The Worthington advance., 1881-11-10

having run through with it, you'd divide
your last crust with her, I'll be bound"
Il 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 on and on. Just now she
had been some weeks in arrears with her
reduced board. No money had been forth
coming for some time, and she WAS growing
an invalid and the attention of nurse, both
Of which Della bestowed upon her, without
taking thought of the morrow.
II must hear from my man of business
Tomorrow, Della; I'm knee-deep in debt to
you, she began one night.
Don't mention it," cried Della. I'd
rather never see cent of it than have you
take it to heart. You are welcome to stay
and share .pot.luc with us; yon are sush
company for mother and me-"
THANK you, nv dear. I've grown as
fond of you as if you were my own flesh
and blood. There. turn down the light,
please. Draw the curtain dear. and put an
other stick on the fire, please. It grows
chilly, doesn't it. You might kiss me just
once, if you wouldn't mind. It's q hum
ored years Or so since any one kissed me.
And next morning when Della carried up
Mrs. Clements breakfast, her boarder lay
cold and still upon the pillows.
The first shock over, Della wrote to the
lawyer of whom she had heard Mrs. Clem-
begging HIM to notify that lady's relatives,
if she had any. In reply Mr.. Wills wrote:
The late Mrs. Clement appears to have no
relatives. Some distant cousins. who have
an abundance of this worlds goods, yet
served her sEabbily when she tested their
generosity as she has tried yours, are all
that remain of her family. In the mean
time enclose youa copy of her last will
and testament, to peruse at your leisure"
"What interest dies he think I take in
Mrs. Clements will, thought Della; but
she read nevertheless:
Being of sound mind that the 18th day of
June, 18-, I, Della Rogerson Clement, do
hereby leave one hundred dollars to each
of my cousins; and bequeath. the residue
OF my property, viz; thirty thousand dol
lars in lngot mining company, fifty thou
sand in United States bonds, twenty thous-
sand in the Fortune Flannel mills. and my
jewels, to the beloved niece of my FIRST hus-
band, John Rogerson, Della Rogerson of
Croftsborough, Maine.
For vas q stranger and ye took me in;
hungry. and ye fed me; sick and ye minis
tered unto me-"
Goodness alive" cried the neighbors,
when the fact reached their ears. what
proftable thing it is to take borders.
Everybody in town will be trying it. OF
course Steve Langdon will come and marry
her. if she were forty old maids. You may
stick pin there!"
Della did not open her house to boarders
the next season. She found enough to 40
in looking after her money and spending
it: in replying to letters from indignant
people. who seemed to increase alarmingly;
in receiving old friends, who suddenly
found time to remember her existence.
And sure enough, among the rest appeared
Steve Langdon, and all the village said: Il
told you so."
"It's not my fault that you and are sim
gle yet, Della, he said.
"And we are too old to think of it now,
Steve.''
Nonsense! It's never too late to mend.
I'm not rich, Della, but I've enough for
two and to spare"
II wouldn't be contented to drive in my
carriage and have servants under me now,"
laughed Della.
Indeed! Then perhaps you have bet
ter match in view. Captain Seymour asked
me, by the way if came to interfere with
Squire jones' interest"
Yes. Squile Jones proposed to me last
week"
Now, see here, Della. Have I come all
the way from Melbourne on fools errand?
There was growing used to my misery and
loneliness, when the mail brings in a letter
in strange hand, which tells me that my
dear love, Della Rogerson, loves and dreams
II me still, is poor and alone, and needs
meme! And the letter is signed by her
aunt. Mrs. Clement, who ought to know.
packed my household goods and came"
I'm glad that You did,"
I'm order that may congratulate Squire
Jones?"
But I haven't accepted him. In fact,
I've refused m-because-"
Because you will marry your old love,
like the lass in the song, Della.
In Croftsborough people are not yettired
Of telling how a woman made money by
taking boarders.