Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-10-07

that if we adopt philosophy, we 90 not |
adopt il intensely. 1t is this intensity !
that gives TO that which we advocate |
most strongly the epithet of fad"
Somehow things did not 60 right |
for the "co-ed" girl after the Platonic
friend went away on his travels. There
came troubles as troubles always come,
not singly, but in lots. She was brave
her absent friend had always said she
was the brayest woman he ever knew
but il would have been so comforting
10 tell somebody who understood" al
about il. In fact there were affairs that
il needed a manly hand TO straighten.
No matter if she was "co-ed" girl, the
foolish old business world looked upon
all women alike. whether they had beer
shut up for years in "A boarding school
for young ladies'" and never saw a man
but their brothers and uncles, or sat
every day with the sterner sex and
worked out mathematical problems and
rected lessons in Latin and Greek. And
so one night the 'co-ed" girl crept to
bed and cried. she was so lonely.
But IN the morning she looked in her
glass and smiled The happy face she
saw there really startled her. II was
not because there were fewer trials TO
face that day. The night had swept
none Of them away. 1t was only that
she had at last reached a conclusion
and this was il: She would write 10 the
platonic friend; she would tell him
how much she needed him. She did not
care if he did read between the lines"
she rather hoped he would. Why
shouldn't ne guess what was really true
tina: she loved him? She knew that
ne would not be sorry 10 know that she
did, for didn't she now realize how re-
luctantly ne agreed that Platonic
friendship was altogether delightful.
and that often there was sort Of sad
ness in his voice when he talked Of their
future plans that were always separate?
The "co-ed" girl for the first time in
months sang a blithe little air as She
sealed up her letter and took il 20 the
post Office. Before she dropped in she
asked for any letter that might have
come for her. There was one and IL
said:
MY Dear Little Sister: When come
home-which will be shortly vii!
bring with me ore of the dearest girls
in the world. l say one of the dearest,
for you know l have always regarded
YOU, and always shall, as peer among
women. Knowing you has changed
for me the world of women. have told
my wife that is 10 be all about you. and
she Is prepared 10 think as much of you
as do" etc, etc.
The ''co-ed" girl did not mail the let
ter she had written. She did not cry
when she got home. She folded the let
ter, with the one that she had sealed so
happily, and slipped il away. Then she
sat down and wrote another letter Of
hopes and good wishes for another
woman's future happiness. II will not
disappoint him." she said. 81 was the
one who taught him 20 think as he did.
| changed the world OF women for
him That means that he once did not
believe that women could be true, and
brave and modest. Though I may never
know the best of his love. I win never
lose his respect"
How do l know this story? The
a little catch in her voice. but brave
light in her eyes. Why 90 | tell it?
Certainly not 10 prove that the belief
of wise old philosopher WA, all based
on thin air. for friendship such as lie adj
vocated lived and fourished and will
live and flourish always. Bu' IL will not
thrive in every soil. To bear The perfect
fruit that Plato hoped for il, the soil
must be especially prepared, and that
is of the sort made mp entirely Of GER
tain circumstances. Plant the seed OF
Platonic friendship in a heart that is
not previously occupied and there is
bound to sprout up nothing In the world
but a crop of ordinary. oll-fashioned
love that is too commonplace 10 be asso-
ciated with philosophy.
Plato may be blamed for bringing
about much unhappness. but all have
not been unhappy who have adopted his
philosophy. There have been men and
women the world over whose friend
ship has been so strong and unselfish
that the gods them selves M chit have
been capable of none more perfect. 1t
would be quite as unhappy state Of af-
fairs 10 have such friendships impos-
sible as II would he 10 rob the world
of ali such but these. No. do not tell
the coed girls story to prove that
Plato was wrong. Wiser than / have
pointed out the errors of his philosophy
long years before this, and yet some
how it has not been killed, or suffered
very materially for its faulty and seamy
side being shown. tell the story-well.
/ tell il because / know there are many
other women like the "co-ed" girl who
make the mistake of thinking there are
higher things in the world than just
loving and being loved. only to wake
and find that after all the cleverest may
feel lonely, particularly if the clever
est happen to be women. Friendship
and love are excellent companions.
Where il is possible TO combine the two,
earth's ideality is added 10.
The 'tcO-ed'' pir1 has NOT been ovar-