The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-06
ON THE SIDING.
BY CECILY ALLEN.

Aunt Helen idolized BERTHE Henry
Strong idolized Aunt Helen. And BERTHE.
as far as his youth would permit. idolized
both Aunt Helen and Henry Strong.
That was why he felt vaguely aggrieved
that he saw so little of Mr.. Henry these
days. and had ne known that in his small
person he personihed Duty and stood be-
tween the two objects of his alteration. ne
would have felt doubly aggrieved.
What he did know was that Mr. Henry
had taken to walking on the other side
of the street and evading pressing invi-
tations 10 come over and sit on Our
piazza. and that Aunt Helen a oided all
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 a fairy story and
stared out the window without speaking.
The neighbOrs might have enlightened
BERTHE as To the true state of affairs
They all said it was too foolish for Helen
Bertram 10 act SO over child There
was such thing as carrying ones ideas
of duty too far. and one owed some duty
10 the living as yell as the dead
IL was the most joyous OF early spring
weather. when every one should feel hap
py, but BERTHE felt the depression which
seemed 10 have settled down on the pref
~ cottage which he and Aunt Helen had
occupied alone with the servants ever
since his fathers death. He slipped quiet
Is from the sitting room, where Aunt
Helen was writing AT her desk. jumped
noiselessiy from the porch To the soft
lawn, which was taking on just a pale
tint OF green, and ran out to the curb
ing which marked the limit of his stray
ing, save by special permission.
lie knew THAI 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 Rer-
ties new trousers before the Iaddie could
feel quite satisfied that they were all
things desirable. They were a new sort
of trousers. baggy at the knee. 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 10
an extra set of pockets. Marbles. Irvine
apples. almost any small article could
be hidden in their spacious folds. Per
sOnally. BERTHE considered them a great
improvement over the diminutive. skim
tight knickerbockeTs he had worn here
tofOre, but they needed the cache OF Nj
Henry's approval
Ten minutes passed. Aunt HeIen's pen
rr..fr
and Berries boot heels went tap. tap
against the stone curbing. Then he spied
a familiar. broad-shouldered figure
swinging down the street-on the other
side. He waited until Mr.. Henry was di-
rectly opposite. then:
Hello Mr.. Henry, Can't you come
over and sec my new pauts?" :
Mr.. Henry paused. uncertainty. and
waved his hand in q friendly fashion.
I'd come over and show EN- to you,
only Aunt Helen won't give me jam for
supper when I leave the yard"
Listen 10 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
The very idea Of an old maid like Helen
Bertram trying TO train q boy"
Mr.. Henry crossed the street. He had
seen Mrs. Johnson watching him from
the corner Of her eye and he knew that
Bertie was terribly In earnest He in
spected the new trousers in deliberate,
critical fashion. and pronounced them
good. Then he Datted BERTHE on the head
and started away
Amt YOU coming in for tea?'' asked /
BERTHE with an odd break in his voice /
and a troubled look on his face.
"Awfully sorry, old man." replied Mr. /
Henry. with forced sprightliness. but /
nave d dinner engagement and must run /
along and dress. See you later"
But BERTHE chung 10 his hand
Maggie made some sponge cakes with 1
cling ] know; / licked the icing bowl"
Good for YOU" said Mr.. Henry. still
lr3wiug away from the clinging. moist /
land. You eat one for me, wont you?"
And then he was gone. He plunged /
liagOnally across the street and cut 4
traight across the tidy lawn of his /
sisters home and dashed through the I
'front.' door His face was drawn and /
white. and he paused just a moment be- /
Idle his sister, who came to the door at I
he sound of his step.
It's no use, Nell. I've got to get out /
If this / believe III run on 20 New /
York for q week or So
And leave George to cain the victory
IF the Hardman case after you've worked /
lard on il for months Oh. Henry. II
hink it is a shame that YOU viii let |
lily girl ruin your whole life. The very
dea-'
You don't understand her She thinks /
me * right. and what she thinks is right /
he must DO, no matter at what cost TO
lerself-"
"Or others" interrupted his sister BIT
eriy. For a foolish conception of duty
o the child of her dead sister. she will
wreck your life.
she thinks she cannot divide her love
md her interest-it must all go to
i'm
"Fanaticism. pure and simple" ejacu-
ated his sister.
Whatever it isl love her" was the
imple reply. and ! cannot live so near
nd Yet so far from her. Perhaps when
come back he mounted the stairs
nd closed the door of his room.
With a sigh. his sister went back To-
er embroidery
In the meantime. BERTHE, with quick