Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-12-06
CHAPTER II.


illusionments to learn that Aunt Har-
riet lived with them, not because she
wished TO, but because Sidney's father
had borrowed her small patrimOny and
she was boarding it out"
Eighteen years she had boarded ii
out" Sidney had been born and
grown to girlhood 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 undiminished-for he left his
wife aud 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
he bother? He left me-
To the little widow, her sister, she
had been no less bitter, and more ex-
plicit.
1t looks to me, Anna" she said, "as
If by borrowing everything l 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 little late, but the
Kennedys live a 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 Harriet's
sewing room. In the parlance of the
Street, Harriet "sewed"-and sewed
we'll
She had taken Anna into business
with her, but the burden of the part
nership 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 in
that back room with its dingy wall
paper covered with paper patterns.
On the day after the arrival of the
FoOmer, 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 hardness 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, l
promised to look after both you and
your mother until you were able to
take care of yourself. That was five
years ago Of course, even before that
IF you would only have your coffee
Harriet
Mrs Page sat with her hand on the
handle of the old silver-plated coffee
pot Harriet ignored her.
"You are young woman now. You
have 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 l live"
Sidney returned her gaze steadily.
Il see. Well, Aunt Harriet, you're
quite right. You've been a saint to
us, but if you want TO go away"
Harriet I" walled Mrs. Page. you're
not thinking"
please, mother"
Harriets eyes softened as she looked
at the girl.
1--WE can manage" said Sidney quiz
city. "WeTl miss you, but it's time
we learned to depend on ourselves"
After that, in torrent, CAME Harri-
eSs declaration of independence. And,
mixed With its pathetic tumble of re-
ordinations, hostility SC her sisters
dead husband, and resentment for her
lost years, came poor Harriet's hopes
and ambitions, the tragic plea of a
woman who must substitute for the OPP
timisln and energy of youth the grim
determination of middle age.
Il can do good work." she finished.
ssrm full of ideas, if / could get a
chance to work them out. But there's
no chance here. There isn't a woman
on the Street who knows real clothes
when she sees them"
Mrs. Page could not get back of
Harriets revolt to its cause. To her,
Harriet was not an artist pleading for
her art she was q sister and bread
winner deserving her trust.
"Tm sure" she said stifily, 1--WE paid
YOU back every cent we borrowed If
YOU stayed here after George died, ii
was because you offered to-"
Her chin worked. She fumbled for
the handkerchief at her belt. But Sid
ney went around the table and flung a
young arm over her aunf's shoulders.
"Why didn't you say all that year
ago? We've been selfish. but we're
not as bad as you think. AMI if any
one In this world is entitled to success,
you are. OF course We'll manage"
Harriet's iron repression almost gave
way. S.ie covered her emotion with
details:
Mrs. Lorenz is going TO let me
make Christine some things. and if
they're all right, I may make her frous-
sean
eTrouSseau-for Christinei''
"Sse's not engaged. but her mother