The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1859-09-23
REAL AND FALSE FRIENDS.

always VIII De, t0ose VINO are prs
scipitated from positions of wealth,
influence and honor, to the vale of
poverty and obscurity. tt is only in
circumstances of this kind that men are
prepared to appreciate their friends, and
to know who are real and who are false
friends. Then it is that they discover
thew had confded in miserable hallow-
hearted pretenders, who wore the mask
Of friendship, with view to accomplish
certain selfish ends. We have lived, it
il true, but a shorter number Of years
than others occupying such position =
In this cold -hearted, selfish world, and
in that time we have had much to do
with a great many men. We have
tested the friendship of many-found
some to be as true as steel, under all
eireumstances,and quite a number to be
Geceitful, false-hearted, unreliable and
as corrupt as the very imps of COB
Inns damned" And, to-day, our delib-
crate judgment is, that very few men
are reliable, and that not more than
one in ten are honest, or act under the
Influence of motives that govern high
minded men. Is man the favorite Of
fortune Nine tenths of all who own
less property than he does, are set Of
miserable parasites who cluster about
hsm. or creep after him, either in the
hope of gathering up his gifts, Oh
climbing up.to positions, through hi;
aid and influence. Is a man poor but
respectable and influential ! Men q
wealth end position seek his favor. The
object in view is TO use him. Let mis-
fortunes oyertake him, in either case
and let him be deprived of bis property
or influence, and his humorous friend,
pass him by in silence, or dash from
him suddenly, as if his touch were
poisonous. Such is surely shan
friendship-whose author is q glowing
furnance Of destruction; whose hear
isas base as the wretch who enjoys tn,
locality of the internal regions; ant
whose tongue out-veDoms the worms 0
the Nile.
Not so with true friend, who's
friend~hip is seated in principle an,
hoRor, and springs from the impulsu
tof . generous heart, a noble SOUL
I0ur Inisfortunes, and our sudden an,
unexpected need of friends only revea
| thu true characterof the real man, an,
cause him to rally TO our aid, whel
there is no earthly prospect of his bein
bens6tted by his acts of kindness
Prosperity causes our friends to kno,
US, and hunt US up. Adcersity cause
us To know our friends, and to be abb
to point them out in any crowd. Mi;
fortunes bring 10 our relief real friend
if we have any, and in most instance
they turn out to be those we neyC
knew, while those we were looking oil
for, have never heard of ourbad lucl
We are sorry to repeat, that ever
year We live, our confidence in men
diminished mot because Of their trea
lnsut TO US, but because of what we S,
transpifing between man and man. "
! mees with but few examples Of unadu
/ terated friendship. There is but lit
genuine esteem in the world. But e
examples of silent love and unboug
magnanimity occur in our day. Beney
. lent impulses are not TO be met with
9 one out of ten nen, who lay claims
beneyolence. The world is full Of
ceit treachery, and false friendsh
I And in Church and in State, in t
: many instances, liars, thieves, swiudle
+ and Williams bear away. And the u
I clouded light of eternity will reyt
;, a most hideous picture--and show Il
e many men who would seem to re,
n amid the plaudits of angels, have hea
IT as btaeE as Hell, and deserve conspic
s Gus quarters in State prison.
- -~~mps-
= FIR