Litchfield enquirer., 1881-09-15
TAKING BoARDERs,

1.s1t was scandal, the neighbors said, 'tbat Della should be obliged to take board. CTS, after all she'd been through and Heavens knows boarders did not help 8 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, we'll to-do, and not chick of his own to care for, except the boy he had adopted, who was no credit to him It was odd, now. that 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 l worth row of pins to Della, and there was her great uncle Johns widow a-larkin on the continent, a-gaming at Baden-Baden, and l the three kingdoms, for no disease under the sun but old age. She had been known to say that her folks were too rich already, and prob able she would endow some hospital with her l property" Plainly. wealthy relatlBes were of no value to Miss Della To be sure, she had never seen her great aunt niece since she was child, when her uncle John had brought | her into their simple life for months visit, with her French maid and dresses her jewels and fallais. which won the heart of her name sake. Since then Uncle Johns widow had
 
 young and beautiful; for, though Della had received little gifts from time to time across the seas for tine last fifteen years. she had | neither heard nor seen anything of the being who had inspired 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 Delias hum- drum life. After having nursed her father through long sickness, Della found that he had left heavy mortgage on the homestead and her mother and herself on the high road to the poor house, unless they should beslir themselves: As her mother was already bed ridden. the stirring naturally fell upon Delia and she advertised for summer boarders: Good board in the country to the rlver side, at seven dollars 8 week. Large chambers, broad piazzas, fine views, berries and new milk. One Uile from the station. Address, o.r DELLA MORRISON, f"g# | -f F Croftsborough, Maine.
 "Cheap enough! !" commented an elderly lady who happened upon it. 'Delia Roger son. An old maid, suppose, obliged to look out for herself. I've good mind to try her broad piazzas and new milk. If don't like | it, there'll be no harm done"
 And SO Delia's first boarder arrived-an old lady with false front bair brown wrinkled skin, faded eyes, black alspaca gown and a hair trunk. Della made her as welcome as if she had been Il duchess lighted'a wood fire 1 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. Clements as she combed out her wjsps of gray hair and confded the false front to box, "Wsnderful kindness for seven dollars a week! She's new to the trade. She'll learn better. Human nature doesn't change with attitudes She'll find it doesn't pay to con- slider the comfort of a poverty stricken old creature" But in spite of her worldly wis., dom, 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 new experience to Della. When Mrs. Gresome complained of the mosquitoes, with an air as if Miss Rogerson was responsi- ble for their creation; of the flies, as if they were new acqualntances; of want of appetite, as though Delta had agreed to supply it, along with berries and new milk of the weather, as if she had pledged 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 enough for fashion"-then Della doubted if taking board 5 CTS was her mission. What makes you keep us, my dear?" asked Mrs. Clement, after a seemed to go wrong. "Why didn't you ever M marry ? You had lover, dare say p
 Yes; a long, long time ago.
 ''Tell me about him-it ?" -+n7"
 ''There isn't much to tell. He asked me to marry him. He was going to Australia. 1 couldn't leave father and mother you know 0they were both feeble), and he couldn't stay here. That's all"
 "And you-you-"
 "Now all men beside are to me like shad- ows.'" aJ5 sincea' na E-# 5j saa ~
 ''Yes. He wrote but where was the use? It could never come to anything It was bet ter for him to forget mo and marry. was a mllstone about his neck. 1 didn't answer his letter. t'E-s
 'And supposing he should return some day would you marry him ?"
 Il dare say," laughed Della gently, as if the idea were familiar, ''let the neighbors laugh ever SO wisely. Pve thought of itsome- times, sitting alone, when the world was bar ren and commonplace. One must have recre- ation of some kind, you know. Everybody flavor everyday thinking and doing I'm afraid you 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-it is as beautiful at fourscore as at sweet one and twenty :. Time makes amends for the ravages of tue body by developing the spirit. You didn't telr me your lover's name. Perhaps you would rather not" is '-fs
 His name was Stephen Langdon. Some. times Captain Seymour runs against him in Melbourne, and brings me word how he looks and what he is doing;. though I never ask, hear t.''A1 '' .'3E-f7 T.i'',E
 Delias summer bosrders were not a asnccess. to be sure. If they took nu money out of her pocket, they put none in Sue wasaobliged to eke out her support by copying for lawyer Dunmore and embroidering for Mrs. Judge Dorr. One by one her boarders dropped away likeDautumn leaves; all but old Mrs.
 .'I believe I'll stay on,". she said 'I'm getting too old to move often. Perhaps you take winter boarders at reduced rates. Eh?"
 Do you thlnk my terms high ?"
 By no means But when one's purse IS low"- sr.ef T .sYes, know. Do stay at your own price. can't spare you" She had grown such a fondness for the old lady that to refuse her at her own terms would have seemed liketur ing her own mother out Of doors besides, one month more would not signify. But she found it hard to make both ends meet, and of \ ten went to bed hungry that her mother and Mrs. Clement might enjoy enough, without there appearing to be ''just pattern" At Christmas, however, came ray of sunshine for Della. in the shape of hundred-dollar bill from an unknown friend
 ''It can't be meant for ms, ,"s she cried ,s
 ''lt's directed to Della Rogerson, said her mother; .and tLere's nobe dy else of that name now that your.Aunt Delia's dead"
 We are not sure she's dead," objected Della. .. e "Horrorsl Don't you know whether your own aunt ls dead or alive ?" asked Mrs. Gle 9ment, in a shocked tone. sf+s4 5s'e9. ss -5e .N isn't our fault. She is rich and lives abroad. l was named for her. I used to