The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-04-15

its antiquated furniture, "too old for
comfort and not old enough for FASH
ion then Della doubted if taking
boarders was her mission. "What
makes you keep us, my dearP" asked
Mrs. Clement, after day when every.
thing and every body had seemed to go
wrong. "Why didn't you ever marryP
You had lover, / daresayP"
"Yes; long time ago."
"Tell me about him-it?"
"There isn't much to tell. He asked
me to marry him. He was going to
Australia. couldn't leave mother and
father, you know (they were both fee
ble), and he couldn't stay here. That
was all"
"And you-you-"
Now all men besides are to me like
shadows"
"And you have never heard of him
sincer
"Yes. He wrote; but where was the
useP 1t could never come to anything.
1t was better for him to forget me and
marry. was mil.stone about his
neck. / didn't answer bis last letter"
"And, supposing he should return
some day, would you marry himP"
II dare say" laughed Della, gently,
as if the idea were familiar, " let the
neighbors laugh ever so wisely. I've
thought OF it, sometimes, sitting alone,
when the world was barren and COM
monplace. One must have recreation
of some kind, you know. Everybody
requires little romance, a little
poetry, to flavor everyday thinking and
doing. I'm afraid you'll think me a
silly old maid, Mrs. Clement"
mo. The heart never grows old.
The skin shrivels, the color departs, the
eyes fade, the features grow pinched;
but the soul is heir of eternal youths
as beautiful at four-score as at sweet
and twenty Time makes amends for
the ravages of the body by developing
the spirit. You didn't tell me your
lovers name. Perhaps you'd rather
not"
His name was Stephen Langdon.
Sometimes Captain Seymour runs
against him in Melbourne, and brings
me word how he looks and what he is
doing; though / never, never ask, and
Stephen never asks for me, that l can
hear"
Delia's summer boarders were not
success, to be sure. If they took no
money out of her pocket, they put none
in. She was obliged to exc out her sup
port with copying for Lawyer Dunmore
and embrOidering for Mrs. Judge Dorr.
One by one her boarders dropped away,
like the autumn leaves; all but old Mrs.
Clement.
Il believe I'll stay on, " she said. I'm
getting too old to move often. Perhaps
you take winter boarders at reduced
rates. EhP"
"Do you think my terms highP"
"By no means. But when ones
purse is low"
Yes; know. Do stay at your own
price. / can't spare YOU" She had
grown such fondness for the old lady
that to refuse her at her own terms
would have seemed like turning her own
mother out of doors; besides, one mouth
the more would not signify. But she
found it hard to make both ends meet,
and often went hungry to bed that her
mother and Mrs. Clement might enjoy
enough, without there appearing to be
"just pattern" At Christmas, how
ever, came ray of sunshine for Della
in the shape of hundred-dollar bill
from an unknown friend. at can't be
meant for me-" she cried.
Its directed to Della Rogerson,"
said her mother; "and there's nobody
else of that name, now your Aunt Delia's
dead"
"We're not sure she's dead" objected
Della.
Horrors! Don't you know whether
your own aunt's dead or alivep" asked
Mrs. Clement, in a shocked tone.
ut isn't our fault. She is rich and
lives abroad. was named for her. l
used to look in the glass and try to be-
lieve I'd inherited her beauty with the
name, though she was only our great.
uncle's wife"
She ought to be doing something for
you"
"How can she. if she's deadP l don't
blame her, anyway. Her money is her
own, to use according to her pleasure.
Uncle John made it himself and gave it
to her."
But ifshe should come back to you,
having run through with it, you'd divide
your last crust with her. I'll be bound"
Il suppose l should" said Della.
The winter wore away,as winters WILL
and the miracles of spring began in fields
and wayside; and Delia's boarders re-
turned with the June roses, and dropped
again away with the falling leaves, and
still Mrs. Clement staid on and on. Just
now she had been for some weeks in ar
rears with her reduced board. No
money had been Forthcoming for some
time, and she was growing more feeble
daily, needed the luxuries of an invalid
and the attentions of a nurse, both OF
which Della bestowed upon her, without
taking thought for the morrow.
II must hear from my man-of busi-
ness tomorrow, Della. I'm knee-deep
in debt to YOU" she began, one night.
Don't mention ~ cried Della. "I'd
rather never see cent of it than have
you take it to heart. You're welcome
to stay and share pot-luck with u.s.