The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-08-11
that if we adopt philosophy, we do not

that II we auOpt q pnlIOsOpnN, we uo AOt
adopt it intensely. 1t is this intensity
that gives to that which we advocate
most strongly the epithet OF fad
Somehow things did not go 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 bravest woman he ever knew
but it would have been so comforting
to tell some body who underst ood' all
about it. In fact, there were affairs that
it needed 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 been
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
recited 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. 1t 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 Preached conclusion"
and this was it: She would write to 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 he guess what was really true
that she loved him? She knew that
he would not be sorry to know that she
did, for didn't she now realize how re-
luctantly he agreed that Patonic
| friendship was altogether delightful.
| and that often there was n 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 blithc little air as she
| sealed up her letter and took it to the
| post office. Before she dropped it in she
asked for any letter that might have
come for her. There was one and it
| said:
MY Dear Little Sister: When come
home-vhich will be shorty-I vii!
| bring with me one of the dearest girls
in the world. l say one of the dearest,
for YOU know | 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 to 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 it away. Then she
sat down and wrote another letter of
hopes and good wishes for another
woman's future happiness. II will rot
dsappoint him." she said. 81 was the
one who taught him to 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 l may never
know the best OF his love, will never
lose his respect"
How do | know this story? The
"co-ed" girl told it to ne herself. with
a little catch in her voice. but brave
light in her eyes. Why do 7 tell it:
Cer'aiuly not to prove that the belief
of a wise old philosopher was all based
on thin air. for friendship such as he ad
vocated lived and t1onrished and will
live and flourish always. But It will not
thrive in every soil. To bear the pcrfec;
fruit that Plato hoped for it, the sol
must be especially prepared, and tina
is Of he sort made up entirely Of Ger
tain circumstances. Plant the seed O.
Platonic friendship in a heart that i!
bound to sprout up nothing in the worlt
) but crop Of ordinary, c,d-fashioDet
love that is too commonplace to be asso
cjated with philosophy
. Plato may be blamed for bringing
about much unl1appinesS, but all have
not been unhappy who have adopted hi
philosophy. There have been men ant
women the world over whose friend
ship has been so strong and unselfisl
that the gods themselves :eht hav,
been capable Of none more perfect.
would be quite as unhappy state CT
fairs to have such friendships impos
, siblc as it would be to rob the vorle
: of ali such but these. No, do not ,e!
the ''co-ed' girls story to prove tia
Plato was wrong. Wiser than | hav
pointed out the errors Of his philosoph,
long years before this. and yet some
how it has not been killed. or snfTere,
very materially for its faulty and seam,
=. side being shown. tell the stury-wel
< I tell it because | know there are man,
2 other women like the ''co-ed'' girl VIII
: ! make the mistake of thinking there ar
higher things in the world than jus
-. loving and being loved, only to wax
and find that after all the cleycrest ma
5 feel lonely, particularly if the ''clcvel
| est happen to be women. FRIENDSHIP
, and love are excellent compa oions
| Where it is possible to combine the tive
/ carth's ideality is added to.
? The "co-ed" girl has not been over