The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-06-04
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Just Friends.
ByL. RorHBLUM.

u " - hOlH96SWh
Copyright 1920, BY the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate)
VERY ONE who knew Geraldine
Blake admitted she was a won
derfnl girl. Physically she was
vc;y attractive. Mentally she was .
constant delight TO every literary 80
ciety In town: the hope Of every nos
tese anxious about table talk az .
dinner: the mainstay Of Ferry Z Co,
with whom she held q very respon.
sible position, and the boon compa9'
/ ion of.Randolph White.
None ever explained the cratic
Temperament Of Randolph White BET
/ ter Than he did himself by bis opin;
ions and impulsiye actions. ne mao
known Geraldine some five years, ouL.
Ing which period she had learned ms
Pet idiosyncrasIes SC well he hardly
realized how dependent ne mao pc
{, cone upon her for sympathy and un'
derst5nding.
/; vas a pe.culia. experience that
led a their friendship. AT the time
no was selling device for sealing le..
tiers and had got Up through soms y
magazine In which bis firm advertised
tl:ai Ferry & Co., Inc, were going 70
instnll some such equipment.
Randolph White was not me iype o.
salesman to permit bis card, when ne
called 10 demonstrate, to be returned
g him With q "too busy to see you
announcement. He flung open the
swinging gate between the reception
room and the inner office and with
ssIridence Of courage more seeming
slans felt. knocked at the door OF the
Hyate sanctum which bore on It's
The legend Purchasing Agent.
say waiting for the invitation to
kr. he staIked In and somewhat
&asHed, halted In his tracks as he
iaced the young lady at the desk.
{ Geraldine Blake was charming. :,
< Y beg your pardon he apologtzen'
may I SCI: The P. Az
y II am busy right now came
The response In dulcet eveness OF tone
which somehow carried a cutting edge.
Randolph White, for the first time
Il lis business experience, backed
water and, tried to make Q graceful
exit rom the office. As he turned to
ieaye he was detained by q very re:
4 I,kratiye sBut II you will be seated. |
ehall be glad to talk to you IN a
moment.
Gfngerly. because ne was nonpulsed
70 lind the ogre Of a purchasing agent
g Be- / lovely young girl, he placed bis
hat beneath the chair on which he
seated himself. Vaguely he wondered
u ska had reached her majority and
4 iaGbnsistantly he now hoped she
would detain him more than the mo-
inaIt promised that he might have the
hettss opportunity to observe this re-
variable parsonage. -.
Randolph White got the order, bur
IA aiiefward admitted to himself that
Ii had never before been called upon
! 70 exhibit such intimate knowledge
( c0reesning the producthe was selling.
That was five years ago. OF course
Randolph had to call many times on
Ferry & Co, In order to Instruct their
clerk ii the proper operation OF the
seating device; and, finding with
Qeath visit Q growing taste for the So
ciety Of the purchasing agent, he glad
III permitted such increased compati-
billy to ripen to the point where he
felt;priNleged to ask her to luncheon.
IN was not long after that an IN.
7fiAttcu to dinner was forthcoming,
afG .hen naturally the theatre: since
Wfsea no considerable host has asked
tbs u1s without the other.
ita::, strangely, the two had man.
aged to keep sentiment out Of their
Friendship, as II they feared aftec-
donate regard might prove q detrimen.
\tai factor TO the continued harmony
pe thair conpanionship.
.sNow, I don't see Why remarked
Geraldine one summer Saturday AFTER
t60n as they leisurely strolled through
,Ark grounds, men and women cant
- 5rst friends without getting foolish
|Ishoac II, and"-then hesitating for I.
moment she continued falling III
Sandolph called, BILLY, Billy to a
sasisrel, who scampered off with tai
held high. That's just they way l
/, ;feeI about It." he answered. We're
nslS, good pals; but our palship," he
sddsG, sls purely platonic.
lTiey sat down on bench and ate
nopcofn out Of the same bag. Ran.
dolnh went on airing his views to q
sympathetic audience. III we were to
fsll b love with each other and get
married and al that sort Of stuff-this
last with q dramatic flourish Of his