The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-08-27
Now, Miss Drexel had counted upon

of those sunshiny rooms; and, though
she was no epicurean, and not much of a
stole, yet it was essential to her happi-
ness to live on good terms with those
about her. A quarrel was as disagreed
BILE as the neighbOrhood of infection I;
and Miss Huldah undertook to quarrel
with her, lectured her, advised about
the management of Ally, interfered with
her, and made the girl dread to go down
stairs to her meals. In truth, Miss HUI
dah did not care farthing how obnox-
ious she made herself, provided she could
put opportunity beyond Miss Drexels
reach, and keep Mr.. Jeflreys for Kathe-
rine. So, when Ally was convalescing,
after n juvenile illness, she refused to
have the cook prepare her dinner at an
earlier hour than that mt which the
household dined, and Miss Drexel
was forced to go out to neighbOring
restaurant and procure a light dinner
already cooked, for her little sister.
Miss DrexePs means not being boun-
tiful, and laundry work high, she pro-
posed to herself the care of her own
and Alleys muslin, and requested to be
allowed the use of an ironing-board in
the back kitchen, where she would have
been in no ones way but this favor was
declined. Miss Huldah couldn't have
ladies potterng round in the kitchen,
and spying out the poverty of the land;
and the greatest concession that Miss
Drexel could wiring from her was the
privilege of tOiling up and down two
long flights of stairs with a hot iron to
the work in her own room. If Miss
Drexel was invited to a picnic, Miss
Huldah's cake was just out, and her
bread in the oven, and the chickens un-
plucked. When Miss Drexel aired her
rooms, Huldah complained she was
warming the square outside. Miss
six months or more, thinking Miss HUI.
dah was over-worked, and made fretful
and fault-fnding by the friction of un-
happy circumstances; but at last she
fell into Miss Huldaiis trap, and went
out to hunt up new boarding place one
day, but without cOnfiding in her land
lady. Mr.. JefIreys had been away a
month on business, and the house was
less like home than a prison. She di-
rected her steps to the Soberleys first,
who kept boarders under protest, having
had a baronet among their ancestors,
who considerably interfered with the
arrangement. Mrs. Soberley had
quartette of daughters to marry, how
ever, and took only gentlemen boarders,
she said. Besides" she added, ait
would be so unneighborly in me to take
away the Sparsleys' boarders; we are
good friends, and they are needy women.
If you weren't the Sparsleys' boarders,
now; but you see low it is! 1t would
be taking The bread out of neighbor's
mouth, now wouldn't itY'
Dsheartened, Miss Drexel pursued
her quest to the Slicers' door; but Mrs.
Slicer, having brace of gay sons, enter
tanned only "middle-aged, respectable
women"
"And am / not respectable, and
twenty-sixw cried Miss DreXel.
IF you are, could never reconcile it
to my conscience to steal away the
Sparselys' boarders," averred Mrs. Slicer
with holy horror. 81 should feel like
thief and robberw
Miss Waxwork's house was full. "You
are the Sparselys' boarders, l believer"
she said; and though two of her best
rooms would be vacant in month, she
shuddered at the prospect of harboring
the Sparsleys' boarders rs if she had
been burglar. 81 had one of my
highest priced boarders wiled away from
me once myself. and said then I'd never
take other folks away; no never so long
as my name is Waxwork."
Mrs. Slipshod had room enough. ooh,
yes; boarders are none too thick in
Marathon, a'am; but then its kinder
unhandsome to carry off the Sparsleys'
boarders, when they've seen better days.
/ shouldn't never expect to prosper if |
was thu unneighborly, l shouldn't"
Hiss Drexel went back to the Spars-
lcys', cl nbed up to her own room, and
sat down alone in tears. Throughout all
Marathon she was only the Sparsleys'
boarder. The sunshine danced in, dan
gled Oh its way among the vines at the
windows, pranking in the glories of the
lacquered table, touching the old por-
traits till they seemed alive and about
to address the Sparsleys' boarder. Just
then, while the tears were wet on her
cheeks, somebod tapped lightly at the
door and pushed it open.
"a pretty way to welcome your
said CHEEKY voice. One
would think you had lost them all"
"Pve loss my identity" said shc half
laughing. "Pm nobody but the Spars-
leys' boarder."
'"Dry your tears. That's something
which can be remedied, if you will"
Pm not crying, sir"
Certainty not, if you say sO."
Perhaps you'd cry if you had lost
your identity. I'd be ashamed to laugh |
at q homeless and .nameless girl, who is
so disagreeablc that no one will board
her."
'How? Has Miss Huldah dismissed
you for flirting with your humble SER
vantW
II wish she would; but 1 never did
such thing"
Then why these tears?'
81 told you they weren't tears"
Excuse me; these diamond sparks.
Miss Huldah doesn't approve of sparks"
81 thought, perhaps, you'd help me if
told you my troubles; but you're too
trihing."
"Pll mend instanter. You've no idea
how serious can be-"
"Well, I'm afraid / shall have to leave
town."
"On wedding tourg'
"Don't be frivolous. It's uncomfortable |
i'm this house. Miss Huldah harries me
night and day. Pm running my diges-
tion from being kept in constant state
of misery. I've tried every boarding
house in town, and every one has refused |
admittance to the Sparsleys' boarder. /
should think they were all in league |
together against me if there was any
reason. ] thought, perhaps, you'd know |
of nice private family who would like
to take Ally and me ~
Certainly. / know Of n private
family that will take you and Ally, and
bless the stars for the chance. And, |
what is odd, came to propose that you
should enter this very family but then
you may not fancy it, when you know"
Beggars shouldn't be choosers. Tell
me about them. Where do they live ?"
DWELL. at present the family cons;sta