Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-03-29
IOhnny'S Summer Boarder.
BY EMILY HEWITT LELAND.


Lamber,on, but no one in his family or
II the neiShborhood ever called him
Inything but johnny, even though he
vas grown to be tall young man six
Get high, with shoulders accordingly,
md trim brown side whiskers that gave
lis BEAUTIFULLY tinted face an English
ouch, only lac was not aware of it.
les. everyone, from the long settled
lalf-farmer minister who preached in
he old church, down to the dozen boys
md girls who trudged over the hills to
he district school, called him John
~ in the merriest and most affection
tie manner, and was always sure of
pleasant response and generally "a hap
~ smile that showed a row of teeth as
White and clean rs a hound s.
But there came n time alas, when
Iohnny's smile vanished from his face
md his kindly brown eyes returned
nut 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
ngly in view of the church windows.
They were so happily united in this
ife, it was but natural that they should
20 away together into the great new
country that awaits us all. But their
!oing was almost more than johnny,
heir only child, could bear. At first
Ie thought he must sell the farm and
70 far away INTO new scenes and try to
orget his grief somewhat. Yet, after
few slow passing weeks, this desper-
tie condition gave place to Il gentler
adness and the feeling that the old
homo was now doubly dear, because
wherever he looked and whichever way
lc turned everything rem nded him
more strongly than when the father
md mother were living-of the faithful
hearts who had toiled and planned and
Iaved solely for him.
a widowed aunt remained with him
liter the burial-announc ng her deter
nination TO stay until the poor boy
could collect his wits and know what
&c was going to do. She was Il mel
mcholy woman who had been ''in
Mourning" for somebody or other near
V all the days of her life and this loss
)f II dear sister only freshened the
rape on her black bonnet and gave n
narrower and soberer stripe to her fav-
,rite black and white gingham gowns.
Il did think, she coniided to q neigh
)or. ''that I'd have black sateen with
sprig in it for this summer-just to
iven up little, you know--but now
lister Mary's gone / cant flare out in
my sprigs. All. me! Life 5 but u
lream. n fleeting breath, how soon the
Tapor flies!"
And yet in spite of Aunt James apti-
ude for mourning she was. in sad
md composed way, very fond of the
bright and stirring things OF life. Hav-
ny lived for a long time in a large
manufacture town she found quiet
arm-life very depressing. She sighed
ludibly for electric lights and street
ears, missed the clamor of mill-whistles
md church bells and even bemoaned
ihe absence of the strong-voiccd buy ers
If old iron and paper rags
Johnny tried his best to cheer her sad
Iprits. Every time he went to "the
Junction. 4" as their little railroad town
nome Danbury News or Detroit
Free Press for her special reading. and
II the evening he played his least
mournful airs on his violin; but Aunt
Jane remained uncheered. "Such Il
lonesome little family to do fcr--that's
the trouble with me- she grumbled.
"What is the good of going through all
Tie rigmarole of housed keeping Just to
L.; -, Il &.
Johnny's appetite is no where in keep
ne with his size and l was always u
Jmall eater"
Probably it was from casting about
Tor 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 us 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
refreshments. There were only two or
three wary and never to be caught old
trout in all the length of Cherry Creek
go he made no illusions to "capital
6shing." and as no boat could turn
about the creek. even at its widest part,
he refrained from mentioning fine
boating" Mosquitoes sometimes in
lnsinuated 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
"rooms and board in a private family
In a pleasant country region" and SO
lived on ut ease with his conscience.
The family was certainly 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