The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-03-27
TAKING BOARDERS.

1T was scandal" the neighbors
said, "that Miss Della should be
obliged to take boarders, after all She d
been through; and Heaven knows
boarders didn't help body to
work out her salvation. And so much
money in the family, too. Wasn't
her Jncis Eben, over at Dover,
well to do, and not chick of his own
to care for, except the boy he had
adopted, who was no credit to him. 1t
was odd, now, that man with poor re-
lations should take to stranger, when
his own flesh and blood was needy; but
sometimes it did seem as if folks had
more feeling for others than for their
own kith and kin. Then there were
cousins in the city, forehanded and
fashionable, who never were worth a
row of pins to Della; and there was her
Great-uncle Johns widow a-larking on
the Continent, a-gambling at Baden
Baden and trying the waters of every
mineral spring in the three kingdoms,
for no disease under the sun but old
age. She'd been known to say that her
own folks were too rich already, and
probably she would endow some hos
pital with her property. Plainly,
wealthy relatives were of no value to
Miss Della. To be sure, she had never
seen her great aunt since she was q
child, when her Uncle John had brought
her into their simple life for month S
visit, with her French maid and dresses,
her jewels and fallals, which woa the
heart of her little namesake. Since
then Uncle Johns widow had be-
come a sort of gilded creation,
always young and always beauti-
full; for, though Della had received
little gifts from time to time across the
seas for the last fifteen years, she had
neither heard nor seen anything of the
being who had inspired her youthful
Imagination, and was quite uncertain il
such person as Mrs. John Rogerson
was in the land of the living. Dead or
alive, she seemed to have made no ma
terial difference in Delia's humdrum
life. After having nursed her father
through long illness, Della found that
he had left heavy mortgage on the
homestead, and her mother and herself
on the highroad to the poor-house, un-
less they should bestir themselves. AS
her mother was already bedridden, the
stirring naturally fell upon Della, and
she advertised for summer boarders:
FOOD BOARD IN THE COUNTRY, BY
" the riverside, at seven dollars week
Large chambers, broad piazzas, fine views
berries, and new milk. One mile from the
station. Address, DELLA ROBERTSON,
Croftsborough, Maine.
"Cheap enoughr' commented an
elderly lady who happened upon it.
"Delia Rogerson. An old maid, l sup.
pose, obliged to look out for herself
I've good mind to try her broad piaz-
zas and new milk. If [ don't like
there'll be no harm done"
And so Delia's first boarder arrived
an old lady, with false front of hair,
brown, wrinkled skin, faded eyes, 8
black alpaca gown, and hair trunk.
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 heI
daintiest cup and saucer, with the fade.
less old roses wreathing them. "Won
derfully kind" reflected Mrs. Clement
as she combed out her wisp of gray
hair and confided the false front to Q
box. Wonderful kindness for sever
dollars week! She's new to the trade
She'll learn better. Human nature
doesn't change with latitudes. Shell
find it doesn't pay to consider the
comfort of poverty stricken old Great
ure." 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 board.
ers came to demand her attention, tc
multiply her cares. The fret and jal
of conflicting temperaments under her
roof was new experience to Della,
When Miss Gresome complained of the
mosquitoes, with an air as if Miss Rog.
erson we're responsible for their crea.
ton; of the flies, as if they were new &C
quaintances; of want of appetite, as
though Della had agreed to supply it
along with berries and new milk; o.
the weather, as if she had pledged her
self there should be no sudden changes
to annoy her boarders; of the shabby
house and the antiquated furniture
too old for comfort and notold enough
for fashion'-then Della doubted i
taking boarders was her mission
What makes you keep us, my dearp
asked Mrs. Clement, after day whe1
everything and everybody had seemed
to go wrong. Why didn't you evel
marryP You had lover, l daresayp
Yes; long, long time ago."
Tell me about him-it!''
There isn't much to tell. He asked
me to marry him. He was going t.
Australia. couldn't leave mother anC
father, you know, (they were boil
feeble), and he couldn't stay here
That was ALL"
And you-you-"
Now all men besides are to mi
like shadows
"And have you never heard of hin
sinceP''
eyes. He wrote; but where was thu
usep 1t could never come to anything
1t was better for him to forget me ant
marry. was milestone about hi
neck. ] didn't answer his last letter.