The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-03-11

cup and saucer, with the fadeless oil
roses wreathing them. - Wonderful,
kind reflected Mrs. Clement, as sh
combed out her wisp CT gray hair ant
confided the false front to a box
g Wonderful kindness for seven dollar
a week. She's new to the trade. Shell
learn better Human nature doesn'
change with attitudes. She'll find j
doesn't pay to consider the comfort o
a poverty stricken old creature" But
in spite of her worldly wisdom, Mrs
Clement was forced to confess tha
Della had begun as she meant TO holt
out, though other boarders came Il
demand her attention, to multiply he
cares. The fret and jar of confiictin,
temperaments under her roof was new
experience to Della. When Miss Gre
some complained OF the mosquitoes, will
an air as if Miss Rogerson were respon
sible for their creation; of the flies
as if they were new acquaintance; o.
want of appetite, as though Della hae
agreed TO supply it, along with berries
and new milk; of the weather, as if she
had pledged herself there should be nc
sudden changes, to annoy her boarders
of the shabby house and the antiquated
furniture, etoo old for comfort and moi
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 day
when every thing and every body had
seemed to 90 wrong. "Why didn't you
ever marry? You had a lover, / dare
sayPn
"Yes; long, long time ago."
"Tell me about him--itP''
"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-"
"sNow all men besides are to me like
shadows ia
Sand have you never heard of him
sincePn
eyes. He wrote; but where was the
useP 1t could never come to any thing
1t was better for him to forget me and
marry. was a milestone about bis
neck. l didn't answer his last letter. .
"And, supposing he should return
some day, would you marry himp"
=" 1 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, little poetry,
to flavor every day thinking and doing.
I'm afraid you'll think me 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"
"His 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 never, never ask, and Stephen
never asks for me, that can hear"
Deiia's summer boarders were not a
success, to be sure. If they took no
money out of her pocket they put none
n. She was obliged to exc out her sup
port with copying for Lawyer Dunmore
md embroidering for Mrs. Judge Dorr.
)ne by one her boarders dropped away,
ike the autumn leaves; all but old Mrs
Clement.
"I believe III stay on" she said.
{ I'm getting too old to move often.
Perhaps you take winter boarders at re-
Iuced rates. EhP"
"Do you think my terms high'"
g By no means. But when ones purse
) low
" Yes. l know. Do stay at your
wn price, i can't spare you" She had
rown such fondness for the old lady |
hat to refuse her at her own terms |
7ould have seemed like turning her own
lother out of doors; besides, one mouth
be more would not signify. But she
)und it hard TO make both ends meet,
nd often went hungry to bed, that her
lother and Mrs. Clement might enjoy
nough, without there appearing to be
just pattern" At Christmas, how
yer, came a ray of sunshine for Della,
1 the shape of a hundred-dollar bill
ON an unknown friend. cit can't be
leant fer me,n she cried.
% It's directed to Della Rogerson,"
lid her mother; 90 and there's nobody
se of that name, now your Aunt Delia's
cad -
"We're not sure she's Dead" OBJ
,cted Della.
% Horrors! Don't you know whether
BUR own aunt's dead or aliveP" asked
[rs. Clement, in a shocked tone.
sc 1t isn't our fault. She is rich and
YES abroad. was named for her.
sed to look in the glass and try to be-
eve I'd inherited her beauty with the
lme, though she was only our great
ncle's wife,
q She ought to be doing something for
)u,"
How can sac, if she's dead? / don't
anne her, any way. Her money is her
VIA, to use according to her pleasure.
ncle John made it himself and gave it
her," II
s.But if she should come back to
u. having run through with it, you'd
vide your last crust with her, I'll be .
,und"
:" suppose 1 should" said Della.
The winter wore away, as winters
III, and the miracles of spring began
fields and wayside; and Della S board (
5 returned with the June roses, and {
opped away again with the falling
ayes, and still Mrs. Clement staid on
ID on. Just now she had been for y
me weeks in arrears with her reduced j
ard. No money had been forthcom-