Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-14
The FRIENDSHIP OF WOMEN.
the COmpaBiosship OF Men and
Women Discouraged Under the
Republic.


Tine COmpaBIonship OF Men and
Women Discouraged Under the
Republic.
AS one reads in the "Causeries du
Lundi," in the souvenirs" Of Nine.
Joubert, of the life of men Of letters and
of the intellectual women of the first
and second empires, says writer in the
ArgORdta, his attention is called to one
ofthe most charming phases of society
at that time; the close, strong, indis-
soluble friendship which existed be-
tween the brilliant men and women
who graeed the salons of that day;
friendships which were characterized
by chivalrous devotion on one side aud
womanly tenderness and sympathy on
the other, which admitted the element
of affection, but excluded that OF
''lOve;;" friendships which the rules
governing French society made posi-
Die only with married women; friend
ships like that Of Chateaubriand and
Mime. Recamier, of Nine. Joubert and
Louis Blame.
In America, where unmarried wo-
nen-even very young girls-are free
from the restraints
which Hamper their Sisters
on the other side of the "Atlantic fer
ry," connections of this kind are seldom
formed, except by married women and
elderly men, and then uncharitable re-
marks are made upon the subject.
Although fewAmerican parents main
tain a system of surveillance in regard
to their daughters; although they per-
NIT them to enjoy innumerable tete-a-
tetes with the gentlemen who visit their
homes; allow them to attend theatres
and parties unchaperoned, they are by
no means ObliviOus to what is going on
between the young people. II q gentle
man calls frequently upon ayoung lady,
and frankly displays the pleasures he
takes in her society, her parents imme-
diately jump at one or two conclusions.
Either he has serious Intentions" and
should declare them; or, if he had no
Intentions he ought to have them,
and is
MOnOpOIiziDg the Time
and attentions of Miss Katie, or Miss
Mamie, or Miss Susie, simply pour pas.
ser lie temps. They never reflect that,
even if he comes simply to while away
an hour or two once in a while there is
nothing essentially wrong in his so do
ing-that he may not, therefore, be
designing villain, upon evil thoughts in
tent, cOnspiring against the peace OF
mind of their unSuspecting daughter.
There can be nothing more delight
full than "the frank kindness and COM
panionship existing between man and
Il woman who have no passion to hide
or confess" and such cOmpaniOnship,
born of mutual respect and admiration,
of congeniality Of tastes and similarity
of temperament, might be enduring If
the parties most interested were allowed
to follow their own inclinatiOns.
Of course it is true that such friend
ships are sometimes dangerous; that IN
such confidential intercourse the beau
ties of both natures are revealed; that
one begins to feel sort of proprietary
interest in the other; that friendlincsS
gives place to fOndness, and that again to
love; that the uitimate result may be
Stronger Bond,
or suffering and misery to one or the
other. There is possibility that all
this may occur; but it is not often so,
for the qualities which make friends Of
men and women are not those winch
make them lovers.
lit were possible to muzzle rumor,
"that miserable founding which never
knows its own parents" to impress upon
the minds of relatives and friends the
fact that there are in the world men
who enjoy the society of women as
"gOod cOmrades;" that there are in the
world women, young women, too-who
are contented with this sort OF regard
from men, and neither expect nor de-
sire any other-then there might be
many of these delightful friendships
formed and maintained un6rOken; then
one might rcfute the French saying,
now incOntrOvertible:
"Friendships, friendship; you do not
know what an idle word, what treach-
erOus slave, what a vain impoSsibility is
friendship between a man and wo-
man,