The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1880-03-18

Della made her as welcome as if she had
been a Duchess; lighted wood fire in
Mrs. Clements room, as the night was
damp, and brought out her daintiest
cup and saucer, with the fadeless old
roses wreathing them. '' Wonderfully
kind,'' reflected Mrs. Clement, as she
combed out her wisp of gray hair and
confided the false front to a box.
" Wonderful kindness for seven dollars
weeki She's new to the trade. She'll
learn better. Human nature doesn't
change with latitudes. She'll find it
doesn't pay to consider the comfort of
q poverty stricken old creature" But,
in spite of her worldly wisdom, Mrs.
Clement was forced to confess that
Della had begun as she meant to hold
out, though other boarders came to
demand her attention, to multiply her
cares. The fret and jar of conflicting
temperaments under her roof was q new
experience to Della. When Miss Gre
some complained of the mosquitoes, with
an air as if Miss Rogerson were respOn-
sible for their creation; of the flies,
as if they were new acquaintances; of
want of appetite, as though Della had
agreed to supply it, along with berries
and new milk; of the weather, as if she
had pledged herself there should be no
sudden changes, to annoy her boarders;
of the shabby house and the antiquated
furniture, too old for comfort and not
old enough for fashion''-then Della
doubted if taking boarders was her mis-
sion. ''What makes you keep us, my
dear?'' asked Mrs. Clement, after a day
when every thing and every body had
seemed to go wrong. "Why didn't you
ever marry? You had lover, dare
sayP''
"Yes; long, long time ago.
FTell me about him-itp''
"There isn't much to tell. He asked
me to marry him. He was going to
Australia. I 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 have you never heard Of him
sinceP"
&" Yes. He wrote; but where was the
use? 1t could never come to any thing.
1t was better for him to forget me and
marry. l was a milestone about his
neck. didn't answer his last letter"
" And, supposing he should return
some day, would you marry himP'
81 dare say,'' laughed Della, gently,
as if the idea were familiar, I" 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. Every body
requires little romance, a little poetry,
to flavor every day thinking and doing.
I'm afraid you'll think me a silly old
maid, Mrs. Clement.
No. 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 youth
is as beautiful at fourscore 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.''
ellis name was Stephen Langdon.
Sometimes Capt. Seymour runs against
him in Melbourne, and brings me word
how he looks and what he is doing
though 1 never, never ask, and Stephen
never asks for me, that l can hear.''
Delia's summer bOarders were not a
| 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.
'sI believe III stay on,'' she said
"I'm getting too old to move often
Perhaps you take winter boarders at re
duced rates. EhP"
"Do you think my terms high?''
"By no means. But when ones purse
is low
" Yes. I know. Do stay at you
own price. 1 can't spare you.n She haC
grown such a fondness for the old lad,
that to refuse her at her own term
would have seemed like turning her owl
mother out of doors; besides, one moutl
the more would not signify. But sh
J found it hard to make both ends meet
and often went hungry to bed, that he
, mother and Mrs. Clement might enjo
enough, without there appearing to b
st lust a pattern" =" At Christmas, how
ever, came ray of sunshine for Della
in the shape of a hundred-dOllar bi
from an unknown friend. 1t can't
meant fer me,n she cried.
| 80 It's directed to Della Rogerson,
said her mother; ''and there's nobod
| else of that name, now your Aunt Della
+ dead -
2 "We're not sure she's Dead" oil
: jected Della.
f " Horrors! Don't you know whethe
= your own aunt's dead or aliveP'' asKe
e Mrs. Clement, in a shocked tone.
a g 1t isn't our fault. She is rich an
j lives abroad. / was named for her.
D used to look in the glass and try to be
. heve I'd inherited her beauty with tn
n name, though she was only our grea
y uncle's wife"
+ She ought to be doing something fo
S you"
g ''How can she, if she's deadP don
II blame her, any way. Her money is he
o Uncle John made it himself and gave
d to her."
: "But if she should come back
Il you, having run through with it, you
e divide your last crust with her, III
II bound.''
al suppose 1 should" said Della.
d The winter wore away, as winte
e will, and the miracles of spring bega
;, in fields and wayside; and Della S boar
y ers returned with the June roses, al
n dropped away again with the fallir
If leaves, and still Mrs. Clement staid {
n and on. just now she had been f
n some weeks in arrears with her reduce
% board No money had been fOrthcor
n ing for some time, and she was grown
n more feeble daily, needed the luxuri
1t of an invalid and the attentions of
le nurse, both of which Della bestowed u
r on her, without taking thought of t
Z, morrow.
8 s'I must hear from my man-of-bu
a' ness tomorrow, Della. I'm knee-de,
= in debt to you," she began, one night.
"Don't mention it," cried Deli