New Ulm review., 1901-10-16
ERIE N DS.

lite, and with each other they were in
nowise reticent as to what they should
demand of the world
They had been friends from youth,
and when the girls return renewed
that friendship in all it's Intensity the
i gossips had much to say of long set
tied matrimonial understanding.
/ 1t was the subject Of conversation
one August afternoon as they sat to-
gether in the cooling shade of the vines
on the HartweH porch.
/ ''The very idear' laughed Ned.
'"These old people here haven't any
| idea beyond marrying and dying.
/ Can't they understand that there are
i some other contingencies Of existence
besides these?'
"Of course not" answered Alice, also
laughing. and, they would deem it
rank heresy to hear yeu say so. You
must remember that Blanktown has
its code. of rules and proprieties as
changeless as the laws of the Medes
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"
The ideaW echoed Alice. "Why,
there couldn't possibly be any romance
| about such a thing
| Familiarity kills romance, you
| know" He said it as if he We're utter
| ing one Of the foundation truths of the
ages. And she acquiesced with "Of
course"
| sThese people here" he continued in
an oracular tone, cannot appreciate
the beauty of 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 an example
OF something different, shall we not,
NedY'
eyes, of a perfect friendship, where
sex shall not be considered, where one
shall be the confdant, the critic and
the inspiration of the other.''
/ "HoW glorious it will be, Ned! What
help we may be to each other! We
shall be such friends as Hannah More
and DR.. johnson or Chateaubriand
and Nine. Recamier, Paula and Jer.
ome."
| 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 help.
ful to each other, for he Nas an artist
student and she was a stern critic.
And they were confdants.
81 know that you will talk to me
| with perfect honesty, Alice" he said.
Il don't believe l really love Mary
Mason as the world looks on love, but
then she is good, sensible girl. The
match would be a good one and help
full in worldly sense, and as for love
well, love will come with assoca-
ton"
"Of course" said Alice, "of. course.
But, Ned, do you think that just her
particular cast of mind would suit 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 like /
wouldn't discourage you for an IN
stant, 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"
! 'Yes, 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 woman
! oyercOmes are her best conquests. |
have no desire to go back to the school
room, and | have a chance to make a
home for myself. Henry Armstrong
has asked me to marry him. You know
he is kind hearted man, Ned, and he
is settled and well fixed. Tell me, what
do you think about it, Ned?"
"Why. Alice" said the young man,
I had no idea you were SO mercenary."
"I'm not. Ned
"Oh, 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 / mean is that I don't think
that Henry Armstrong is half good
enough for you, and don't believe you
/ love him either
81 don't know that 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, needs somebody to think for
her" And this lord of creation stalked
away in high dudgeon.
/ He wrote letter that night and
! posted it, and Alice received it by the
| first mail next morning. 1t ran thus:
i Miss Hartwell-Your actions are entirely be-
! yond explanation. The heart of man is not TO