The Press., 1901-10-31
Where PlatoniCS
Were Strained
A STORY OF WRECKED
CANCERS. 80.


Their relations were purely platonic.
At least she prided herself on that fact.
When any one suggested to her the
possibility of an attachment more ten
der and affectionate, she poohpoohed
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 misunder-
stood. Then when the night and the
moon and the soft breeZes stirred them
to declarations fraught with more than
passing interest she was forced to more
heroic utterances.
Dear me-" she would say, 81 don't
see why Il man and Il woman can't go
on being just friends here In New
York. Bob never acted this way. Why,
we rowed and sailed and tramped to-
gether summer in and summer out. and
he never thought of making proposal.
Dear old Bob! He had more sense.
and so will l. and We'll just go on being
comrades"
Some Of them got angry. Others &C
cepted it as u matter of course. There
is at least one instance on record of
chap who really tried a second time
and ended by responding to the usual
throw down with whstling a popular
air that begins. Comrades, comrades,
ever since we were boys" Upon which
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 a little
hamlet up the Hudson. Thither also
journeyed Bob. She is a 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 golfng,
she is in the tennis court. In the win
ter basket ball and long rambles
through snowy woods serve to keep
her cheeks rosy and her eyes bright.
And the man who accompanies her on
such walks needs to be more than a
passably good pedestrian, for she will
soon tire him 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-
sional hour of padding in Bob's beau
tiful new canoe. The last. in fact. was
rapidly becoming the favorite sport.
But now she ayers that canoes, like
men, are mighty uncertain creatures.
1t happened this way: They had
started out for an early morning pad,
desc early, in fact, that the rest Of
the household was still asleep. But the
air was crisp, and the sun rising behind
the Jersey hills made picture long to
be remembered. She is quite sure that
she will remember it. 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 it all so
much that it startled her when Bob's
aimless conversation took another turn.
He did not say much. but it was all so
sudden, there was such a depth Of ten
derness in the tone. and it was so i'm
pressive that she gave a sudden start.
I That did the trick. The canoe turned
turtle, and in an instant they were
both 1oundering in the water.
"Great Csesar! he shouted. II didn't
mean it. Can't you take joker
He was clinging to one end of the ca
noe, and she had found safety by
throwing her arm over the other end.
'Tt was too much Of a shock" she an
swered. 'I'm surprised at you. How
dare you! Oh, Bob, I'm so disappointed
in your
"But, tell you, l didn't mean it."
The speech was not gallant, and she
may have resented it, but she only add
ed:
"Well, you oughtn't to talk nonsense
in a canoe. It's apt to upset one"
$50 observe. But if you weren't so