Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-06-05
Or, the Siding
BY cEcILY ALLEN.
conSrisht. 1907. by E. c. PARCELS.
BY cEcILY ALLEN.

~ as far as his youth would permit,
,,oiyed both Aunt Helen and Henry
s,-one. That was why he felt vague
Z acrrieved that he saw 50 little OF
=, Henry these days. and had he
snown that In his small person he per.
..nieed duty and stood between the
- objects of his alteration he would
have felt doubly aggrieved.
what he did know was that Mr.. Hen
: had taken to walking on the other
.de OF the street and evading press
~ invitations to come over and sit
= orr plazza." and that Aunt Helen
.roidad all conversation bearing ON
Mr. Henry; also that she had developed
tendency to red eyes and absent
minded conduct, which annoyed BERTHE,
r.r,jeularly when she stopped In the
midst of fairy story and stared out
A the window without speaking.
The nelchbors might have enlight-
mad BERTHE as to the true state Of AT
,ars They all said 1t was too foolish
a. Helen Bertram to act SO over
.h,a There was such thing as car
ring ones ideas of duty too far. and
one owed some duty to the living as
well as the dead.
n was the most joyous Of early
snrinr weather when every one should
feel happy, but BERTHE felt the depres,
.ion which seemed to have settled
down on the pretty cottage which he
and Amt Helen had occupied alone
With the servants ever since his ia.
ther's death. He slipped quietly from
Tho sitting room, where Aunt Helen
vss writing at her desk. jumped noise
isssly from the porch to the soft lawn.
which was taking on just a pale tint
~ green, and ran out to the curbing
which marked the limit Of his straylns
save BIZ special permission.
He knew that very soon Mr.. Henry
would be coming home from his office.
on the other side Of the street. no
doubt. but still within hailing distance
Mr.. Henry certainly must inspect Der
Hes new trousers before the laddie
could feel quite satisfied that they
were all things desirable. They were
4 new sort OF trousers, baggy at the
knees, and IL they had been held In
| pIace with a piece of elastic instead OF
q cloth strap and buttons. they would
have been equal to an extra set OF
pockets. Marbles, Irvine. apples, al
most any small article could be hidden
IA their spacious folds. Personally
Berthe considered them a great i'm
proyement over the diminutive, skin
tight knIckerbockers he had worn here
tefore. but they needed the cache OF
Nr. Henry's approval.
Ten inmates passed. Aunt Helen's
pen went scratch, scratch In the sit
ting room and Bertie's boot heels went
tap tap against the stone curbing
Then he spied familiar, broad shout
dered figure swinging down the street
on the other side. He waited until
Mr. Henry was directly opposite
then
Hello, Mr.. Henry! Can't you come
over and see my new pants?"
Mr.. Henry paused uncertainty and
waved his hand in friendly fashion.
I'D Gene over and show 'em to you,
only Aunt Helen won't give me jam
for supper when leave the yard
Listen to the poor dear"' exclaimed
Mrs. Johnson. Aunt Helen's next door
nelghbor, who happened to be setting
out some new rose bushes at the time,
The very idea Of an old maid like
Helen Bertram trying to train boy"
Mr.. Henry crossed the street. He
had seen Mrs Johnson watching him
nom the corner of her eye, and he
Knew that BERTHE was terribly in earn
est He inspected the new trousers in
deliberate, critical fashion and pro.
bounced them good. Then he patted
BERTHE on the head and started away.
Amt you coming in for tea" asked
BERTHE, with an odd break in his voice
aud troubled look on his face.
Awfully sorry, old man." replied
Mr. Henry, with forced sprightliness,
out have dinner engagement, and
! must run along and dress. See you
later"
But BERTHE chung to his hand.
Maggie made some sponge cakes
WIN Icing. l know-I licked the icing
bowl
food for you" said Mr. Henry. still
afawing away from the clinglng moist
uand. You eat one for me, won't
you?'
ana then he was gone. He plunged
uagonally across the street and cut
saaight across the tidy lawn of his
ss'ers home and dashed through the
Avnt door. His face was drawn and
nu,'e' and he paused just moment
.sslie his sister, who came to the door
"he sound Of his step.
IT'S no use. Nell I've got to get out
,nis. believe I'll run on to New
NotA Tor week or so''-
ana leave George to claim the VIC
~ OF the Hartman case after you've
uOfAed hard on 1t for months. Oh.
sunry' think 1t is shame that you
~, Jet a silly girl ruin your whole
We. The very idea"-
ION 6nnff