The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1907-03-06
On the SidinQ
BY CEClLY ALLEN.
Copyright. 1907. by Z. c. PARCELS.

known that in his small person he per
sonihcd duty and stood between the
Two objects OF his alteration he would
have felt douhly aggrieved.
What he did know WIS that Mr. Hen
~ 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
II tendency to red eyes and absent
minded conduct, which annoyed BERTHE.
particularly when she stopped in the
midst of II fairy story and stared out
of the window without speaking.
The neighbors might have enlight-
cncd Berthe aS to the true state of af-
fairs They all said It was too foolish
for Helen Ecrtram to act so over q
child There was such n thing rs car
rying ones ideas of duty too far. and
one owed some duty to the living as
we'll IA the dead.
1t 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
with the servants ever since his ia
TIERS death He slipped quietly from
the sitting room, where Aunt Helen
was writing Mt her desk, jumped noise
lessly from the porch 10 the soft lawn,
which was taking on just n pale tint
of green. and ran out TO the curbing
which marked the limit of his straying
save Ivy special permission.
lie knew that very soon Mr.. Henry
would he coming home from his office.
on the other side of the street, no
doubt hut still within hailng 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
new sort of trousers. baggy at the
knees, and il they had been held In
| place with Il piece of elastic instead or
cloth strap and buttons, they would
have been equal 10 AN extra set Of
pockets Marbles Irvine. apples. al
most any small article could be hidden
in their spacious folds. Personally
BERTHE considered them great I'm
provement over the diminutive, Skin
tight ltnickerbockers he had worn here
tofore, but they needed the cache o.
Mr.. uenry's approval,
Ten minutes passed Aunt ilcleni
pen went scratch. scratch in the sit
ting room and Berries boot heels wen
| al, 10 m. n Il
Then he spled Il familiar, broad shoul
dercd 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 aud see my new pantsf"
Mr.. Henry paused uncertainty and
waved his hand In friendly fashion.
I'D ccme 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 IIclcn's next door
nelghbor. who happened to be setting
out some new rose bushes ut the time.
1.-THE very idea of nm old maid Ike
Helen Bertram trying TO train II boy
Mr.. Henry crossed the street. lie
had seen Mrs. Johnson watching him
from the corner of her eye, and he
knew that BERTHE was terribly in earn
est. lie inspected the new trousers In
deliberate. critical fashion and pro-
nouneed them good. Then he patted
| Berthe on The head and started away.
"Ain't you coming in for teaY" asked
BERTHE, with an odd break in his voice
and troubled look ON his face.
"Awfully sorry, old man," replied
Mr.. Henry. with forced sprightliness.
"but have dinner engagement, and
| | must run along and dress. See you
| later"
But Bertic clung 10 his hand
"Maggic made some sponge cakes
| with Icing. ! know licked the Icing
| bowl
Good for YOU, said Mr.. Henry, still
drawing away from the elnglng moist
| hand lyon eat one for me. won't
| YOU"
And then he was gone. lie plunged
dlaGonally across the street and cut
straight across the tidy lawn of his
! sisters home and dashed through the
front door Ills face was drawn and
white. aud he paused Just n moment
beside his sl4ter, who came to the door
at the sound Of his step
ITS no Use. Sell I'VE got to get out
| OF this / believe I'll run ON to New
York for week OF so"
"And lcavr George 10 claim the vic
tory Of the llarlman case after you've
worked hard an il FOR months. oh.
Henry think it Is n shame that you
VIII let a siIIE girl ruin your whole
life, The very idea
"You don't understand her She
thinks she IS right and what she
thinks Is right she must do, no matter
Mt what cost to hcrself'
"or others" interrupted his sister
bitterly. For II foolish conception OF
3nty to the child Of her dead sister she
viii Wreek your life
SILT thinks she cannot divide her
love and hnr interest 1t must all 20
10 him
"Fanaticisnl. pure and simple" eIac-
uatcd his sister.
"Whatcye;' It is. love her" was the
simple repi, and | cannot live so
near ana yet so far from her. Perhaps
when ! come back lie mounted the
stairs and closed the door of his room.
With sigh his sister went back to
her embroidery.
In the meantime Bertie with quick
glance over his shoulder had deliber
ately turned his back ON home and
long instllled obedience. If Mr. Henry
was not going TO share the pleasures of
tea. sponge cakes and new trousers,
what was the use of having them ut
all? And over there. beyond the rail-
road track, lived Il little boy who had
three big brothers and jolly father
who smoked pipe and whose mother