The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-08-23
TAKING BOARDERS.


said, "that Miss Della should be
obliged to take boar'lers, after all shed
been through; and heaven knows
boarders did not help a body to work
out her salvation. And so much
money in the family, too. taking it by
small and large. Wasn't her Uncle
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 a man with poor relations
should take to a stranger when his
own flesh and blood was needy; but
sometimes it does 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 were never worth a
row Of pins to Della, and there was
her great-uncle Johns widow a-larkin
on the continent, a-gaming 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 has been known
to say that her folks were too ricl,
already, and probably she would ell.
dow some hospital with her money. y
Plainly, wealthy relatives were Of no
value to Miss Della TO be sure.
she had never seen her great aunt or
niece since she was child, when her
uncle John had brought her into their
simple life for a months visit, with
her French maid and dresses, her
jewels and fallals, which won the heart
of her namesake. Since then Uncle
Johns widow had become sort of a
gilded creation, always young and
beautiful: for, though Della had re-
ceived 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 in
spired her youthful Imagination, and
was quite uncertain if such person
as Mrs. John Rogerson was in the
land of the living. Dead or alive.
she seemed to have made no material
difference to Delia's humdrum life.
After having nursed her father through
a long sickness, Della found that he
had left heavy mortgage on the
homestead, and her mother and her.
self on the high road to the poor
house, unless they should bestir them.
selves. As her mother was already
bedridden, the stirring naturally fell
upon Della, and she advertised for
summer boarders:
Good board in the country to the river
side, at seven dollars a week. Large
chambers, broad piazzas, fine views, berries
and new milk. One mile from the sta
ton. Address, DELLA ROBERTSON.
Croftsborough, Maine.
Cheap enOugh!" commented an
elderly lady who happened upon it.
Della Rogerson. An old maid,
suppose, obliged to look out for her.
self. Eve a good mind to try her
broad piazzas and new milk. If
don't like it, there'II be no harm
DONE
And so Delia's first boarder ar
rived-an old lady with false front
hair, wrinkled skin, faded ewes, a
black ALPACA gown and a 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 her
daintiest cup and saucer, with the
fadeless old roses wreathing them.
wonderfully kind" reflected Mrs.
Clement, as she combed out her wisps
Of gray hair and confded the false
front to box. Wonderful kind
ness for seven dollars a week. She is
new to the trade. She'll learn bet
Ter. Human nature doesn't change
with ATTITUDES. She'll find it doesn't
pay to consider the comfort of a
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 a
new experience Of Della. When Mrs.
Gresome complained of the mosaui-
toes, with an air as if Miss Rogerson
we're responsible for their creation
Of the flies, as if they were new ac
iuaintances 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 pied ged
herself there would be no sudden
changes to annoy her boarders; of the
shabby house and antiquated furniture.
''too old for comfort and not old
enOuuh for fashion than n.l:.,