Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-11-18

--N- ''N'@.''- ~. VIZ Ss1aOtJ uDftre aUti
aGtlq cated furniture, 'ioo old 10.
comfort and Mt old enough fer fash
ion then Della doubse,! if taking
boardets was her miaei4n. "Wi,at
makea you keep u. NY denr?" asked
Mrs. Clement, after u tiay when everv-
thing AID every body had seemed to go
wrong. Why Didn't you ever marry {?
Iou had lover. dare say ~"
"fes; long, long time sgo."
"Teii rle about Ll;n-it,"
"TEerc isn't much to tell. He asked
me TO marry him. He WAS going TO
Australia. | couldl't leave father and
mot&er, you know Uhey were bo.h
fcetle), aad hc conldr't stay. That's
ALL"
And you-ycu--"
Nov all men b,siIe are TO me lib g
shadows.
"Aud you never heard Of him
since 2"
Yes. He wrote; but where's the
use? II conld rcver cone to ANYTHING
1t was better tr him to forget me aud
marry. ] was millstora about his
neck. / didn't answer his letter"
Aud snpposing he should return
some day. would you marry hin.?"
~ dare say" laughed Della gently.
as if the idea was familiar, "let the
neishbors laugh ever so wisely. I've
thought Of it sometimes, sitting aloLe,
when tho world WAS barren aud co.,
mcDplace. One must have recreation
OF some kind, you know. Everybody
requires little romance, "A little poetry.
to flavor veryday thinking aud Il, ing.
I'n afraid you think me silly old
maid. Mrs. Clement"
M. The heart never grows old.
The skin shrivels. the color departs, the
eyes fade. the features grow pinchej; !;
but the soul is heir of eternal youth
it is as beautiful at fourscore as at
sweet and twenty Tine makes
amends for the ravaees of the body b,
developing tbs spirit. You didn't tell
me your lovers lame. Perhaps you
would raiGez not
His name WIS Stephen L.ngdon.
Sometimes Captain Seymour runs
against him in Melbourne, and brings
me wo,d how he locks ard wba. be is
doing; though he never asks for me.
that can hear
Dclia's summer bcarders were not
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 by copying for Lawyer
Danmore and embroidering for Mrs.
Judge Dorr. One by oue her boarders
dropped away like sntumn leaves; all
but old Mrs. Clement.
81 believe I'll stay on" she said.
"I'm getting too old to move often.
Perhaps you take winter boarders ut
reduced rates. Ell ?"
"Do yuu think my terms high2"
by NO MEANS But when ones
purse is low" :...
"Yes, know. Do stay ut your own
price. i can't spare you." She had
grown such u fondness for the old lajy
that to refuse her ut her own terms
would have seemed like turning her
own mother out Of doors: besides, one
mouth would not signify. Bat she
found it hard to make both ends meet,
and often won't to bed hungry that her
mother and Mrs. Clement might enjoy
enough. without their appearing TO be
"just pattern" At Christmas, how
ever, came ray of sunshine for Della,
in the shape OF hundred. dollar bill
from an unknown friend.
"It can't be meant for me-" 81
cried.
"It's directed to Della Rogerson," i"
said her mother; land there's rohody
else of that name. now that your Aunt
Della is dead"
1--WE arc not sure che is dead" oh.
jected Della.
Don't you know whether your aunt
is dead or alive Q" asked Mrs. Clement,
in q shocked tcne.
"It isn't our fault. She is very
rich and lives abroad. I was named
after her. ! used to look in the glass
and try to believe that would inherit
her beauty with the name. though she
was only our greatuncle's WIFE"
"She ought to be doing something
for YOU"
"How can she. if she is dead2
don't blame her any way. Her money
is her own to use according TO her
pleasure. Uncle John made it himself
aad gave it to her."
bat if she should come back TO
you. having run through with it, you'd
divide your last crust with her. I'll be
bould."
II suppose should" replied Della.
The winter wore away as winters
will. and the miracles Of spring began
IN the fields and wsysides; and Della s
bosrs.ers returned with the Tuns roses,
and dropped away again with the fall
ing leaves, and still Mrs. Clement
stayed en- and Oh. Just now she had
been some weeks in arrears with her
reduced board. No money had been
forthc lming for some time, and she
was growing more feeble daily, needing
the Injuries OF an invalid and the at
tention OF a nurse, both of which Della
bestowed upon her, without taking
thought of the morrow.
81 must hear from my man-of