Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1911-02-10
House
To Let
Ii Changed the Life Of a Clubman.
A Spinster Was Also In
terested In Ii
By r. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1871.

kN One udy Ne received an lnNltatlon 10
70 with a friend who lived in the
suburbs for dinner and the night. The
difference between a house with a wo-
man in it. to say nothing of several
impish children, and his own solitary
apartments was appalling. In his own
bedroom he would awaken in the
morning amid tombhke silence. In
this abode of a family he lay awake
for nearly an hour listening to unceas-
ing sounds that seemed like music to
him.
There We're a constant opening and
Shutting of doors. water pouring in
q bathroom, children running. children
Shouting. children scolded, children
petted; now a few deep tones from a
father warning Johnny that If he
didn't stop fooling and dress himself
be would get a spanking and now a
feminine call to Edie to come and
let me do your hair" 1t was the con-
trast of this life about him-this union
of hearts and interests-with his silent
chamber that made him yearn for
the one and hate the other.
Jenkins returned to the city. spent
the day in his office, went to his room
dressed for the evening and started for
his club. Shortly before reaching it
he passed a neat looking two story
stone front dwelling in window of
which was a placard ITO Let" He
stood leaning on his cane looking at
the house; then went on muttering:
''It's no use. I've no wife,
He went on to his club. sat down in
the reading room and listlessly took up
a paper. But he did not read. He
was going over the women of his &C.
quaintance in a vain effort to pick out
one he could love. one with whom he
could make home. This, too. was a
Failure. They all seemed to him like
80 many wax figures in a show win
dow No responsive chord to draw
him to any of them or them to him.
The next morning passing the house
to let he thought that. after all. 1t
would be better than his rooms and he
would go in and look at 1t. At the
moment feminine voice said to him:
There doesn't appear to be any word
on the notice where to apply"
jenkins turned and saw young wo-
man whose appearance was as refined
as her voice. Her attention was all di-
rected to the house, and jenkins be-
lieved that she had made the observa-
ton to herself rather than to him
Nevertheless he raised his hat and
said:
perhaps, there being no such direc-
tions, it means that one may inquire
within"
at doesn't matter said the lady.
still making he, replies more to herself
than him.
The words were spoken in the same
tone with which the day before he had
said to himself: Its no use. I've no
wife"
III "I'n ring If you like" said jenkins.
"Oh, thank you Never mind on my
account"
I'm intending to make inquiries for
myself, though ! have no definite idea
of taking a house. don't need one"
# Nor l."
# He went up on to the stoop and rang
the bell. His summons was answered
BY a middle aged person who lived in
the basement. evidently caretaker.
The lady waited for Jenkins to act as
spokesman, but he hesitated. He did
not know whether to say this lady
wishes to look at the house" or 81
wish to look at the house" The first
would be assuming what he had not
been authorized to assume; the second
would look as If he proposed to stand
In the lady's way. He compromised.
I'VE would like to look at the house,
he said
# "Oh, Walk in!''
There are eight rooms" said the
caretaker, leading the way through the
y apartments ION this floor parlor
dining room. library and kitchen
6 Then. leading them upstairs -Four
3 bedrooms up here This front room
will make a beautiful room for you
and your wife. sir. and this little room
adjoining is just big enough for the
y children, if you have them There's
another small room back that would
Il make a good nursery and guests
q room The bathroom is at the end or
q the hall"
"a If the poor woman had been cog
infant of the terrible blunder she was
U making she would have been deeply
I. pained And yet she would have had
~ mo cause to be panied. Though Jen-
Z kins put on wooden expression, there
was a very pleasant feeling about his
AZ heart. Though the lady blushed
q rosy red. there was a suspicion OF
smile playing on her lips.
How many children have you.
ana'amf' asked the woman, suddenly
breaking in upon her description OF
S. the house
mo children" replied the lady, ig-
horing the woman's inference that the
two were married.
# mo children! Oh, dear! Somehow
& 1T doesn't seem to me that people are
Al married till the little tots come. With
NJ out them parents are liable to run TO
III cats and dogs, a poor makeshift for
81 children. Dear little souls! How nice
sat Is 10 see item romp ana play! Iney
~ have their own tiny joys and sorrows.
*in which their parents take as mueh
interest as themselves. / like the girls
&best, of course. but little boys are nice,
Ia too. especially when they're fine, man
ly little fellows. But In every family
There should be both boys and girls.
vi While the woman was running on