we'll rent a house and I'll make
you three boys some popovers! And
you can bring your friends, George,
and the boys can entertain theirs
sometimes. Why, it's nearly four
years since we came East, and here
we are in a clearinghouse still"
well, it sha'n't be so any long
err" said Mr.. Torrey. We'll go to
housekeeping tomorrow"
Mrs. Torrey smiled leniently.
o @'That's like a man." she said. IF
we find a house in three weeks we
shall do we'll"
She was a small woman; an air
of fragility sat upon her becomingly.
Her big husband, adoring her with
out disguise, resolved to shoulder the
responsibility of moving.
It was six o'clock the next night
when the four Torreys sat down at
their end of the long clearinghouse
tea-table. There was subdued jubil-
alton in George Torrey's face, but
he ate his supper without disclosing
the cause Of it. 1t was not until he
got into the sitting-room upstairs
that he broke forth.
WELL" he said, rubbing his hands
together genially, Eve engaged a
house. Didn't take me long, either"
"George!" But his wife's tone es-
capped him in his self-gratulatory
mood. He beamed at his wife and
the boys impartially.
Eyes, 1 had it all down fine inside
of fifteen minutes. Takes me to go
house-hunting! I hadn't been on the
car two minutes before I ran plump
on it in the advertising column in
the Times: To BE let-pleasant
house, nine rooms, sunny, convenient,
good neighborhood' - everything
there in black and white, you see!
Here's luck!' I said to myself, but
better was to follow. I glanced out
of the car window, and there I was
3 on the very street-yes, pretty near
ly opposite the very number! Took
me about three winks and a half to
stop the car and hunt up thai house!
It suited all right, and lefore an
other ten minutes I'd engaged it, and
tomorrow we'll-'
"George!" Mrs. Torrey's tone was
now impressively noticeable. It was
distinctly calm and clear-but notice
able. There\ was patient tolerance
in that one Rord-there were pity,
kindness, affection in it. Mr.. Torrey
stopped rubbing his hands together.
George, you are exactly like a
man-but, there, 1 suppose I knew it
when I married you. But I never
looked ahead to your engaging a
home for your family in fifteen min
utes! That proves your sex conclu-
sively enough! You never thought
of closets and back yards and expos
ures and pantry shelves, of course
The tone was gathering gentle sar-
casm now. COR whether the win
dows faced to the south, or-any-
thing. My dear, engaging houses is
a woman's work. 1t never occurred
to me that it vas necessary to say
so. I have cut out some ADVERTISE
ments in ell the papers 1 can find.
and tomorrow I shall make a little
beginning. Of course it will take
considerable time-more than fifteen
minutes" she concluded, in a fine
climax of irony.
But, Mary"-Mr. Torrey was re.
covering slowly. Jubilation had given
place in his honest countenance tc
surprise, chagrin. disappointment
meek acceptance. "But, Mary, I've
engaged the house" Only a rare
presence Of mind tripped him W
there, on the verge of adding thai
he had paid down a months renta.
to bind the trade"
Il think I shall try the. one or
Liscomb street first, and work grad.
ually downtown" remarked Mrs
Torrey, musingly. She was sortine
owe some little newspaper cutting:
as she unused. There was in her face
and attitude the air of a general or
the v of a great campaign. There
was hcroism, too, as of n who fore
saw personal sacrifice and discomfort
She sighed a little foreseeingly.
Well, In-well, so ahead, &C
ahead, my dear" George Torrey
laughed out in the sudden relief O
tenderness. He had realized sudden
ly what a little thing Mary was, ant
how determined her chin was, anc
how she loved campaigns. Womer
were queer, but one of them wa!
dear. go ahead, and find a place
with all the windows to the south
and all the closets right"
That's what 1 am planning, dear
smiled gently tho small woman
There is the right place for u:
somewhere. and I shall not spare
time or pains to find it. 1t will very
likely take a lot of hunting and trail
ing up and down stairs, but I shall
do my bcst."
Thus quite as suddenly as the IF
tee6 minute house had been engaged