The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-07-18
MISCELLANY.
" BENJAMIN'S DAUGHTER. "

"Oh |" said Miss Naomi Borax, souriy.
$50 you're Brother Benjamin's daughter,
are you2 ?"
The time was five o'clock, of q dreary
March afternoon, the hills frosted over with
light fall of snow, like SO many Twelfth
Night cakes, the sky dappled with gray
clouds, and sharp wind bowling among the
cedars and tamaracks of the lonely spot.
The place was a comfortable-lookin red
brick house at the "Cross Roads," with a
pleasant reflection of freight behind its cur
tains, and the smell of fried potatoes and
ham issuing forth, after a most genial fash
ion. The dramatis persone were Miss
Naomi Borax, middle-aged lady of sharp
and calculated appearance, who stood on
the doorstep, blocking up the portals and
Aveline, her niece, fair, dropping maiden
of sixteen, with soft hazel-brown eyes, and
color softer than any balsam.
Yes" Aveline answered, glancing timidly
up, Il am to come here. For month"
Miss Naomi Borax's countenance grew
sarter than ever.
It's the first I've heard of IT," said she,
without eyincing any particular degree of
pleasure.
Didn't you get my cousin Clarissa's
letter ?" said Aveline, with startled look.
I've got nc letter." said Miss Borax.
"Nor no telegram. Nor no nothin' else ~
:" am to come to you," reiterated Ave.
line. "For q month. Please let me 60
into the house, Aunt Naomi am so cold
and tired. have walked all the way from
the railroad station Oh, Aunt Naomi, are
you not glad to see me ?"
Grudgingly enough, Miss Borax made way
for the slight, shivering figure to pass
" Benjamin's daughter, indeed" she NUT
tered under her breath. "That's the way
The minute the city relations get tired of
her they pack her off upon me. But they
needn't suppose I'm going to put up with
tn
And she added, aloud, "Why, to tell the
-<uth, Avcline, it amt exactly convenient
for me to have company jast now I've got
six boarders, the minister, the school.
teacher, and four factory girls. And"
"Oh, bnt could help you with the house.
work. Aunt Naomi" said Aveline, lifting
her pleading eyes to the spinster's hard face.
"And don't care where sleep"
81 can't afford to keep no help" said Miss
Naomi, to whom Thrift was the end and
aim of existence. "And perhaps. Niecs
Aveline, it's just as well that we should come
to an understanding at once. Set down BY
the fire. How old are your"
"Past sixteen, Aunt Naomi" said Ave-
line, secretly wondering what was coming
next.
Them" said Miss Borax, "you're quite
old enough to earn your own living. And
you must do it, if you come here"
"Oh, Aunt Naomi, don't speak no Grossly
to me !" said poor Aveline, her hazel-brown
eyes filing with tears. cousin Clarissa
was always kind"
"I dare say" said Naomi "a limp,
easy-going creetur, as was always bOhind.
hand with her butcher aud baker. I don't
manage after that fashion myself. And
Clarissa owes me a coffee-cupfu, of meal and
two smoked mackeral to this day, as she Dor
rowed of me six years ago, when we lived
neighbors on Blue Mountain Road. Some
folks forgets easy. don't. And as to
speakin' Grossly, facts is facts Brother
Benjamin never took no thought for the
future. He was one of your happy go-lucky
people too. And here is his daughter de-
pending on charity!"
Aveline, meek though she was, could
scarcely endure this heartless taunt.
"Aunt Naomi" she cried, "you must not
say such cruel thingsi"
Hoity-toity |" said Miss Borax. "If you
speak SO loud, you'll have all my boarders
down to see what the matter is. What /
mean to say is that I can't support Other
peoples children. It's all I can do to take
care of myself. But p'raps the minister
knows of some place you can get. Or may
be Mr.. Archdale. the school-master, can
recommend you to a position. He's as
poor as Jobs cat himself, but he knows a
lot of nice people up in the State of Massa-
chusetts. And may be the factory girls can
pat you up to place at sewing buttons on
cards, or some such business. View, all got
to work in this world. Now you can set and
warm yourself until supper is ready"
Supper was scant affair enough. A
johnny cake, "a little dry toast, some blue
berry jam, and cup of weak and sage-fav-
ored tea, was all that Miss Borax set before
her boarders. The minister was tall, lank
young man with yellow hair and close
shaven face, who took refuge in an almost
unbroken silence the schoolteacher was
pleasant, modest-looking man, who did his
best to make poor Aveline feel at home, and
the four factory girls stared, giggled, and
whispered by turns. Miss Naomi grimly
poured the tea, and looked surprised when
any one wanted second helping of blue
berry jam, while starved cat went around
picking up the crumbs under the table.
And Aveline cried herself to sleep in the little
zarret bedroom where, as her Aunt Naomi
kindly informed her Grandfather Borax had
died at the age of eighty year,.
"On that very bed" said Miss Naomi.
"Good night, Brother Ben's daughter. /
hope you'll sleep Welt"
Poor Avelinei
The next day the question of work came
up. The four factory girls declared that