The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-27
FRIENDS.

FRIENDS.
Both Alice HartweII and Ned Morgan
intended TO accomplish something in life,
and with each other they were in nowise
reticent as 70 what they should demand
| Of the world
They had been friends from youth. and
when the girls return renewed that
friendship in all its intensity the gosips
rad much TO say of a long settled mat
I rlmonial understanding.
1t was the subject Of conversation one
august afternoon as they sat together in
| the cooling shade Of the vines on the
tiartwen porch.
The very idea" laughed Ned. These
| old people here haven't any idea beyond
marrying and dying. Can't they under
stand that there are some other contin-
gencies of existence besides Ihese?'
OF course not" answered Alice. also
laughing, and they would deem it rank
I heresy 10 hear you say SO. You must
remember that Blanktown has IT'S code
Of rules and proprieties as changeiess as
| the laws OF the Nedes 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 idear' 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 were uttering one Of
the foundation truths OF the ages. And
she acquiesced with. "Of course
These people here he continued in
an oracular tone. cannot appreciate the
beauty Of a perfect friendship existing
between man and woman. They can only
conceive of such a friendly relation de-
generating into an affair Of kisses, tears
and sentiment"
But we shall give them an example Of
something different, shall we not, Ned?'
Yes; OF a perfect friendship, where sex
shall not be considered, where one shall
be the confdant, the critic and the in
( spiration of the other"
How glorious it will be. Ned, What
a help we may be to each other. We
shall be such friends as Hannah Moore
and DR.. Johnson, or Chateaubriand and
Nine. Recamier, Paula and Jerome
Wen, Ned went to work and Alice went
TO work. Ned plugging away at the law
and she entering the schools as g teacher,
for neither was rich
And their friendship did prove helpful
to each other. for he was an artist stu
dent and she was stern critic. And they
We're cOnfdants.
~ know that you will talk to me with
perfect honesty, Alice" he said. Il don t
believe I really love Mary Mason as the
world looks on love, but then she is d
good one and helpful in a worldly sense,
and as for love-well, love will come with
association
"Of course" said Alice, ''of course.
But. Ned, do you think that just her par
ticular cast of mind would suit you? She
| seems 50 terribly practical, you know,
Ned She doesn't seem to have those
soft, womanly qualities that it seems to
me man would like. 1 wouldn't dis
courage you for an instant, Ned. But
Z. hor
with her Ned?'
well, that's it, said Ned. strodng his
bare chin. That's 1t. For the life of
me I 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 vivaciouS period Alice
came 10 Ned for advice.
Il have found teaching hard and tire
some, Ned" she said. And, after all,
the little home trials that a woman over
comes are her best conQuests. I have no
desire to go back to the schOolroOm, and
/ have a chance TO make home for my
self Henry Armstrong has asked me 10
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?'
why. Alice" said the young man, Il
had no idea you were so mercenary."
I'm not, Ned"
"Ch, don't talk to mel 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 / don't think
that Henry Armstrong is half good
enough for you. and l don't believe you
love him, either.
Il 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
We'll, I thought"
YES. you thought. 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. IT ran thus:
Miss Hartwell-Your actions are en-
tirely beyond explanation. The heart Of
a man IS not to be played with. But
hope YOU will marry Henry Armstrong
and be happy Il doesn't matter what be-
comes of me. Your neglected lover.
NED"
Two hours after its receipt Ned follow
ed ii in person with a highly injured air.
And she, because she was very soft
little person, ran to meet him with
glad face.
.Oh. Ned she cried, Il never did want
TO marry Henry Armstrong at ALL But
YOU said we could only be friends and
mutual critics, and-Ned, girl wants 10
!