The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-21
A PLATON|C
INTERVAL.
By SYBYL AYLSWORTH STEWART.

copyright, 1903. by Robert Howard
RusselI.)
Lucille felt depressed. There are mo-
ments even in Platonic friendship when
one does feel so, you know, though
Lucille would I'VE been the last to
admit that, and even now she fled TO
it as a refuge. One of the most beau
tiful things about Platonic friendship
is that it requires such a great deal Of
talking over. explanation and analy-
sis.
TT has succeeded, hasn't it, Philip
she inquired suddenly. There had been
a silence of two squares as they walk
ed home and Philip who a his own
train of thought was not quite pre-
pared to board this special. He was a
man n his impulse was to say What
has?" But he knew Lucille who hated
stupidity and so inquired gently:
In what particular are you think
ing of 1T now?" This would do very
we'll he thought if she were thinking
of the Trans-Siberian Railway or the
new lawn mower in both of which she
was absorbed.
why, in every way. You know it
was a year ago today we met and l
have been reviewing the entire eX-
pertinent"
Philip hated that word which she
was forever using out he bowed before
it as before many other little gods
she had set up.
Lucille continued meditatively. "I
think we w it's success to the sensi-
BILE rules which we have adopted and
have stuck to all through
Now Dhilin thn11oht thor owed ia
success to the fact that her hair had
the most captivating gold in it, her
face the most appealing piquancy, and
her heart the readiest sympathy Of any
girl in the whole world, but he did not
sal so. He had not lived under the
austere rules of a Platonic friendship
for nothing, and he merely elaborated
upon what she had said. He always
found that perfectly safe.
Yes, having a few rules gives a de-
finite understanding; and then as I
know the rules, it prevents your having
e~ternally to be saying Don't"
Lucille reflected that she had said
Don't enough as it was. There were
so many things she discovered danger
Gus. First she had said they must not
talk personalities-but these assumed
such invidius and unexpected forms
that she had to make it more detailed.
He must not talk about her hands or
her hair even from a coldly artistic
standpoint. for which he held out a
long time. He must not even remark
upon her new frockS. The day she is
sued this mandate was a crisis and
Lucille felt almost doubtful Of Plato.
But in spite Of her doubts, or perhaps
because of ~them-wOmen are hat way
sometimes-she had insisted upon this
new ratification of the law. In fact
as soon as she found she was enjoying
- ~ no wv H. ~
:, picious of it and Philip, not slow to
discover this, tried desperately to be
dS uninteresting as possible.
He had, however, his own opinion OF
l Platonic friendship. When h first
met he soon heard how she hated SEN
timentality and longed for a good
comrade." He also learned OF the
Z mournful line of suitors turned away
from her door and he resolved 70 prof
, it by the lesson of their melancholy
fate. Ibis c~omradeship idea had seem.
> ed a means to and end and he had al.
: lowed her to develop it to her heart:
content. But of late instead of proving
Y a path it had become an obstacle. ant
n he bitterly thought that their friend
. ship was the only thing that separated
them. Yet he was afraid to tnrust 1
= aside and he still outwardly submitted
u to its laws.
n Lucille was a determined little CIR
and she had set her heart or rather he
e mind on this experiment Heart
. she insisted upon leaving out OF tn
question. LAS if a woman wasn't n
thing but a heart and a bundle e
sentimental emotions, as if she didn'
L care for anything but fattery and alb
ject alteration Lucille demanded tina
Y Philip treat her as if she had a brain
y as she said. as if she was nothing bu
II a brain, in fact.
TnniCht she WAS n liff1a tired an
they fell silent. AS they passed unde
the arc light Philip saw the wear
little droop of her mouth and tn
shadow in her eyes. He clinched hi
d hands hard. h was ordinarily so fu
of vitality and independence, and t
see her like this and know she woul
not allow him even a word made hir
furious She would not even take hi
III arm. He had to say something G
IF gather up her whole tired little Sc
in his arms, so he demanded if she ma
:. a latch key.
L. No she said. but you needn't :
20 so fierce about it. Daddy's gone an
a mother said she would leave the libra
r ~ door unlocked for me. 1t isn't late,
ct \ man brushed by them just the
e. leaving behind him the trail of a mo:
evil cigar. They said no more and wall
ed to the house standing back anon
the trees. They paused a minute
the door and Lucille noted in he licl
y. ering light how tall and strong Phil
ne was. 1t rested her to look at Il
Mt breadth of his shoulders. She has II
ry blues, but she didn't know why az
ar Philip seemed so unsympathetic. {
course, she would not have allowed hi
70, to be anything else. but still he VI
cold anyway, she thought.
ur He threw the door open softly ar
ii as she stepped into the dim lightt
hall ha saw her lift her head 0utck