The Northern Pacific farmer., 1881-11-10

'I's where those we love abide,
And that little spot is blessed
Which thelovea ones foot hss pressed"
TAXING BOARDERS.
1T was scandal" the neighbors fai
that Miss Della should be obliged to tax
boarders, after all she'd d been through; an,
heaven knows boarders did not helpa bod
to work out her salvation. And so mucl
money in the family, too, taking it by small
and large. Wasn't ber Uncle Eben, owe
at Dover, well-to-do, and not chick Of hi
own to care for. except the boy he hat
adopted, who was no credit to him?
was odd, now. that .- II ~, poor r, q
tions should take to stranger W hen his owl
flesh and blood was needy; but sometime
it does seem rs if folks had more feeling
for others than for their own kith aud kin
Then there were ccasins in the city, fore
handed and fashionable, who we're neve
worth row of pins to Della, and there wa
her great uncle Johns widow a-lArkin OF
| the continent, a-gaming at Baden Baden
and trying the waters of every minera
spring in the three kingdoms, for no disease
under the sun bnt old age. She had been
known to say that her folks were too rict
| already, and probably she would endov
| some hospital with her property" Plainly
wealthy relatives were of no value to Miss
Della. To be sure, she had never seen hel
great aunt niece since she was child
when her Uncle John had brought her in
to their simple life for months visit, with
her French maid and dresses, her Jewels
and fallals, which won the heart of hel
namesake. Since then Uncle Johns widow
had become sort of gilded creation. always
young and beautiful; for, though Deli, had
received little gifts from time to tt ne acro> s
the seas for the last fifteen years, she had
neither heard nor seen of the being who
had inspired her youthful imagination, and
was puite uncertain If such a person as Mrs.
John Rogerson was in the land of the iv-
ing. Dead or 81 We, she seemed to have
made no material difference to Delia's hum
drum life. After having nursed her father
through long sickness, Della fennd that
he had left heavy MORTGAGE on the home
stead, and her mother and herself Oh the
high road to the poor house, unless they
bestir themselves. AS her mother was al
ready bedrldden, the stirring naturally fell
upon Della, and she advertised for summer
boarders:
Good board in the country to the riverside,
at seven dollars q week. Large chambers,
broad piaZzas, fine views, berries and new
milk. One mile from the station, Address
DELLA RoGERsoN,
Croftsborough, Maine.
"Cheap enough! commented an elderly
lady who happened upon it. Della Rog-
erson. An old maid. suppose, obliged to
look out for herself. I've good mind to
try her broad piazzas and new milk. If
And so Delia's first boarder arrived an
old lady with false front hair, brown,
wrinkled skin, faded eyes. black alpaca
gown and hair trunk. Della made her as
welcome as if she mad been Duchess;
lighted fire in Mrs. Clements room, as
the night was damp, and brought out her
dentiest cup and saucer, with the fAde]ess
old roses wreathing them. Wonderfully
kind," reflected Mrs. Clement. as she
ccmbes out her whisps of gray hair and
contided the false front to box. "Wonder-
full kindness for seven dollars a week!
She's new to the trade. She'll learn better.
Human nature doesn't change with la'itudes.
She'll find it doesn't pay to consider the
the comfort of poverty stricken old crea-
tnre." But in spite of her worl lily wisdom
Mrs. Clement was forced to confess that
Della had begun RS she ment to hold out,
thoug IN other boarders came to demand her
attention, to multiply her cares. The fret
and jar of conflicting tenperaments under
her roof was new experience to Della.
When Mrs Griscame complained of the
mosquitoes, with an air as if Miss Rogerson
were responsible for their creation; of tn
flies, as if they were new acquaintances; of
want of appetite, as though Delia 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 antique furniture, too old for
comfort and not old enough for fashion =
then Della doubted if taking in boarders
was her mission. ''What makes you keep
US, my dear?" asked Mrs. Clement, after
seemed to go wrong. "Why didn't you
ever marry? You had lover, dare say?"
"Yes; long, long time ago."
"Tell me about him-lt?"
"Thele isn't much to tell. He asked me
to marry him. He was going to Australia.
couldn't leave father and mother you
know (they we're both feeble), and he
couldn't stay here. That's ALL"
And you-you-"
Now all men beside are to me like
shadews.'"
And have you heard of him since?"
YES. He wrote; but where was the use7
1t could never come to anything. It was
better for him to forget me and marry. /
was milestone about his neck. didn't
answer his letter.
And supposipg he should return some
day, would you marry him?"
Il dare say" laughed Della, gently, as if
the idea were familiar "let the neig ghbors
laugh ever so wisely, I've thought of it
sometimes, sitting alone, when the worl1
was barren ard comm onplace. One must
have recreation of some kind, you know.
Everybody requires a little romance, lit
tie ooetry. to flavor every day thinking and
doing. I'm afraid you think ME silly old
maid, Mrs. Clement.
mo. The heart never grows q ID. The
skin shrivels, the color departs. the eyes
fade, the features grow pinched; but the
soul is heir of eternal youth-it is as beau
tiful at fourscore as al sweet 90 Time
makes amends for ravaees Of the body by
your lovers name. Perhaps you would
rather not.
"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 never
ask, and Stephen never asks for me that
can hear"
Delia's summer boarders were not sue
cess, to be sure. If they took no money
out of her pocket, they put none in. She
was obliged to exc out her support by copy
ing for Lawyer Dunmore and embroidering
for Mrs. Judge Dorr. One By one her
boarders dropped away like autumn leaves;
all but old Mrs. Clement.
II 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 think my terms high?"
BY no means. But when ones purse is
low"
Yes; I know. Do stay at your own price.
I 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 like
turning her own mother out of doors: be-
sides one month more would not signify.
But she found it hard to make both ends
meet, and often went to bed hungry that
her mother and Mr.. Clement might en-
joy enough, without there appearing to be
lust a pattern" At Christmas, however,
came a ray of sunshine for Della, in the
shape of hundred dollar bill from an un.