The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-09-19
Where Piat0niCS
Were STRAINED
A STORY OF WRECKED
CANCERS, -.

Their relations were purely p!atOnic
At least she prided herself on that fact.
When any one suggested to her the
pos sihlity of an attachment more ten
der and affectionate, she pO0hpoohed
it with an emphasis indicative of an
absolutely 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 In a certain liking that
she had for masculine companionship
which they not infrequently misundrr-
stood Then when the night and the
moon and the soft brrcZes stirred them
TO declarations fraught with more than
passing interest she was forced to more
heroic utteranres.
"Dcar me-" she would say, ~ don't
see why man and a woman cant go
on being just friends here in New
York. Bob never acted this way. Why,
we rowrd and sailed and tramped to-
gethcr summer in and summer out. and
he never thought of making n PROPOSAL
Dear old Bob. lie had more sense
trace up now. BE n man. Forget it,
and so will |, and we'll just 60 on being
comrades"
Some of them got angry. Others ac-
ceptcd II as a matter of course. There
Is at least one Instance on record Of Il
chap who really tried second time
and ended by responding to the usual
throw down with wh!stlins Il popular
air that begins. "ComlTdes. comrades.
ever since We were boys Upon which
occasion she told him he was n dear to
take it that way, and they have been
better friends ever since
A few weeks ago she went to spend
the summer with friends In little
hamlet up the Hudson. Thithcr also
jO,rncycd Bob. She Is Il strong, hand
some. athletic creature. fond of out
door sports. She begins her seasons
swimming long before the daring small
boy thinks the water has lost enough
Of its chill. When she Is not goltllG,
she is in the tennis court. In the win
ter basket ball and long rainl!rs
through snowy woods serve TO keep
her checks rosy and her eyes bright.
And the man who accompanies her on
such walks needs to be more than Il
passably good pedestrian, for she will
soon tire Kim whose limbs are not Of
iron.
Bob Is not easily tired. His training
with the college boat crew came in
handy, too, now that the form of sport
took an aquatic turn. The long tramps
over the country roads were varied
with sailing, swimming and an occa.
sona hour of padding In Eob's beau
t!ful new canoe. The last, In fact. WIS
rapidly becoming the favorite sport.
But row she AYERS that canoes, like
men, are mighty uncertain creatures.
1t happened this way: They had
started out for an early morning pad
dlr--so early, in fact, that the rest Of
the household was still asleep. But the
mir was crisp, and the sun rising behind
the Jersey hills made II picture long to
be remembered. She is quite sure that
she will remember il. He has no doubts
on the subject. She was sitting in the
bow Of the canoe trailing her hands in
the still water and enjoying 1t all so
mach that it startled her when Bobs
aimleSs conversation took another turn.
He did not say much, but it was all sc
Sudden. there was such depth of ten
Gcrue;s in the tone, aud 1t was 50 I'M
uressivc that she gave Il sudden start.
That did the trick. The canUe turned
turtle. and III an instant they were
both nounlering in the water.
"Gleat t.rs;lr" he shouted. II didn't
mean it. Can't you take II joke!'
| lie was clinging to one end OF the ca
noe. and she had found safety by
throwing her arm over the other end.
ut was too EIuch of Shock she an
swrrcd. "l'm surprised at you. How
dare YOU: Oh, Bob, I'm SO disappointed
in you.'
"Rut. | tell you | didn't mean it,
The speech was not gallant, and she
may have resented it, but she only add
ed:
"Wcll, you oughtn't to talk nonsense
in a canoe. It's apt to upset one
$50 observe. But If you weren't 50
set up in your notions l might be
tempted
There, now you're beginning again.
I'm going to swim ashore"
Its mile or more" he shouted
For heavens sake, not to speak of
mine, don't think Of it,"
"Well, you stop talking nonsense,
then"
ut isn't nonsense"
at is"
I'm serious"
THAT settles IT," Her arms came
down from the canoe. "I'm going to
try for the shore"
lie tried waddling along the side Of
the canoe to get at her arm and detain
her. The shell trembled along Its en-
tire length and sank far down under
his weight. She laughed dcrisvely.
and be grew pale.
"Very funny. isn't itY' he asked.
Decidedly. Do you think II you sink
1t We'll be any better OFF,
As she had ceased to make demon
STATIONS shoreward he felt that his
purpose was accomplished and so said
nothing. A moment later be made IN.
other mistake.
ats getting along" he said. Some
body will be out fishing soon and pick
US up"
It was her turn to look scared.
"What would they think II they
found us like this?" she .ventured. Il
won't permit It."
"Dut everybody around here knows
we're Just friends" he said. You
know you've talked Plato till