The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-10-26

tnub II We uuOpVd pnitOSOpnJ = We w hOO
adopt it 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 Platonici
friend went away on bis 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 1t would have been SO comforting.
to tell somebody "who understoodn all
about 1T In fact, there were affairs that
It needed manly hand to straighten.
No matter II she was a "co-edp girl, the
foolish old business world looked upon
all women alike, whether they had been
shut up for years in boarding school
for young ladies" and never saw man
but their brothers and uncles, or sat
every day with the sterner sex and
worked outmathematical 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 reached 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 II he did "read between the lines"
--she rather hoped he would. Why
shouldn't ne guess what was really true
that she loved him? She knew that
ne would not pe sorry 70 KNOW that she
oid, LOT didn't sne now realize now re-
luctantly ne agreed that flatonic
friendship was altogether dei'gntful'
and tnat often there was a sort OF SAD
ness IN mis- voice when ne talked OF then
future plans tnatwere alweysseparatef
Inc Yoo-e0 giri TOT tne nrst ume IN
months sang bliths little air as she
sealed up her letter ana TOOK it 70 pne
post ONCE. Before sne droppeait IN sne
asked TOT any letter that might nave
come Tor her. There was one and II
saidi
my Dear Mttle Sister; When come
home which will be shortly will
bring with me one OF the dearest girls
IN the world say one OF the dearest
Dor you know ! have always regarded
you ana always shall az q peer among
women. knowing you, has changed
for me the world OF women. have told
my wife thai u 70 be all about you, and
she is prepared TO think az much OF you
as l 40, 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 30
happily, and slipped 1t away. TheDshe
sat down and wrote another letter Of
hopes and good wishes for another
woman's future happiness. Twill not
disappoint him. she said. "Twa the
one who taught him to think as he did,
changed the world OF women foi
him. That means that.he once did not
believe that women could be true, ana
brave and modest Though | may never
know the best OF his love, will never
lose bis respect"
How do ] know this story2 The
Scored" girl told 1t to me herself, with
a little catch in her voice, but brave
Light In her eyes. Why do / tell itf
Certainly not to prove that the belief
Of q wise old philosopher was all based
on thin air, for friendship such as he adj
vccated lived and fourished and will
live and flourish always. Butitwill not
thrive In every soil. To bear the perfect
fruit that Plato hoped for it the soil
must be especially prepared, and that
is OF the sort made up entirely Of GER
tain circumstances. Plant the seed Of
Platonic friendship In heart that is
not previously occupied and there Is
bound to sprout up nothing In the world
but crop Of ordinary, old-fashioned
love that's toocommonplaoe be ASSOC
ciated with philosophy.
Plato may be blamed for bringing
about much unhappiness, 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 themselves might have
been capable Of none more perfect. It
would be quite as unhappy state Of at-
fairs to have such friendships impos-