The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-11-12
rRtENDsHIP oRlLoYE.

tiently. 31t is perfectly absurd,
he said, "the way this young lady
and gentleman cannot become
friends without being more. For
my part, fdoh't know Why there
can't be friendship, just friendship
and nuthing else.s
As be finished speaking, a young
girl az the other side Of the room,
left her seat, crossed over 10 where
he was sitting, and demurely offer
ed her hand. In answer to his
glance Of surprise, II agree with
you," she said, grayely, 4and !
would like to shake hands on the
subjject.p This young person was
Miss Edith Garland, who had grad.
usted from school some months be.
fore the opening Of our story, and,
as neither other parents we're liv-
ing, had come back a few weeks
since, To make her home with her
brother, DR.. Robert Garland.
Possessing an independent spirit,
she had Immediately set herself
about obtaining pupils in music,
aud had been SO successful Us TO
number at present quite a class,
and the pretty, dark-eyed teacher
seemed to be well liked. She bad
found on her arrival at her broth
er's that there ras one more mem.
ber in the family than she had
known Of, and that was Richard
Raymond, a brother of her broth
er's wife and in business in the
city.
Both DR.. and Mrs. Garland were
amused spectators of the scene de-
scribed above. Nothing more was
said on the subject, however, and
the conversation soon became gen.
eral on other subjects; but as they
we're separating for the night, Dick
said in a low, thin tone:
$50 it is settled that we are to be
friends, is IL, Miss Edith2"
~ hope So" she answered, with
a quick smile.
So friendship began between
them, concerning which the doctor
and his wife shook their heads
knowingly, prophesying that it
would soon change to something
different; but time passed on and
to their surprise they saw no
change. AS for tie young people
themselves, they appeared as con.
tented with their friendship as,they
had said they should be, when AT
the beginning they had declared
that in their opinion it was fur
better than love, but each had
promised that if anything Of the
other should come to either, the
other should be the first to be made
acquainted with the fact.
The autumn changed to winter
and winter to spring, when, one
afternoon as Edith was returning
from a tedious day Of lessons and
was about to enter the house, the
postman handed her q letter for
herself and she saw at a glance
that it was from an old school
friend, Rena Nelson.
The father of the young lady
owned a handsome country seat,
where the family spent a part of at
least every summer, and the letter
contained an invitation for Edith
to spend the coming months with
them.
"YOu needn't waste any time in
making up your mind" wrote
Rena, "for l shan't take no for an
answer. You won't find it very
dull, for besides some older people,
Bell Briggs is to be here for a few
weeks and brother Tom and his
chum, Fred Loring. So just say
when we may expect you and make
happy the heart OF your friend
Rena."
Edith's decision was soon made
in favor of the visit, and when the
day came for her departure, Dick
accompanied her to the depot.
"You'll write to me, won't your
he asked, just before the train
started.
ayes, Of course" she returned.
And write she did but her letters
to her sisters could not have been
more free and artless than those
she wrote to Dick, and his in re.
turn we're equally simple.
Rena, noticing these fequent
missives, bantered her friend gaily
upon the matter, but to her sur.
prise, Edith was indignant, and
after this ono occasion, she remain.
ed wisely silent ON the subject for