The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-25
IDEAL FRIENDSHIP.

She had just graduated at Wellesley, and
be had taken a bachelors degree some
three years ago.
They had both come back to the home
town with the decision to make it the
scene Of their lfo's activities.
Both Alice Hartweu and Ned Morgan
intended to accomplish something in life,
and with each other they were in nowise
retioent IS to what they should demand Of
the world.
They bad been friends from youth, and
when the girl s return renewed that friend
ship in all its intensity the gossips had
much to say Of a long settled matrimonial
understanding.
1t was the subject Of conversation one
August afternoon as they sat together in
the cooling shade Of the vines on the Hart
we'll porch.
1.-THE very ideai'' laughed Ned. ssThese
old people here haven't any idea beyond
marrying and dying. Can't they under
stand that there are some other contingen-
cies Of existence besides these?''
cot course not, = answered Alice, also
laughing, "end they would deem it rank
heresy to hear you say SO. You must re-
member that Blanktown has its code Of
rules and pFOprieties, as changeless as the
laws Of the Medes and Persians.
t The very idea of you and me being low
ers, went on Ned, when We have been
mud pie period.
1.-The ideaP' echoed Alice. ssWhy, there
couldn't possibly be any romance about
such a thing"
Familiarity kills romance, you know
He said it as if he were uttering one of the
foundation truths of the ages. And she ac-
guessed with of course
''These people hore, % he continued III
an oraoular tone, cannot appreciate the
beauty of a perfect friendship existing be-
tween man and woman. They can only
conceive of such q friendly relation degen-
Grating into an affair Of kisses, tears and
sentiment
" But we shall give them an example Of
something different, shall we not, Ned?'
Yes, Of perfect friendship, where sex
shall not be considered, where one shall DO
the confdant the critic and the inspiration
of the other
"How glorious it will be, Ned What
help we may be- to each otherl We shall
be such friends as Hannah More and Dr.
johnson, or Chateaubriand and Nine
Recamier, Paula and jerome"
Well, Ned went to work and Alice went
to work, Ned plugging away at the law
and she entering the schools as a teacher,
for neither was rich.
And their friendship did prove helpful
to each other, for be was an ardent student
and she was a stern critic. And they were
conhdants.
II know that you viii talk to me with
perfect honesty, Alice, " he said. Il don't
believe 1 really love Mary Mason as the
world looks on love, but then she is good,
sensible girl. The match would be a good
ono and helpful in a worldly sense and as
fer Iove-weu, love will come with assOoi-
alton"
"Of course, F." said Alice, 'sof course; but,
Ned, do you think that just her particular
cast of mind would suit your She seems
SO terribly practical, you know, Ned She
doesn e seem to have those soft, womanly
qualities that it seems to me a man would
like. 1 wouldn't discourage you Tor an
instant, Ned. But do you think you
would be really happy with her, Ned?"
ssWeu, that S it. " said Ned, stroking his
bare chin. That's it, For the life of
mo I don't know. A mans got to DO
mighty careful, mighty careful"
Yes he has, ." said Alice. and then for
some unacoountable reason she went home
and cried herself to sleep. But that's just
like a woman, you know
One day in the vacation period Alice
came to Ned for advice.
81 have found teaching hard and tire
some, Ned, p she said. 90 And, after all, the
little home trials that woman Overcolnes
are her best conquests. I have no desire to
90 back to the schoolrooIn, and I have
chance to make a homo for myself. Henry
Armstrong has asked me to marry him.
You know he is a kind hearted man, Ned,
and he is settled and well fixed. Tell me,
what do you think about it, Ned?'
'sWhy, Alice, said the young man, 81
had no idea you We're so mercenary-
g IN not Ned -
"Oh, don't talk to mel Henry Arm
strong, indeed But marry him-marry
him by all means.
ssWhy, you re not angry, are you, Ned?'
fWhat I mean is that don't think that
Henry Armstrong is half good enough for
you. and I don't believe you love him
either. "
81 don't know that I do, but you didn't
love Mary Mason either-at least, you said
So"
ooh, that's right Throw that folly into
my face.
eyes, you thought. A woman like you,
Alice. needs somebody TO think for her"
And this lord Of creation stalked away in
high dudgeon.
He wrote a letter that night and posted
it. and Alice received it by the first mail
next morning 1t ran thus:
Miss HARrwELL-Your actions are entirely
beyond explanation. The heart Of man IS
not to be played with. Bat hope you VIII
marry Henry Armstrong and be happy 1t
doesn't matter what becomes Of me. Your
neglected lover, NED
Two hours after its receipt Ned followed
it in person with a highly injured air.
And she, because she was very soft lit
tie person, ran to meet him with glad
face.
sOh, Ned. % she cried, 81 never did want
to marry Henry Armstrong at ALL But
you said we could only be friends and mu-
tual critics and-Ned, a girl wants to be
loved.
And the Tiseaeres said: Wasn't it
beautiful? Knew each other from child
hood and not a break, not ripple in their
love. New York News.