Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-07-19

1--WE are not sure she's dead, objected
Della.
Horrors Don't you know whether your
own aunt is dead or alive ~ asked Mrs.
Clement in a shocked tone
'It isn't our fault She is rich and lives
abroad. | was named for her. | used 10
look in the glass and try TO believe I'd in
herited her beauty with the name, though
she was only our great-uncle's wife"
'She ought TO be doing something for
you"
"How can she, if she's dead. don't
blame her, any way. Her money is her
own to use according 10 her pleasure I'm
Gle John made it himself and gave it to
her"
"But il she should come back to you,
having run through with il, you'd divide
your last crust with her, I'll be bound"
81 suppose / should said Della.
The winter wore away, as winters will,
and the miracles of spring began in fields
and wayside and Delia's boarders return
ed with the June roses, and dropped away
again with the falling leaves, and still Mrs.
Clement staid on and on. Just now she
had been for some weeks in arrears with
her reduced board. No money had been
forthcoming for some time, and she was
growing more feeble daily, needed the lux
uries Of an invalid and the attentions of a
nurse, both Of which Della bestowed upon
her, without taking thought for the NOR
row.
81 must hear from my man of business
to morrow, Della. I'm knee deep in debt
TO you, she began one night.
Don't mention it - cried Della. "Hd
rather never see a cent of it than have you
take it 10 heart. You're welcome TO stay
and share pot luck with us, you're such
company for mother and me-
Thank you, my dear I've grown as
fond of you as if you were my owR flesh
and blood. There, turn down the light,
please. Draw the curtain dear, and put
another stick on the fire, please. 1t grows
chilly. doesn't it, You might kiss me Just
once if you wouldn't mind, It's hun
dred years or so since any one kissed me. y
And the next morning, when Della car
| ried up Mrs. Clements breakfast, her
boarder lay cold and still upon the pillows.
The first shock over, Della wrote direct
ly to the lawyer of whom she had heard
Mrs. Clement speak as having charge of
her affairs, begging him to notify that la
| dy's relative if she had any. In reply, Mr..
Wills wrote
"The late Mrs. Clement appears to have
no near relatives. Some distant cousins,
who, having an abundance of this worlds
goods, yet served her shabbily when she
tested their generosity. as she has tried
yours, are all that remain of her family.
In the meantime | enclose you a copy of
her last will and testament to peruse at
your leisure"
"What interest does he think | take in
Mrs Clements WILL thought Della but
read, nevertheless
Being Of sound mind this 10th day of June
| IS, l, Della Rogerson Clement, do hereby leave
| one hundred dollars TO each Of my cousins; and
bequeath the residue of my property, viz: Thirty
| thousand dollars invested in the IngOt Mining
company, fifty thousand in United States bonds,
| twenty thousand in Fortune flannel mills and my
| jewels to the beloved niece Of my first husband,
! John Rogerson. DELLA ROGERsOS,
! of CrOftsbOrough. Maine
For | was a stranger, and ye took me in
| hungry and ye fed me; sick, and ye ministered
/ unto me.
Goodness alive - cried the neighbors,
when the facts reached their ears. "What
profitable thing it is to take boarders
| Everybody in town will be trying it. OF
course Steve Langdon will come home and
marry her, if she were forty old maids.
You may stick pin in there ~
Della did not open her house to boarders
the next season. She found enough to dc
in looking after her money and spending
it in replying to letters from INDECENT peo-
/ pie, 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 -
Its not my fault that you and are sin
gle yet, Della, he said.
And we are too old to think of change
now, Steve"
Nonsense It's never too late to mend
I'm not rich, Della but I've enough fol
two and to spare
II wouldn't be contented not to drive in
my carriage and have servants under me
now" laughed Della.
Indeed Then perhaps you have a bet
ter match in view Capt. Seymour asked
me, by the way, if had come to interfere
with Squire Joness interest"
Yes. Squire Jones proposed to me last
week"
"Now, see here, Della. Have l come al
the way from Melbourne on FOOLS errand
There | was growing used to my misery
and loneliness, when the mail brings me il
letter in a strange hand which tells mt
that my dear love, Della Rogerson, loves
and dreams of me still, is poor and alon,
and needs me And the letter is signed by
her aunt, Mrs. Clement, who ought to know
packed my household goods and came
81 am glad you did"
I'm order that may congratulate Squir,
Jones,"
"But haven't accepted him. In fact
I've refused him-because-"
because you will marry your old love
like the lass in the song, Della :"
In Croftsborough, people are not ye
tired of telling how woman made none!
taking boarders. rs.-Mdry ~ Prescott.