Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-27
The Daily Short Story
FRIENDS.

one August afternoon as they sat to-
gether in the cooling shade of the,vines
on the Hartwell porch.
1.-THE very idea- laughed Ned.
These old people here haven't any
idea beyond marrying and dying.
Can't they understand that there are
some other contingencies OF existence
besides theseT'
"Of course not" answered Alice, also
laughing, land they would deem it
rank heresy TO hear you say so. You
must remember that 'Blanktown has
its code of rules andk proprieties as
changeless as the lawsNOf the Modes
and Persians."
"The very idea of you and me being
lovers" went on Ned, when we have
been playmates, chums, companions
from the mud pie period"
1.-The idear' echoed Alice. "Why,
there couldn't possibly be any romance
about such n thing"
Familiarity kills romance, you
know" He said it as If he lwere utter
ing one OF the foundation tr7uths of the
ages. And she acquiesceb with "Of
course"
These people here" he continued in
an oracular tone. cannot appreciate
the beauty of n perfect friendship eX
listing between man and woman. They
can only conceive OF such friendly re-
lation degenerating into an ,affair OF
kisses, tears and sentiment"
But we shall give them anlexample
of something different, shalliwe not,
Ned?'
Eyes, of n perfect friendship. where
sex shall not be considered, where one
shall be the confidant, the critic and
the inspiration of the other"
How glorious IT will be, Ned! What
n help we may be to each other! We
shall be such friends as Hannah More
and Dr. Johnson or Chateaubriand
and Nine. Recamier, Paula Fand Jer-
ONE"
Well. Ned went to work and Alice
went TO work, Ned pluggingf away at
the law and she entering the schools
as a teacher, for neither was rich.
And their friendship did provei help
full to each other. for he was anjartist
student and she was stern Terrific.
And they were confidants.
81 know that you will talk to me
with perfect honesty. Alice" he said.
81 don't believe L really love Mary
Mason as the world looks on love, but
then she is a good, sensible girl. The
match would be a good one and help
full in a worldly sense, and as,for love
well, love will come with associa-
ton"
"Of course" said Alice. "of course.
But. Ned. do you think that just her
particular cast of mind would tsuit you?
She seems so terribly practical, you
know, Ned. She doesn't seem. to have
those soft, womanly qualities that it
seems to me a man would ike. 1
wouldn't discourage you for an IN
slant. Ned. But do you think you
would be really happy with her, Ned?"
"Well, that's it," said Ned. stroking
his bare chin. That's it. For the life
OF me don't know. A mans got to be
mighty careful. mighty careful"
Eyes, he has" said Alice, and then
for some unaccountable 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
tiresome, Ned" she said. "'And, after
all, the little home trials that a woman
overcomes are her best comquests. l
have no desire to go back to- the school
room, and 1 have a chancetto make a
home 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 1t, Ned:"
why. Alice" said the young man,
Ct ho,1 ~ fS5oo ,-os, xvaro
I'm not, Ned
ooh, don't talk to me! Henry Arm
strong, indeed But marry him-marry
him by all means"
-why, you're not angry, are you,
Ned?"
'What I mean is that 1 don't think
that Henry Armstrong is half good
enough for you, and don't believe you
love him either"
II don't know that 1 do, but you
didn't love Mary Mason either-at least
you said So"
"Oh, that's right! Throw that folly
into my face"
well, / thought
Eyes, you thought. A woman like
you, Alice, meets somebody to think for
her" And this lord of creation stalked
away. in high dudgeon.
He wrote a letter that night and
posted ii, and Alice received it by the
first mail next morning. 1t ran thus:
Miss Hartwell-Your actions entirely >be-
yond explanation. The heart Of man is not to
be played with. But hope you will marry Hen
~ Armstrong and be happy II doesn't matter
what becomes Of me. Your neglected lover,
NED.
Two hours after its receipt Ned fol-
lowed it In person with a highly in
jured air.
And she, because she was very soft
little person, ran to meet him with
glad face.
ooh, Ned" she cried, 81 never did
want to marry Henry Armstrong at all.
n frin