The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-28
Where PlatOniCS
Were Strained.
From the New York Times.

! From the New York Times.
-HElR relations were purely pla-
tonic. At least she pridcd her.
self on that fact. When any one
suggested to her the possibility
of AN attachment more tender
| and affectionatc she pooh-poohed it
with an emphasis Indicative of an alb
solutcly sure state of mind. She WAS
not like other girls she said. Several
men had found that out. They began
| by being friendly; she encouraged
them. perhaps. into Il certain liking
that she had for masculine compan-
| ionship, which they not infrcqucntly
misunderstood. Then when the night
and the moon and the soft breczcs
| stirred them to declarations fraught
with more than passing interest she
was forced to more heroic uttcrances.
| Dear me-" she would say, II don't
sec why man and "A woman can't go
| on being just friends, here in New
| York. Bob never acted this way.
Why we rowed and sailed and tramp
| cd together summer in and summer
| out, and he never thought of making
IA proposal Dear old Bob He had
! more sense. Brace up now, he a man,
| forget 1t, and so will !. and Wen Just
go on being comrades"
| Some of them got angry. Others ac-
| ccpted II as 4 matter of course. There
| Is at least one instance on record of
| a chap who really Ircd Il second time
ana ended by responding to the usual
| throw down with whlstling a popular
| air that begins comrades, comrades
| ever since we We're boys" Upon which
| occasion she told him he was a dear to
| take ii that way. and they have been
| better friends ever since
few weeks ago she went To spend
the summer with friends in little
| hamlet up the Hu lson. Thithcr also
| journeycd Bob. She is "A strong. hand
some, atheletic creature, ana fond of
| outdoor sports. She begins her sea-
| sons swimming long hcfora the daring
small boy thinks the water has lost
| enough of its chill. When she is not
Soltng she is in the tcnns court In
| the winter basketball and long rambles
| through snowy woods serve 10 keep her
| checks rosy and her cy" b:iSht. And
| the man who accompanies her on such
walks needs to be more than passa-
| bly, good pedestrains for she will soon
| tire him whose limbs are not of iron,
/ Bob is not easily tired. His training
with the college Dodt crew came in
| handy, too, now tha. the form of
| sport took an aquatic turn. TIE long
! tramps over the country roads were
varied with sailing, swimming. and AN
occasional hour of padding in BOb's
| beautiful now canoe. The last i'm
| fact, was rapidly becoming the lavorite
| sport. But now she AYERS that canoes,
like men, are mighty uncertain crea-
| lures.
1t happened this way. They had
started out for an early morning paddle
So early. in fact, that the rest of the
household was S;ill asleep But the
| air was crisp and the sua Using be-
hind the Jersey hills madc g. picture
long to be remembered. size is quite
sure that she viii remember it. He
| has no doubts on the subject. She
was sitting i'm the bow of the canoe
| trailing her hands in tn" stil water
| and enjoying it all so much that il
startled her when Bcb's ahmlcss con-
versation took another tmn. He did
not say much; but it was all 50 sud
den, there was depth of tenderness
i'm the tone and il was ;" impressive
! the she gave Il sudden start. That did
the trick. The canoe turned turtle,
ana, i'm AN instant, they were both
| lloundering in the water.
Great Caesar" he shouted, II didn't
mean 1t, can't you take Il joke"
He was clinging t. one cuI of tie
canoe and sllr had found safety ~
throwing her arm over the otrcr end.
1T was too much of q shock" she
| answered, I'm surprised at Sou. How
dare YOU Oh, Bob, I'm so disappont-
ei i'm you"
but, | tell you, ] didn't mean it,"
The speech was not Gallant and she
may have resented l., but she only
added:
We'll YOU oughtn'j to talk nonsense
In canoe. It's apt ID upset one"
so I observe"
But If you wcren I SO set up in
your notions | might b. temp.Cd---"
There, now, you're beginning again.
I'm going to swim ashore"
ITS a mile or more" he shouted.
For heavens sake, not to speak of
mine, don't think of it,"
"Will you stop talking nonscnce,
them"
1t .sn / nonsense