The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-08


She'll find it doesn't pay to consider tn,
comfort of poverty-stricken ole
creature"
But in spite of her worldly wisdom
Mrs. Clement was forced to confess tina
Della had begun as she meant to hole
out, though other boarders came tC
demand her attention, to multiply hel
cares. The fret and jar of conflicting
temperaments under her roof was new
experience to Della. When Mrs. Gre
some complained of the mosquitoes
with an air as if Miss Rogerson were
responsible for their creation; of the
flies, as if they were new acquaintances
of want of appetite, as though Delis
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 com.
fort and not old enough for fashion" -
then Della doubted if taking boarders
was her mission.
"What makes you keep us, my
dear ?" asked Mrs. Clement, after day
when everything and everybody had
seemed to go wrong. "Why didn't you
ever marry? You had a lover, 1 dare
say?"
eyes; long, long time ago."
"Tell me about hint p
"There isn't much to tell. He
asked me to marry him. He was going
to Australia. 1 couldn't leave father
and motner, you know (they were both
feeble), and he couldn't stay here.
That's ALL"
"And you-you-"
"Now all men beside are to me like
shadows
"And have you never heard of him
since"
eyes. He wrote; but where was the
use? 1t could never come to anything.
1t was better for him to forget me and
marry. was milestone about his
neck I didn't answer his letter."
"And supposing he should return
some day, would you marry him?"
"I dare say" laughed Della, gently,
as if the idea were familiar, "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. Everybody
requires little romance, a little poetry,
to favor everyday thinking and doing.
I'm afraid you 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
it 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
would rather not"
Ellis name was Stephen Langdon
Sometimes Captain Seymour runs
against him in Melbourne, and brings
me word how he looks and what he is
doing; though l never ask, and Stephen
never asks for me, that 1 can hear"
Delia's summer boarders were not a
success, to be sure. If they took no
money out of her pocket, they put none
in. She was obliged to exc out her
support with copying for Lawyer Dun
more and embroidering for Mrs. Judge
Oorr. One by one her boarders dropped
away like the autumn leaves; all but
old Mrs Clement.
81 believe 1 will stay on," she said.
"I'm getting too old to move often.
Perhaps you take winter boarders at re-
duced rates. Eh?"
"Do you think my terms high?"
"Bv no means. But when ones purse
is low"
eyes, 1 know. Do stay at your
price. l can't spare you" She had
grown such fondness for the old lady
that to refuse her at her own terms
would have seemed like turning her own
mother out of doors; besides, one
mouth more would not signify. But
she found it hard to make both ends
meet, and often went to bed hungry
that her mother and Mrs. Clement
might enjoy enough, without there ap-
pearing to be "just a pattern" At
Christmas, however, came ray of sun
shine for Della, in the shape of hun
dred-dollar bill from an unknown
friend.
"It can't be meant for me-" she cried.
"It's directed to Della Rogerson,"
said her mother; sand there's nobody
else of that name, now that your Aunt
Delia's dead"
"We are not sure she's Dead" OBJ
iected Della.
"Horrors Don you know whether
your own aunt is dead or alive ?" asked
Mrs. Clement, in shocked tone.
"It isn't our fault. She is rich and
lives abroad. / was named for her.
used to look in the glass and try to be-
lieve I'd inherit her beauty with the
name, though she was only our great
uncle's wife"
"She ought to be doing something
for YOU"
"How can she if she's dead? / don't
blame her, anyway. Her money is her
own, to use according to her pleasure.
Uncle John made it himself and gave il
to her."
But if she should come back to you,
having run through with it, you'd
divide your last crust with her, I'll be
bound"
i" suppose should" replied Della.
The winter wore away as winters will,
and the miracles of spring began in
fields and wayside; and Delia's boarders
returned with the June roses, and
dropped away again with the falling
leaves, and still Mrs. Clement stayed OF
and on. Just now she had been some
weeks in arrears with her reduced
board. No money had been forthcom
ing for some time, and she was growing
more feeble daily, needed the luxuriel
of an invalid and the attention of {
nurse, both of which Della bestowed