St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-12
haps you take winter boarders at re-
duced rates. Eh ?"
''DO you think my terms high 7"
"By no means. But when ones purse

oS, l. KNOW. DO stay at your own
price. l can't spare YOU" She had grown
such a fondness for the old lady that to
'efuse her at her own terms would
nave 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,
hat her mother and Mrs. Clement
might enjoy enough, without there ap-
pearing to be ''just pattern"
At Christmas, however, came a ray
Of sunshine for Della, in the shape of a
500 bill from an unknown friend. at
can't be meant for me-" she cried.
"lt's directed to Della Rogerson,"
said her mother; 'sand there's nobody
else OF that name, now your Aunt
Delia's dead"
"We're not sure she's dead,n object
ed Della.
"Horrors Don't you know whether
your own aunt is dead or alive 2" asked
Mrs. Clement, in shocked tone.
1T isn't our fault. She is rich and
lives abroad. | was named for her. 1
used to look in the glass and try to be-
lIeve had inherited her beauty with
the name, though she was only our
great nncle's wife"
"She ought to he doing something
for you.n
"How can she, if she's dead? / don't
blame her, anyway. Her money is her
own, to use according to her pleasure.
Uncle John made it himself and gave il
to her."
"But if she should come back to YOU.
having run through with it, yon'd di-
vide your last crust with her, Pll be
bound"
Il suppose | should" said Della.
The winter wore away, as winters
will, and the miracles of spring began
in fields and wayside; and Delia's
boarders returned with the June roses
and dropped away again with the fall.
ing leaves, and still Mrs. Clement staid
on and on. Just now she had beel
for some weeks in arrears with her re.
duced board. No money had beel
forthcoming for some time, and she wal
growing more feeble daily, needed th,
luxuries of an invalid and the atten
tiOns of nurse, both of which Deli;
bestowed upon her, without takin:
thought for the morrow.
II must hear from my man. Of bust
ness tomorrow, Della. Pm knee-deeI
iu debt to you," she began one night.
'Don't mention it !" cried Della. &c
had rather never see a cent of it thai
have you take it to heart. Your'r,
welcome TO stay and share pot-lucl
with us; yOu'Ie such company fol
mother and me-"
'Thank you, my dear. I've growr
as fond of you as if you were my owl
flesh and blood. There, turn down the
light, please. Draw the curtain, dear
and put another stick Oh the fire
please. 1t grows chilly, doesn't it
You might kiss me, just once, if you
wouldn't mind. It's hundred years
or so since anyone kissed me-"
And the next morning, when Della
carried up Mrs. Clements breakfast
her boarder lay cold and still upon the
pillows.
The first shock over, Della wrote di-
rectly to the lawyer of when she had
heard Mrs. Clement speak as having
charge of her affairs, begging him to
notify that lady's relatives, if she had
any. In reply, Mr.. Willis wrote: "The
late Mrs. Clement appears to have no
near relatives. Some distant cousins.
who, having an abundance of this
worlds goods, yet served her shabbily
when she tested their generosity, as
she has tried yours, are all that remain
of her family. In the meantime, l en-
close you copy of her last will and
testament, to peruse at your leisure"
''What interest does he think | take
m Mrs E1an,apt,o will - nol:o
but read, nevertheless
''Being of sound mind, this 10th day
of June, l9-, l, Della Rogerson Glenn
ent, do hereby leave one hundred dol
lars to each of my cousins and be-
queath the residue of my property
viz, thirty thousand dollars invested in
the Ingot Mining Company, fifty thou
sand in United States bonds, twenty
thousand i'll Fortune Flannel Mills, and
my jewels, to the beloved niece of my
first husband, John ROgerson.
Della Rogerson,
of Croftsborough, Maine.
For | was a stranger, and We took
me in; hungry, and We fed me; sick,
and We ministered unto me.'"
Goodness alivew cried the neigh
bors, when the facts reached their ears.
"What profitable thing it is to take
bOarders! Every body in town will be
trying it. Of course, Steve Langdou
will come home and marry her, if she
were forty old maids. You may stick
a pin in there!"
Della did not open her house to
boarders the next season. She found
enough to do in looking after her money
and spending it; in replying to letters
from INDECENT people, who seemed to
increase alarmingly in receiving old
friends, who suddenly found time to re-
member her existence. And, sure
enough, among the rest appeared Steve
Langdon, and all the village said, 81
told you SO ~
Its not my fault that you and are
single yet, Delia," he said.
"And we are too old to think of 8
change now, Steve"
Nonsense It's never too late tc
mend. Pm not rich, Della but Pvt
enough for two and to spare"
81 wouldn't be contented not to drive
i'll my carriage and have servants under
me now," laughed Della.
''Indeed9 Then perhaps you have s
better match in view. Capt. Seymour
asked me, by the way, if had come tt
interfere with Squire jones' INTEREST,"
eyes? Squire Jones proposed to m,
last week."
''Now, see here, Della. Have com,
all the way from Melbourne on a fool,
errand There | was, growing used t,
my misery and loneliness, when th,
mail brings me in letter in straDg,
hand, which tells me that nv dea
love, Della Rogerson, loves and dream
of me still, is poor and alone, and need
meme! And the letter is signed b,
her aunt, Mrs. Clement, who ought t,
know. packed my household good