St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-07-08
An Angel Unaware.

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 i'll the
family, too, taking it by and large.
Wasn't her Uncle Eben, over at Dover,
well to do, and not Il chick of his own
to care for, except the boy he adopted,
who was no credit to him 1t was
odd, now, that man with poor rela-
tions should take stranger, when his
own flesh and blood were needy but
sometimes it did seem as if folks had
more feeling for others than their own
kith and kin. Then there were cousins
i'll the city, fOrehanded and fashiona-
BILE, who never were worth a row of
pins to Della and there was her great
uncle Johns widow a-larlling on the
continent, a-gambling at Baden Baden,
and trying the waters of every mineral
spring i'll three Kingdoms, for no dis
ease 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 hospital with
her property"
Plainly. wealthy relations were of
no value to Miss Della. To be sure
she had never seen her grcat-aunt since
she was child, when her Uncle John
had brought her into their simple life
for IL months visit, with her French
maid and dresses, her jewels and fall
ais, which won the heart of her name
sake. Since then her Uncle Johns
widow had been sort of gildcd crca-
ture, always young and beautiful, for
though Della had received little gifts
from time to time across the seas for
years, she had neither seen nor heard
anything of the being who had inspir
ed her youthful imagination, and was
quite uncertain if such person as
Mrs. John RogersOn was III the land of
the living. Dead or alive, she seemed
to have made no material difference i'll
Delia's hum-drum life. After having
nursed her father through ii long i'll
ness, Della found that he had left IL
heavy mortgage on the homestead, and
her mother and herself on the high
road to the poor house, unless they
should bestir themselves. AS her
mother was already bedridden, the
stirring naturally fell upon Della, and
she advertised for boarders
Good board in the country by the
riverside, at seven dollars ii week.
Large chambers, broad piaZZas, fine
views, berries and new milk. One mile
from the station. Address Della Rog-
crson, CrOftsborough, Me.
"Cheap enough ~ commented an
elderly lady who happened upon it.
"Dclia ROgcrson. An old maid, | sup
pose, obliged to look out for herself.
have ii good mind to try her broad
piazzas and new milk. If | don't like,
therc'll be no harm done"
And so Delia's first boarder arrived,
an old lady, with false front of hair,
brown, wrinklcd skin, faded eyes,
black alpaca gown, and Il hair trunk.
Della made her as welcome as if she
had been IA duchess lighted II wood
fire in Mrs. Clements room, as the
night was damp, and brought ont her
daintcst cup and saucer, with the fade
less old roses wreathing them.
Wonderfully kind" reflected Mrs.
Clement, as she cOmbed out her wisp
of gray hair and confided the false
front to box. "Wonderful kindness
for seven dollars a week She's new
to the trade. She'll learn better. HUI
man nature don't change with lati-
tudes. She'll find it don't pay to CON
slider the comfort of II poverty stricken
creature"
But in spite of her worldly wisdom
Mrs. Clement was forced to confess
that Della had begun us she meant to
hold out, though other bOardcrs came
to demand her attention, to multiply
her cares. The jar and fret of con
tlicting tcmperaments under her roof
was new experience to Della. When
Miss GresOme complained of the mos
quitos, with an air as if Miss RogersOm
was responsible for their creation of
flies as if they were not acquaintanccs; !;
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 he 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
bOardcrs really was her mission.
"What makes you keep us, my
dear !" asked Mrs. Clement, after day
when everything and everybody seem
ed to go wrong. ''Why didn't you
ever marry? You had lover, dare
say ?"
Eyes, a long time age"
''Tell me about it."
"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"
"Now all men besides are to me like
shadows
And You have never heard of him
since ?"
"Ges. He wrote; but where was the
use 1t could never come to ANYTHING.
1t was better for him to forget me and
marry. | was Il milestone around his
neck. | didn't answer his last letter"
"But if he would return some day.
would You marry him ?"
81 dare-say," laughed Della, gently,
as if the idea was familiar, ''let the
neighbOrs laugh ever so wisely. Tve
thought of it sometimes, sitting alone,
when the world was barren and com
mOnplace. One must have recreation
of some kind, you know. Everybody
requires little romance, little poe
try, to flavor everyday thinking and
doing. | am afraid you'll think me q
silly old maid, Mrs. Clement"
"NO. The heart never grows old
The skin shrivels, the color departs
the eyes fade, the features grow pinch.
ed; but the soul is the heir of eterna
youths as beautiful at four score as
at sweet twenty Time makes amend,
for the ravages of the body by the de