The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-12-07
CHAPTER u.


her Aunt Harriet had not sat ut the
table. 1t was one of her earliest dis
, illustonments to learn that Aunt Hur-
tiet lived with them, not because she
wished to, but because Sidncy's father
had borrowed her small patrlmony and
she wis boarding 1t out"
Eighteen years she had ''bOarded it
out" Sidney had been born and
grown to glrlhood the dreamer father
had gone to his grave, with valuable
patents lost for lack Of money to re-
new them-gone with his faith In him
self destroyed, but with his faith in
the world undlminished-fOr he left his
wife and daughter without dollar of
life insurance.
Harriet Kennedy had voiced her own
view Of the matter, the day after the
funeral, to one Of her neighbors:
He left no insurance. Why should
lie bother? He left me-"
10 the little widow, her sister, she
had been no less bitter, and more ex-
plicit
ut looks to me, Anna" she said, "as
IT by borrowing everything had
George had bought me, body and soul,
for the rest of my natural life. I'll
stay now until Sidney is able to take
hold. Then I'm going to live my own
life. 1t will be n little late, but the
Kennedy's live long time"
The day of Harriet's leaving had
seemed far away to Anna Page Sid
ney was still her baby. She had given
up her dolls, but she still made clothes
for them out Of scraps from Harriets
sewing room. In the parlance of tie
Street, Harriet "sewed"-and sewed
well.
She had taken Anna into business
with ter, but the burden of the part
nershlp had always been on Harriet.
To give her credit, she had not COM
planned. She was past forty by that
time, and her youth had slipped by Ia
that back room with It's dingy wall
paper covered with paper patterns.
On the day after the arrival of the
roomer Harriet Kennedy came down
to breakfast Il little late. Katie, the
general-housework girl, was serving
breakfast Mrs. Page. who had taken
advantage of Harriet's tardiness to
read the obituary column in the morn
ing paper, dropped it.
But Harriet did not sit down.
sidney"
"Yes, Aunt Harriet"
sidney when your father died,
promised to look after both you and
your mother until you were able to
take care of yourself. That was five
years ogo. OF course. even before that
had helped to support YOU"
"lf you would only have your coffee,
Harriet
Mrs. Page sat with her hand on the
handle Of the old sllver-plated coffee
pot. Harriet ignored her.
"You are young woman now. You
as:ve health and energy, and you have
youth, which haven't. I'm past forty.
In the next twenty years, at the out
side, I've got not only to support my
self but to save something to keep
me after that, If i've"
Sidney returned her gaze steadily.
II see. Well, Aunt Harriet, you're
quite right. You've been II saint to
us, but If you want to go away"
Harriet" walled Mrs. Page, you're
not thinking"
"Please, mother"
Harriet's eyes softened as she looked
at the girl.
We can manage" said Sidney qui-
etly. "We'n miss you, but it's time
we learned to depend on ourselves"
After that, in a torrent came Hnrri
cts declaration of independence. And
mixed with its pathetic jumble of re-
ordinations. hostility to her sisters
dead husband, and resentment for her
lost years. came poor Harriet's hopes
and ambitions, the tragic plea of Il
woman who must substitute for the op-
timism and energy of youth the grim
determination of middle age.
II can do good work." she finished.
"Tm full of ideas, If I could get a
chance to work them out. But there's
no chance here. There isn't woman
on the Street who knows real clothes
when she sees them"
Mrs. Page could not get back of
Harriet's revolt to its cause. TO her.
Harriet was not an artist pleading for
her art; she was q sister and bread
winner desertlng her trust.
"I'm sure" she said stifly, 1--WE paid
you back every cent we borrowed. If
you stayed here after George died. 1t
was because you offered TO-"
Her chin worked. She fumbled for
the handkerchief at her belt. But Sid