The circle banner., 1917-01-19
CHAPTER II.
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80 A's
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Sidney could not remember whel
her Amt Harriet had not sat at tn
table 1t was one of her earliest dis
illusiunments' to learn that Aunt Har
riet> lived with them, not because sh'
wished to, but because Sidney's fathel
had borrowed her small patrimony ant
she was boarding it out"
Eighteen years she had "boarded i
out" Sidney had been born an(
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 and daughter without a dollar OF
life insurance.
Harriet Kennedy had voiced her own
view of the matter, the day after the
funeral, to one of her neighbors:
'tHe 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.
-.-a at looks to me, Anna," she said, "as
II 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
bold. Then I'm going to live my own
life. 1t will be a little late, but the
Kennedy's live q 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
well.
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
roomer, Harriet Kennedy came down
to breakfast a 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."
eyes, 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 ago. OF course, even before that
had helped to support you."
IF you would only have your coffee,
Mrs. Page sat with her hand on the
handle of the old silver-plated coftee-
pot. Harriet ignored her.
"You are young woman now. You
have health and energy, and you nave
youth, which I 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 sometnlng 10 Keep
me after that, If live"
Sidney returned her gaze steadily.
II see. Well, Aunt Harriet, you're
1uite right. You've been saint to
rs, but If you want to go away"
"Harrietl'' walled Mrs. Page, you're
not thinking"
'Please, mother"
Harriet's eyes softened as she looked
It the girl.
"We can manage" said Sidney qui-
stly. "We'n miss you, but it's time
ne learned to depend on ourselves.
After that, In torrent, came Harr1-
It's declaration of independence. Ana
mixed with its pathetic jumble Of re-
hostility to her sisters
lead husband, and resentment for her
ost years, came poor Harriet's hopes
md ambitions, the tragic plea OF
Foman who must substitute for the op-
dmism and energy of youth the grim
Of middle age.
II can do good work." she finished.
I'm full Of ideas, II I could get
nance to work them out. But there's
10 chance here. There isn't woman
n the Street who knows real clothes
vhen she sees them"
Mrs. Page could not get back OF
5arriet's revolt to it's cause. TO ner,
was not an artist pleading Tor
yer art; she was sister and Dreau-
v1nner desertfng her trust.
.Tm sure" she said stifi1y, we paio
,ou back every cent we borrowed. y
on stayed here hitter George died, II
vas because you offered to-
Her chin worked. She fumDieo iof
- haodkerchief at her belt But Sio-