Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-07-09
A Fictionless Fable
for the Fair
How q PIatonic Friendship
May Result In an Anti
Platonic Surrender.
BY ANN Isle.

There was once a girl who believed in
platonic friendships. And she made a
speciality Of them.
why shouldn't men and women be
frtends?' she asked Of all the women
she knew. I'm sure it's perfectly pos
sible and much more interesting than
merely having emotions all the time. 1t
isn't a real compliment II some man
raves over the nose. for which a line
OF dim ancestors have more responsibility
than 1. But IL a chap says ! have
keen knowledge OF world politics or
play a fine game of bridge he Ia talking
about things over which 1 have been to
some personal pains. .a...
Mere femininity-an accident of sex
isn't thing on which any sane woman
wants to base conquest of the, crudely
macuIine. 1 like mems minds. 1 want
them to admire mine, and my character,
and my ability to be a pal--as good
pal as another fellow Now, isn't that
the best wayT' -
And the man TO whom she spoke would
look upon a pair OF black-lashed gray
eyes that from the local OF any other
girls face would have been sending WIRE
eAiOoeooVS
as men are sane creatures. who seldom
ask fiGs from thistles. he would conclude
that she was a cold little thing-but
pretty and clever and presentable withal
and that he might as well play the
game her way, since II was her way, or
not at all
Most of the men who knew her liked
her second best to their wives. or third
best to the sweethearts between whom
they were hesitating-and found them
selves telling her so. And she liked 1t
and boastcd about It.
Tommy Jones and are the best
pals" she once told Rex Darwin. He
says there isn't another girl In the whole
world he can see because he loves Clara
so--but that doesn't interfere with his
honest liking for me. I've got his liking.
That is mine for all time. It's there
just there, like the Rocky mountains or
the great lakes. 1t would take an up
heaval of nature to destroy it."
And does Clara like friendship with
her fianceT' Rex asked.
"Oh, she understands-she knows I'm
not dangerous. that ! don't think OF men
as men at all, but minds It's com
lpanionship and understanding and liking
/ want. That's the big thing-the thing
your personality gets-the others only
lincolnshire and balderdash.''
How do you know?" Rex asked. n
might show you now-'Just a little love,
he hummed ingratiatingly.
And then the girl laughed with clear
ripple OF humor that made sentiment
about as possible as does a ssarchlight
turned on the particular park bench you
have been making for "Oh, Reggie
imagine your getting sentimental over
me--raving over my pink and white COM
plexion for instance, when we both know
II freckle worse than you do"
On a Thursday in May some one intro
duced her to Horace Easton. lie took
her out 10 dinner the following Monday
night-for girls who believe in platonic
friendship are not prudishiy conven-
tIonal-they don't have to produce an
atmosphere of being unattainable since
they aren't trying to be attained.
Horace was brilliant and entertaining
and listened politely wnen she aired her
theories ON platonics-and as politely
changed the subject to a discussion OF
his admiration for the beautiful Mrs.
Thornley-and all beautiful wonderland
the type possessing gray eyes and clear
brunette coloring. And on parting he
kissed her hand-and little prickles wan
dered up her arm to her ear which tin
sled strangely against a hot cheek. And
she wondered II her eyes were as gray
as Mrs. Thornley, s-and examined them
carefully in her mirror that night.
on the following Monday Horace kissed
her lips. In June. az much to his sur
prise as to hers their engagement was
ANNOUNCED. Horace had merely Teen out
for conquest-but the girl who believed
in platonic friendship was so lovable and
loving that he couldn't let her get out OF
his life to be captured by any OF that
mass OF fellows who liked her-and whom
he thought ready 10 love her n she would
let them
Which proves that IL takes two 20
play at platonic friendship-and that Il
may be the only game a girl knows until
some intrepid soul comes along and
teaches her a better one.
Also II teaches that an audacious klsH
'on the hand has its value