The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-12-05
FRIENDLY.

men. "What can't it is to say friendship
between man and woman is impossi-
ble!'' she would cry, with flashing eyes
"What degrading cant!'' with flush
ing cheek. She liked the society of NEIL
They gave her a new outlook on life
She would enjoy it if they confded their
love affairs to her. So she said. Some
how they had not as yet given her that
enjoyment. She was %, with piquant
face and figure and man of the world
style of conversation that half yelled an
unfathomable innocence.
II was a hot evening early in June.
and one of Annabel's friends had drop
ped in. They We're sitting together in
the miniature veranda, discussing sub
ject they had often discussed before.
Zone comfort about my man to man
style of friendship. said Annabel, Zone
great comfort, is that one needn't be
eternally bothering about ones looks
and that sort of thing. when one wants
to have rational conversation. I don t
know anything more aggravating than
to talk ones best talk to man, as did
out at dinner the other day, and to find
him obviously specializing as to whether
ones hairs all ones own. Now, don't
think you or any other of my special
chums would even notice if / wore a
sack when you came to see me. That's
SO refreshing"
''It is" said the friend For in
stance. some girls would be dreadfully
put out if their shoe had a little hole in
it, just at the tip, when a man was
there. But you
"Where?" and Annabel jumped off
her lounge chair with one bound and
passed her pretty feet under agonized
? inspection. For one with whom appear
ance was s'no object" she was wonder
fully shod.
I'm so sorry" said her friend. 81
didn't mean to imply that you had a
hole in your shoe Only that if you had
it wouldn't trouble you in the least.
"But it would" said Annabel, with
dignity. 81 never said one would care
to exhibit slovenliness to ones friends.
And hole would be slovenly.''
They smoked in silence.
"How do you define mans friend
ship for woman?" he inquired, after
the pause had lasted long while.
Annabel took her time before answer
ing.
81 think" she replied at last rather
slowly, cit means having her interests
at heart SO much that they could never
bore you-so that her pain or happiness
would always be to you almost more
than your own. You would never hear
her lightly spoken Of You would save
her all you could. You would let moth
ing of hers be injured. Where you could
you would put velvet between her and
the rough things of the world, as Car
lyle said"
'Yes, but he spoke of his wife.
Annabel did not seem to hear the
words. She was looking over the roofs.
the appallingly uniform roofs of West
Kensington, to where a golden haze
hung in the sky and wonderful dream
music was being played and then blown
into the balcony on a little soft June
breeze. The gold sky was the light Of
the great dusty exhibition, full of rowdy
Whitsuntide jewellers, and the music was
blaring from brass band. But distance
and the summer and the quiet hour
caught it all up and left nothing of it
but what was beautiful It made Anna
bel feel restless.
'sI'm going .in," she said suddenly,
springing to her feet. Here goes for
lighting the lamp" And she whisked
into her little drawing room with q
movement anything but dreamy.
Her friend followed resignedly,
though he had been very comfortable
where he was. He was quite used to
Annabeps frequent changes of mood,
and by INDUCING. in no such himself he
was often able to tire her out and to get
down to the forlorn little entity behind
the many poses.
The lamp was high concern ON bam-
boo poles and quite beyond the reach Of
Annabel's 5 feet of height. She got q
low chair and prepared to climb upon it.
Zone moment" said her companion
gravely. eve have decided that it is
right to protect all that belongs to our
friend. Now, this chair belongs to mine,
and will be more or less injured by be-
ing stood upon, even by her. Therefore"
and he lifted her up.
After one furious and unavailing
twiteh Annabel settled to the situation
with surprising ease She lit the lamp
and adjusted its red shade and said