Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-03-10
JOhnny'S Summer Boarder.
BY EMILY HEWITT LELAND.

his real name was JOln Hamilton
Lamberton, but no one in his family or
In the neighborhood ever called him
anything but Johnny even though he
was grown TO be a tall young man six
feet high, with shoulders accordingly,
and trim brown side whiskers that gave
his healthfully tinted face an English
touch, only he was not aware of it.
Yes, everyone, from the long settled
halt-farmer minister who preached in
the old church, down to the dozen bows
and girls who trudged over the hills to
the district school, called him John
ny in the merriest and most affection
ate manner, and was always sure of a
pleasant response and generally hap
Pr smile that showed a row of teeth as
white and clean as hounds.
But there came a time. alas, when
Johnny's smile vanished from his face
and his kindly brown eyes returned
but sad greeting. 1t was the time
when, within week his father and
mother were borne to the burying-
ground on the hillside that lay remind.
Ingly in view of the church windows.
They were so happily united in this
life, it was but natural that they should
go away together into the great new
country that awaits us all. But their
going was almost more than johnny,
their only child, could bear. At first
hn fhpIprrht ha = sail hN g.,
go far away into new scenes and try to
forget his grief somewhat. Yet, after
q few slow passing weeks, this desper-
ate condition gave place to gentler
sadness and the feeling that the old
home was now doubly dear. because
wherever he looked and whichever way
he turned everything rem nded him
more strongly than when the father
and mother were lIving-of the faithful
hearts who had toiled and planned and
saved solely for him.
A widowed aunt remained with him
after the burial-announc NC her deter
mination to stay until the poor boz
could collect his wits and know what
he was going to do. She was a mel
ancholy woman who had been ''in
mourning" for somebody or other near
ly all the days of her life. and this loss
of a dear sister only freshened the
Grape on her black bonnet, and gave a
narrower and soberer stripe to her fay
orite black and white gingham gowns.
II did think" she confided to neigh
Dor, ''that I'd have a black sateen with
a Sprig in it for this summer-iust TO
liven up little, you know-but now
sister Mary's gone l can't flare out in
any sprigs. All. me! Life's but
dream, fleeting breath, how soon the
Tapor flies!"
And yet in spite of Aunt James apti-
tude for mourning she was, in a sad
and composed way, very fond of the
bright and stirring things of life. Hav-
ing lived for long time in large
manufacturing town she found quiet
farm-life very depressing. She sighed
audibly for electric lights and street
cars, missed the clamor of mill-whistles
and church bells and even bemoaned
the absence of the strong-voiccd buy ers
of old iron and paper rags.
Johnny tried his best to cheer her sad
spirits Every time he went to sthe
Junction" as their little railroad town
was locally designated, he brought
home a Danbury News or a Detroit |
Free Press for her special reading, and
in the evening he played his least
mournful airs on his violin; but Aunt
Jane remained uncheered. "Such a
lonesome little family to do for--that's |
the trouble with me-" she grumbled. |
'.What is the good of going through all
the rigmarole of housekeeping just to |
feed hired man and a hired girl for |
Johnny's appetite is no where in keep |
ing with his size and | was always a |
small eater"
Probably it was from casting about
FOR offsets to lonesomeness that Aunt /
Jane was led to hit upon the summer
boarder idea. There are two front |
chambers and the parlor that could be
spared just as well as not. And then
I'D have something to take up my
mind, she argued.
So johnny wrote some advertise
ments and sent them to Boston and |
New York newspapers.
They were modest and truthful adj
vertisements There were only two or
three wary and never to be caught old |
trout in all the length of Cherry Greek,
80 he made no illusions to ''captal
fishing" and as no boat could turn
about the creek, even at its widest part
he refrained from mentioning fine
boating" Mosquitoes sometimes in
insinuated themselves in an about the
place, so he did not affirm that they
were entirely unknown. And as there
was little to hunt but family of crows
who had their nest in Hemlock Swamp.
he put forth no tempting statements to
yearning nimrods. He only mentioned
''reoms and board in private fam ly
in pleasant country region" and so
lived on at ease with his conscience.
The family was certainly a quiet one,
and pleasant" was almost too mild a
term for the truly noble scenery in
which the farm was located
Greatly to Johnny's surprise and to