There might be a character who is an interior decorator or a historian in the story. This person could be interested in the old wallpaper for professional reasons. They might study the wallpaper's design, age, and origin, and in the process, uncover a story that involves other characters like the people who made the wallpaper or the family who first put it on the walls.
Since I don't know the exact 'the old wallpaper story', it's difficult to say. But it could be the people who live in the house with the old wallpaper. Maybe a homeowner who is constantly irritated by the peeling wallpaper or a child who is fascinated by its patterns.
The main character is the unnamed narrator, who is a woman suffering from some sort of mental illness (or what was considered as such at that time).
The 'the old wallpaper short story' could be about various things. It might be about a particular old wallpaper that holds memories, secrets, or has some sort of significance in a house or a person's life. Maybe it's about the history of the wallpaper, how it got there, who chose it, and how it has changed over time.
In 'The Yellow Wallpaper' full story, the key characters are the female protagonist who is not named, and her husband John. John is a doctor who believes he knows what's best for his wife. He is controlling and doesn't really listen to his wife's feelings. The unnamed female is the one who experiences the mental decline throughout the story. She is confined to a room by her husband under the guise of rest and treatment. There are also mentions of other minor characters like Jennie, who is John's sister and helps take care of the house and the narrator to some extent.
The main character in the 'Yellow Wallpaper' full story is the woman who is suffering from what seems to be postpartum depression or some other mental ailment. She is the one we follow throughout the story as she descends into madness. Her husband is also a main character. He is a physician and his actions towards his wife, like confining her to the room with the yellow wallpaper and dictating her rest, are central to the plot. There are other characters like the housekeeper perhaps, but they play very minor roles compared to the woman and her husband.
The main character is the unnamed female narrator. She is a woman who is suffering from some sort of mental or nervous condition and is placed in a room with yellow wallpaper by her husband, who is also an important character. He is a doctor and believes that rest and isolation will cure his wife, but his actions actually lead to her further descent into madness.
There's a good chance the main characters are two old friends. They could be characters who have known each other for a long time and their relationship is based on shared memories and experiences that are filled with joy. Maybe they meet again after a long time apart and their interaction forms the core of the story.
There might be a group of kids who grew up in the old neighborhood. They could be the main characters as they experience the joys and sorrows of living there. They play in the streets, have adventures in the local parks, and form friendships that last a lifetime. And as they grow up, they see the neighborhood change around them.
There's the boy, who is the central human character in 'old yeller short story'. He is the one who forms a strong bond with Old Yeller. Old Yeller, the dog, is the other main character. He is brave, loyal and loving. Then there are the boy's parents and siblings who also play a part in the story, but it's the boy and Old Yeller's relationship that drives the plot forward.
Since I don't have access to the 'an old friend short story', I can't say for certain. But usually in such a story, the main characters would be the old friends themselves. There could also be secondary characters like family members or mutual friends who play a role in their relationship, either supporting or causing some sort of friction between the two main friends.