Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-03-15
On the SidinQ
BY CECILY ALLEN.
Copyright, 1907. by E. c. PARCELS.
BY CECnY ALLEN.

Strong idOliZed Aunt Helen, and Ber-
tie, as far as his youth would permit,
idolized both Aunt Helen and Henry
Strong. That was why he felt vague
ly aggrieved that he saw SO little Of
Mr.. Henry these days. and had he
known that in his small person he per
sonifed duty and stood between the
two objects of his alteration he would
have felt doubly aggrieved.
What he did know was that Mr.. Hen
Ty had taken to walking on the other
side of the street and evading press
ing invitations to come over and sit
on our piazza" and that Aunt Helen
avoided all conversation bearing on
Mr.. Henry; also that she had developed
a tendency to red eyes and absent
minded conduct, which annoyed Berthe
particularly when she stopped in the
midst Of fairy story and stared out
of the window without speaking.
The neghbors might have enlight-
ened BERTHE as to the true state of af-
fairs They all said it was too foolish
for Helen Bertram to act so over a
child There was such a thing as car
rying ones ideas Of duty too far. and
one owed some duty to the living as
well as the dead.
It was the most joyous of early
spring weather when every one should
feel happy, but BERTHE felt the depres-
sion which seemed to have settled
down on the pretty cottage which he
and Aunt Helen had occupied alone
r.
theirs death. He slipped quietly from
the sitting room, where Aunt Helen
was writing at her desk, jumped noise
Iessly from the porch to the soft lawn,
which was taking on just pale tint
Of green, and ran out to the curbing
which marked the limit of his straying
save by 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 haiIing distance
Mr.. Henry certainly must inspect Ber-
ties new trousers before the laddie
could feel quite satisfied that they
were all things desirable. They were
a new sort of trousers, baggy at the
knees, and if they had been held in
place with a piece Of elastic instead OF
a 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
In their spacious folds. Personally
BERTHE considered them Il great i'm
provement over the diminutive, skin
tight knickerbockers he had worn here
tofore. but they needed the cache Of
Mr.. Henry's approval.
Ten minutes passed. Aunt Helen'S
pen went scratch, scratch in the sit
ting room and Berries 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 pantsF'
Mr. Henry paused uncertainty and
waved his hand in friendly fashion.
I'D come over and show 'em TO you,
only Aunt Helen won't give me jam
for supper when I leave the Yard
Listen to the poor dear" exclaimed
Mrs Johnson, Aunt Helen's next door
neighbor, who happened to be setting
out some new rose bushes at the time.
1.-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
from 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
nounced them good. Then he patted
BERTHE on the head and started away.
"Ain't you coming in for tea?" asked
BERTHE, with an odd break in his voice
and a troubled look on his face.
lawfully sorry. old man." replied
Mr.. Henry, with forced sprightliness,
"but | have a dinner engagement, and
I must run along and dress. See you
later"
But BERTHE chung to his hand.
Maggie made some sponge cakes
with icing l know-I licked the icing
bowl"
"GOOd for you," said Mr.. Henry, still
drawing away from the clinging moist
hand. You eat one Tor me- won [
your
And then he was gone. He plunged
diagonally across the street and cut
straight across the tidy lawn of his
sisters home and dashed through the
front door. His face was drawn and
white, and he paused just moment
beside his sister, who came to the door
at the sound of his step.
Its no use, Nell. I've got to get out
of this. I believe I'll run on to New
York for a week or So
and leave George to claim the vic
tory Of the Hardman case after you've
worked hard on it fer months. Oh,
Henry. think it is a shame that you
will let silly girl ruin your whole
life! The very idea
you don't understand her. She