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GOULD &
BY ELWELL,
Office 80 Middle, near Corner of Exchange St.
TERMS: $1,50 PER YEAR.
One Dollar for Eight Months, in advanca
AN INDEPENDENT PAMILY JOURNAL OF LITERATURE, NEWS, &&. i
VOLUME XV.
POETRY.
MEM MO RY, -
Soltas rays of sunlight stealing
On the dying
Sweet, us chimes of ow balls pealing,
When eve fades a
Sad as winds at ight t that moan,
Through the heath o’er mountains lone,
Come the thoughts of days now gone
On manhood’s memory.
As the sunbeams from the heaven
Hide at eve their light;
As the bells when fades the even
Peal not on the night ;
As the night winds cease to sigh,
When the fain falls from the sky,
Pass the thoughts of days gone by
From age’s memory.
Yet the sunlight in the morning ’
Forth again shall break,
And the bells give sweet-voiced warning
To the world to wake,
Soon the winds shall freshly breathe
Over the mountain’s purple heath ;
But the Past is lost in Death—
e hath no memory.
Dublin U. Mag.
SELECT TALE,
TAKING BOARDERS.
BY T. 8. ARTHUR,
“I don't know what we shall do!” Mrs. Turner
exclaimed, about six months after the death of her
husband, while pondering sadly over the prospect
before her. She had one daughter about twenty,
and two sons, both under ten years. Up to this
time, she had never known the dread of want., Her
husband had been able to provideewell for his fam-
ily, and they moved in a very respectable,and some-
what showy circle.. But on his death, his affairs
were found to be a good deal involved, and when
settled, there was left for the widow. and children
only abous the sum of four thousand dollars, be-
sides the houschold furniture, which was very hand
some. This sad falling off in her, prospects, had
heen communicated to hera short time before,by the
administrator on the estate; and its effect was to
alarm and sadden her extremely. She knew nothing
of business,never having been called toengagein any
and yet, she was painfully conscious,that four thou-
sand dollars would be but a trifle to what she would
need for her family. But, besides her ignorance of
any calling by which money could be made, she
had asuperabundance of false pride, and shrunk
from what she was pleased to consider the odium
attached to a woman who had to engage _in busi-
ness. Under these circumstances, she had a poor
enough prospect bofore her. The exclamation, as
above recorded, was made in the presence of Mary
Turner, her daughter, a well educated girl, who had
Jess of that false pride which obscured her moth-
er’s perceptions of right... After a few moments’ si-
lence she said—
“And yet we must no something, mother.”
“J know ‘that, Maty, too well, But I know of
nothing that we can do.”
“Suppose we open alittle dry goods’ store ?” sug-
gested Mary. “Others seem to do well at it, and
we might. You know we have a great many friends.”
“Don’t think of it, Mary ! We could not express
ourselves in that way.”
“I know that it would not be Pleasant, mother,
but then we must do something.”
“It must be something else besides that, Mary.
I can’t listen to it. * It’s only a vulgar class of wo-
men that keep stores.”
“Iam willing to take in sewing, mother, but,
then all I could earn would go but a little way to
wards keeping up the family, I don't suppose I
could even pay the rent, and that you know is four
hundred dollars
“That is too trae,” Mrs. ‘Turner said, despond-
ingly—
“Suppose I open a school ?” suggested Mary.
“O,no!no! My- head would never stand the
noise and confusion. And, any way, I never ya
like,a school.”
“Then I don’t know what we shall do, unless we
take some boarders.”
PORTLAND, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28,
“That would be a little more , genteel. “But even
that is low enough”
“Then, suppose, mother, we look for a lower rent,
and try to live a good deal more economically. I
will take in sewing, and we can try for awhile, and
see how we get along.”
“O no, indeed child. That would never do.—
We must keep up appearances, or we shall lose
our place in society. You know that it is absolute-
ly necessary for you and your brothers, that we
should maintain our position.”
“As for me, mother,” Mary said, in a serious
tone, “I would not have you take a thought in that
way. And it scems to me that our true position is
the one where we can live comfortably according
to our means.”
“You don’t know anything about it, child,” Mrs.
Turner replied, in 2 positive tone.
Mary was of course silenced for this time. But
a banishment of the subject did not, in any way,
lesson the difficulties ; and the thoughts of these
soon again became apparent. in words; and the
most natural form of these was the sentence—
“I don’t know what we shall do !” uttered by the
mother in a tone cf deep desponding.
“But hadn’t we better take a few boarders ?” Ma-
ry again urged, about three wecks after the conver-
sation just alluded to.
“No, Mary; we would be too much exposed, and
then it would come very hard on you, for you know
that I cannot stand much fatigue,” Mrs. Turner re-
plied, slowly and sadly.
“O, as to that,” Mary said, with animation ; “I'll
take all the burden off of you.”
“Indeed, child, I cannot think of it,” Mrs. Tur-
ner said, positively ; and again the subject was dis-
missed.
But it was soon again recurred: to, and after the
suggestion and disapproval of many plans, Mary
“6 ern, mother, I don’t sce what we will do, un-
less we take a few boarders.” .
“It’s the only thing at all respectable, that I can
think of,” Mrs. Turner at length said, desponding-
ly : “and I'm afraid it’s the best we can do.”,
“J think we had better try it, mother, don't you?”
“Well, perhaps we had, Mary. There are four
rooms that we can spare; and these ought to bring
us in something right handsome.”
“What ought we to charge ?”
“Why, about three dollars and a half for young
men; and ten dollars for a man and his wife.”
“If we could get four married couples for the four
rooms, that would be forty dollars a week, which
would be pretty good,” Mary said, warming at the
thought.
“Yes, if we could, Mary, we might manage pret
ty well, ; But most married people have children,
and they are such an annoyance that I wouldn’t
have them in the house. We shall have to depend
mainly on the young men.
It was probably three wecks after this that an ad-
vertisement, running thus, appeared in one of the
newspapers :
Boarprxo—Five or six genteel young men, or
a few gentlemen and their wives, can be accommo
dated with boarding at No. — Cedar street. Terms
moderate.”
In the conrse of the following day, a man called
and asked the terms for himself and wife.
“Ten dollars,” said Mrs. Tarner. |“
“That's too high—is it not?” asked the man.
“We cannot take you for less.”
“tive you a pleasant room vacant ?”
“You can have your choice of the finest in the
house ?”
“Can I look at them, madam ?”
“Certainly, sir.” And the stranger was taken
through Mrs: Turner’s beautifully furnished cham-
b
TS,
“Well, this is certainly a temptation,” said the
man pausing, and looking around the front cham-
ber on thesecond floor. “And you have named your
lowest ferms ?”
“Yee, sir, the lowest.”
“Well it’s higher than I've been paying, but this
looks too comfortable, I suppose we will have to
strike a bargain.”
“We shall be pleased to accommodate you, sir!
“We will come, then, to-morrow morning.”
“Very well, sir.” And the stranger departed.
1852.
“So much for a beginning,” Mrs. Turner said, ev-
idently gratified. ‘He seems very much of a gen-
tleman. If his wife is like him, they will make all
things go very agreeable, I am sure.”
“T hope she is,” Mary said.
On the next morning, the new boarders made
their appearance, and the lady proved as affable
and as interesting as the husband.
“T always pay quarterly. That is the custom in
all the boarding houses Ihave beenin. Butifyour
rules are otherwise, why just say so. It makes no
difference to me,” said the new boarder, in the
blandest manner imaginable.
“Just suit yourself abont that. Mr. Cameron. It
is altogether immaterial,” Mrs. Turner replied smil-
ing. .“I am in no particular want of money.”
Mr. Cameron bowed Jower, and smiled more
blandly, if possible, than before.
“You have just opened a boarding honse, I sup-
pose, madam ?”
“Yes sir, Iam a new beginner at the business.
“Ah—well, I must try and make you known all I
can. You will find Mrs. Cameron here, a sociable
kind of a woman. And if I can serve you at any
time, be sure to command me.”
“You are too kind !”. Mrs. Turner responded,
much pleased to have found, in her first boarders,
such excellent, good hearted people.
In a few days, a couple of young men made ap-
plication, and were received, and now commenced
the serious duties of the new undertaking. Mary
had to assume the whole care of the house. She
had to attend the markets, and oversee the kitchen,
and als> to make with her own hands all the pas-
try. Still, she had a willing heart, and this light-
ened much of the heavy burden now imposed upon
“Tow do you like your new boarding house ?”
asked a friend of one of the young men who had
applied, and been received, about two weeks after
his entrance into Mrs. Turner's house,
“Elegant,” responded the young man, giving his
countenance a peculiar and knowing expression.
“Indeed? But are you in earnest %”
“Iam that. Why, we live on the very fat of the
land.”
“Pshaw ! you must be joking. °. Whoever heard
“ the fat of the land being found ina boarding
house, They can’t afford it.”
Idon't care, myself, whether they can afford it
or not. But we do live elegant. I wouldn't ask
to set down to any thing better than we have.”
“What kind of a room have you?—and what
kind of a bed ?”
“Good enough for a lord.”
“Nonsense !”
“No, bat I am in carnest, as I will prove to you.
Isleep on as fine abed as ever Isaw, on a richly
carved mahogany bedstead, with beautifal curtains.
The floor is covered with a Brussels’ carpet, near-
ly new, and of rich pattern, There is in the room
a mahogany wardrobe, an elegant piece of furni-
ture—a marble top dressing bureau, and a mahog-
any wash-stand with a marble slab. Now if you
don’t call that a touch above a common boarding
house, you've been more fortunate than I have been
until lately.”
“Are there any vacancies theres Tom # ”
“There is another bed in m:
“Well, just tell them tonight, that Til be there
to morrow morning.” ~
“Very well.”
“And I know of, a couple more that'll add to the
mess, if there is room.”
“Ivsa large house, ond I believe they have room
yet to spare.”
A week more passed away, and the house had
its complement, sixtyoung men, and the polite gen-
tleman and his wife. This promised an income of|
thirty-on8 dollars per week.
As an offset to this, a careful examination into
the weekly expenditure would have shown a state-
ment something like the following: Marketing $12;
Groceries, flour, &c., $10; Rent $3; Servant’s hire
cook, chambermaid, and black boy, $4; Fuel.
jdental expenses, $6—in all, $40 per week.
Besides this, their own clothes, and the schooling
of the two boys did not cost less than $300, Bat
neither Mrs. ‘Turner nor Mary ever thought that
any such calculation was necessary. They charg
PES
ed what other boarding house keepers charged,and
‘ NUMBER 46.
thought of course, that they must make a good
living. But boarding house, even where
much higher prices were obtained, was 80 much
piled upon the table.
Every thing in its season, was to be found there,
without regard to prices. Of course, the boarders
were delighted, and complimented them upon the
excellent fare which they rcezived.
Mr. & Mrs. Cameron continued as affable and in
teresting as when they first came into the house —
But the first quarter passed away, and nothing was
said about their bill, and Mrs. Turner never thought )
of giving them a polite hint. Two of her young
men were also remiss in this respect, but they were
such gentlemanly, polite, attentive individuals, that
of course, nothing could be said.
“I believe I've never had your bill, Mrs Turner,
bave 1?” Mr. Cameron said to her one‘ evening,
when about six months had passed. ‘
“No; Ihave never thought of handing itin, But
it’s no difference, I’m not in want of money.”
“Yes, but it ought to Le paid. I'll bring you up
a check from the counting room in a few days.”
“Suit your own convenience, Mr. Cameron,”
Mrs. Turner said in an indifferent tone.
“O, it’s perfectly convenient at all times. Bat
knowing that you were notin want of it, has made
me negligent.” ;
This was all that was said on the subject for
another quarter, during which time the two young
men alluded to as being in arrears, went off, cheat-
ing the widow out of fifty dollars each.
But they said nothing about it to the other board-
ers, and none of them knew of the wrong they had
sustained. Their places did not fill up, and the
promised weekly income was reduced to twenty-
four dollars.
At the end of the third quarter, Mr. Cameron
again recollected that he had neglected to bring up
a check from the counting-room, and blamed him
self for his thoughtlessness, .
“I em so full of business,” he ‘said, “that I some-
times neglect these little things.”
“But it's a downright shame, Mr. Cameron, ,
when its so easy for you to draw off a check and
put it in your pocket,” said his wife.
“O, it’s not a particle of difference,” Mrs. Tur-
ner volunteered to say, smiling—though, to tell the
trath, she world much rather have had the money.
“Well, Til try and bear it in mind this very
night,” and Mr. Cameron hurried away, as business
pressed.
The morning after Mr. Cameron’s fourth quarter
expired, he watked out, as usual, with his wife be-
fore breakfast. But when all assembled at the ta-
ble, they had not (something very uncommon for
them) returned.
“I wonder what keeps Mr. and Mrs. Cameron ‘”
Mrs. Turner remarked.
“Why, I saw them leave in the steamboat for tle
South, this morning,” said one of the boarders.
“You must certainly be mistakened,” Mrs. Tur-
ner replied.
“O, no ma‘am, notat all. -I'saw them, and con:
versed with them before the boat started. They
told me that they were going on as far as Wash-
ington.”
“That's very strange !” jacalated Mrs. Turner. .
They said nothing to me about it.’
“J hope they don’t owe you any thing,” remark-
ed one of the boarders, ” .
“Indeed, then, they do.”
“Kot much, ma’am, I hope.”
“Over five hundred doflars.’
“O, that is too bad! How could you trust aman |
like Mr. Cameron to such an amount ?” .
“Why, surely,” said Mrs. Torner, “he is a re-
spectable and a responsible merchant ; and | I was
in no want of the mone;
“Indeed, Mrs. Ti urmer, ‘he i is no such thing?” e
“Then what is he ?
“He is one of your gentlemen about town, and —
lives, I suppose, by gambling. Atleast such is the
reputation he bears. I thought you perfectly bo:
derstood this.”
“How sadly and shamefully Ihave been dessins
ed!” Mrs. Turner said, unable to command her
we and rising, she left the table in charge of
On examining Mr. and. Mrs. Cameron's room *
heir trunk was found, but it was empty. The owa-
