The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-05-16
A DEBATE ON FRIENDSHIP.
From tht. hRckpiO t.r.
CHAPTER :.

DE You believe that man and woman can
be truly rrients?'
have had that question put 20 ne towards
midnight Ill the dusk Of my quiet room. by a
fellow cullcSian, who was laboring under the
oppressive corSciou>rc>> Of HIS first love.
which is. you know. a Kind Of dyspepsia IF
the sorl-ani whose heart was yeayning to
pour into nv ho>im al! is ncw burden Of
hoi,> ana fears. his WAS tie awkward WAY
he took 10 approach the subject
have i!ti >ucl: qu ~.ion III. to NE to-
wards the ci"Sc If a bachelor dinner and
nave earned Z passing reputation frr satirical
i'lmorhs hantcrinS The unsophi>'icatcd yourg
,royo;ndsr, and putting him to blush.
Gan any one blame mc because in my own
snug room. y, amid thc haze of cigar smoke
and tini>.c cf wine glasses. the roar of good
fellowship. ic!t utterly. rcchIcs>ly indcpcnG-
,nt OF woman and her society ior nv enjoy-
m,nt>:? But nov wa> away from tn" bach
clor herd when the question was half whisper
cd. by Snlish lips 10 NE. on warm evening
between summertime and autumn.
1t was one Of those mysterious nights
which seem created to promote the growth of
poetry and the ruin Of single men; Ole OF
those nights when the moon hangs over us
cold. distant and unSympathizing, in its mex
prc>Siblc glory; when the dome beneath
which We stand seems lottier than usual, and
more empty; when the stars culver family
and are lost in that boundlesS realm. tn,
whole world seems to grope in lonely space
and man. as he looks upwards, feels himself
shrinking into state of painful in>igniticancc
and longs for some human company in which
he may regain his selfrcspcct by comparison
with his kind
Nature has no sympathy to offer him; for
all things are gathered! cozilv nesting to rest
under the brooding wing of night. To and
fro IN the forest. the katytids handy thci,
drowSy cadence, the gra>shopper sings inccs
sanity among the long grass, and the cricket
ever and anon lifts up his comfortable chirp
l should have turned affcctionatclv to an,
human being Just then. and this was the rca
son why the little hand which lay shining ant
dlmplng in the moonlight on nv arm gav,
me SO keen a thrill whenever its soft weigh
became scnSiblc-:.ot at all because it was ;
woman's hand
DO YOU believe that man and woman ca,
be truly friends p she said. looking up TO me
so that the moonlight filled her earnest eyes
and | could see that she meant the question
then and there TO be set a. rest forever. Rath
er than to have entered on a metaphysical
discussion like this, i'll the solitude of such
night. and in such company. l would cladl,
have foregathered with the SPHINX, alone
somewhere in the dcsert-perhaps on top q
a pyramid-and had that unreasonable ami
NAL propose me riddles by the hour.
Il do not believe, ca,t,,"t believe it posi-
ble,' answered hastily to her abrupt qucs
ton.
\ titful wind crcpt through the trees, sha
king their leaves stealthily, and passed ava
IN deep drawn sigh. The debilitating infu
cnces Of the night and its romance were gath
crlng around me-
admit continued |, that with som
pans the sexes may make plausible Kind @
treaty. which will answer all purposes @
friendship for the time being. The feclin.
will be novel and delightful, on both sides
and beautiful to look upon.
But it will not laSt-will it9
Perhaps not. And vet added. touchc,
y! hel Sch'le voice. myself have had friend
among your sex who were truer and more un
selfish, While they were friends, than any MAJ
could be- But they are dangerous compan
IONS, particularly in the outset of life. Will
we have still faith in our kind for one cal
scarcely refrain from trusting them with eve
ry thought. and even inventing little dra
matte confidence for theme They know hoy
to sympathlze so exGuisitely. now. when the,
changc-as they must, for change is the onl
lmnlutable law Of woman's nature-you hay,
a bitter enemy in possession of every secret
the confident CT every weakness; ard tn
world at large meanwhile. is convinced tha
YOU. have been tri..:ing with a young ladvs af
iections.'
Is it we who always ohange:?' retorted m,
companion; l am sure not. You will no
THINK me vain If say it is my experience.
shall never forget having once made The &C