Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-12-20
MY DEAREST FRIEND.
tWAyely Magazine


[wAvely Magazine.I
When Norman Van Elst told people
that Frank Garnet was his dearest
friend he meant a great deal, for al
though Van Elst claimed but few
friends, he clung to those he had as
drowning men cling to whatever can
save them from sinking. He had been
more unhappy during his early days
than boys usually are, for lie had lost
. both parents when he was q mere child,
and had been reared by a childless pair
of relatives who loved him dearly, but
affection than by Withholding his PEN
MES, SO that he might not squander
them at h toy.shop, and by delivering
to him an endless course of lectures.
He met Garnet almost as soon as he
reached his majority, and came to New
York with the small patrimony to
which he was entitled. Garnet was so
CHEEKY that he was steady stimulant
to Van Fists sober wit, while Garnet
found in his new acquaintance anearn-
estness so unusual in young men that,
with New Workers. quick appreciation
of whatever is worth having, he re-
turned in full measure the regard be-
slowed upon him.
After the friendship of The two had
grown for a year, however, Van Elst
began to feel almost guilty over the
fact that Garnet was not as much in
his mind as he had been. For Van Elst
had fallen in love. During the fort
nights vacation granted him by the
firm with whom he was reading law,
he had several times met Miss Florence
Ashmore, very pretty damsel from
Baltimore, and as in manner and con-
versation she was far superior to auy
one he had ever known in the country
town in which he was reared, as we'll as
to any young lady he had met in New
York, he did not wait moment to
analyze his feelings, but pronounced
himself irrevocably in love.
AS he was very bashful, and Miss
Ashmore was quite sprightly and bril-
liantly. sarcastic on the subject of young
men who imagine themselves in love,
he did not declare his passion. The lady
was unable however, to prevent her
merry face SOLDERING little and her
honest eyes ceasing to laugh whenever
Van Elst quoted poetry or talked of
music or rhapsodized over beautiful
scenery, and although he never made
love TO her in the conventional manner,
he talked of the tender passion in a way
that made the young lady not only
unable to laugh at him, but constrained
her to listen as if she lOnged to hear
more, and what pleased him more than
anything else was that Miss Ashmore
was kind enough to hear, without
showing signs of WEAKNESS, all of Van
Fists praises of Garnet. She even was
so good listener that she asked ques-
tions about Van Fists dear friend.
Van Elst returned to the city full of
hope. He had asked nothing; Miss
Ashmore had promised nothing; but
could he be mistaken when he believed
had meant to divulge? Naturally re-
served and secretive, he nevertheless
could not keep his joy to himself; SO,
on his return to town, he hurried to
Garnet's room, determining to tell all,
yet wondering how he would be able to
put his story into words. He found
Garnet in high spirits, although when
they had parted two weeks before Gar
net bemoaned the fate at8Ompelled
him to remain in town all summer.
Garnet's spirits rose still higher when
he saw his friend looking. as he de-
clared, far better than ever before. He
laughingly demanded an explanation of
the change, and suggested that perhaps
his friend had fallen in love, upon
which Van EIst blushed like girl, and
then Garnet insisted that he should at
once hear the whole story.
Van Elst turned his face away, for he
felt that in his happiness he must be
looking extremely silly. He leaned
against the mantel, looking at Garnet's
little collection of fcuriosities as intentlv
as If he had never seen them before.
, GO on, old fellOw,' said Garnet, en-
couraginglv; you couldn't have more
sympathetic listener, for Pm in the
same condition as you.'
This remark might have enabled Van
Elst to open his mouth had not his eye
just then strayed to the end of the man
tie and fallen upon small photograph
of Florence Ashmore.
Speak boldly, / tell you, and don't
delay continued Garnet, or / shall get
ahead of you and tell love story my
self,
Van Elst did not speak.
'All right said Garnet, gayly; it
may be selfish of me to speak first, but
I've given you the chance. and you've
neglected to avail yourself fit. Well,
old boy, the long and short of it is this:
I'm not only in love, but an accepted
over, and there's the picture of my
darling right there on the manteI.
Why, | believe you're looking at it
now lta
What is her nameY asked Van Elst,
hardly able to believe what he had
heard. .au
'Floy Ashmore,' said Garnet; 'and
she is the dearest
What did you say her first name
was" asked Van Elst.
'Floy,, replied Garnet, 'sor to be pre-
else, Miss Florence Ashmore. Isn't she
pretty isn't her picture just the lowell
est thing you ever saw in your life?
Confound you, Van, what do you mean
by standing there without saying a
word to i.e while I'm In the seventh
heaven Of bliss aud with o million rosy