The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-06-13
The Fifteen
Minute WAY.
BY Annie
Hamilton
Donnell

far as the consideration of II as q
Torrey residence went.
Found a southern exposure YETI"
Mr.. Torrey asked, with unfailing po-
likeness, each day, when the little
family assembled for the evening.
And 1t was becoming noticeable that
the answers 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 1t of Importance, and
made 1t a thing only to be laughed
at. Men were such funny creaturesl
Here had she been systematically
searching for a house for almost a
week, and a man took fifteen min
utes!
1t was presently 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 1t with persistent regu-
larity.
mo, 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,
l do believed OF course there are
places enough, but Just when you're
trying to think over one will do, you
open closet door, and it's too small,
the closet, l 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 I saw the china-closet,
| and place on-oh, / don't know
what street, but n would have done
very well except for the drawers
where | should keep my tablecloths.
l 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 popovers
in 1t. 1t was hard work to wait for
the family assembly upstairs.
| Found 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, have" she laughed. "And
it's a house! o George, boys, I've
found the dearest little placel"
mot everything-exposures and
closets and drawers and everything?"
Mr.. Torrey demanded, unbelievingly.
Exposures-drawers - closets -
back yards-pantry shelves-every-
thing" recited the house-finder. "At
last, after all my work-well, l think
l deserve it, OF course there's the
coal-bi-but never mind that. It's
a darling little house"
Good" cried Mr.. Torrey, heartily.
"I congratulate you, Mary. OF 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.
81 guess it'll still be there in the
morning all right" he reassured her;
but she did not need reinsurance.
Il think l shall take tomorrow
to rest and think 1t over" she said
calmly. II don't want to decide toe
recklessly. 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-yesl" muttered the impru.
dent man who required but flfteer
minutes. Perhaps SO! Perhaps SOL
But he remained privately uncon
vinced.
The next morning but one an ex
cited little woman appeared a
George Torrey's place OF business.
Why, Mary-why. my dearl" tha
gentleman exclaimed. distressed a
once by the palpable signs of trouble
I've lost It, Georgel My Lowell,
little house! Look out OF the win
dow--don't look at me-or i shal
cryl It's all to do over again-all-
ALI"
{ There, there" he soothed her
"Tell me all about it." And Mary
grown suddenly weak, told all.
"Some one had engaged 1t aIread
, lit wasn't to be let at all. but tn
J child didn't know. | suppose | go
} my slips mixed. and there weren'
any dates, anyway"
"The child? Slips? Dates?" Ha,
> househunting gone to her brain?
20 dear. yes, how stupid you are
] Can't you understand? The newspap
! er slips ! cut out That one mus
! have been week or two old. TIL
: woman said some ono engaged tn
4 4. n -" 4.