The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-04-24
On the Siding
By cEcILY ALLEE
Copyright 1901. by 2, q. Pareelia
By cECMY ALLEN

idolized both Aunt Helen and Henry
Strong. That was why he felt vague
" aggrieved that he saw so little Of
Sir Henry these days, and had he
known that in his small person lie per-
soniiied duty and stood between the
two 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
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
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 neighbors might have enlight-
encd Berthe as to the true state Of af-
fairs. They all said it was too foolish
for Helen Bertram to act so over
child. There was such a thing as ear
rylng ones ideas of duty too far, and
one owed some duty to the living as
well as the dead.
II 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 at her desk, jumped noise
lessly from the porch 10 the soft lawn,
which was taking on just pale tint
of green, and ran out to the curhing
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 Mailing distance.
MIR 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 if they had been held in
place with piece OF elastic instead of
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 great Inn
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 Bertle's boot heels went
tap, tap against the stone curblng.
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.. Henryl Can't you come
over and see my new pants3'
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 leave the Yard
Listen to the poor dearr' exclaimed
Mrs. johnson, Aunt Helen's next door
neighbor, 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
from the corner of her eye, and he,
knew that BERTHE was terribly In earn
est. He Inspected the new trousers inl
deliberate, critlcnl fashion and prof.
nounced them good. Then he pattedl
BERTHE on the head and started away. !
"Ain't you coming in for tea? askedt
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 BERTHE chung TO his hand.
Maggie mace some sponge cakes
with icing. i lnow-I licked the icing
bowl
Good for you" said Mr.. Henry, still
drawing away from the clinging moist
hand. "You eat one for me, won't
youg'
And then he was gone. he plunged
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. believe I'll run on to New
York for a week or so'-
And leave George to claim the vic
tory Of the Hartman case after you've
worked hard on it for months. Oh,
Henry, think 1t is shame that You
win let a silly girl ruin your whole
ife! The very idea
You don't understand her She