, 1874-10-31
TRAVELLING COMPANIONS.
Tho study OF Onc7s Self and Onc,s
EciEIlbors.


Fton the Lo,plon Saturday Revis1c.
It is pretty generally recognized that few ties
in life arc moro trying than that which unites 9
couple oftrnyeltng companions. It is probably
practice OF wedding tours has become 30 CON-
mon. As gun iB tried by firing n charge greater
than will over DO usca in practice, 10 the
strougt1. OF tho marriage bond Is at once Hut,-
jectea to tile most trying combination Of oircun'-
Btnuces attatnablo. II is crelitable to tho
strength OF the domestic affections that 30 MANY
couples return upon decontly good torms, and are
oven known to look back upon the ordeal with
feelings akin to regret When, however, tile bond
is not Of 80 Intimate q nature, tho number OF
failures boars largo proportion to tho succoaaos.
Men are to be found who will declare that they
have laid tho foundation Of permanent friend
ships iu sstch temporary conpanlonship. In
Horlle caaes the statement may be accurate,
such matters. Two men will come homo from
trip barely on Bpenking terms, and o year after
ward onch of them will bo persuaded that niH
companion mas perfect but for some triling de-
old alliance. a few days separation obliteratos
ali traces OF the silly littlo grievances which
wore so serious at the time !; and it may vol to
TINT the friendship which was temporarily
tie net result. The philosophical observer
should therefore. ondcayor TO make
note OF his impressiona on tho spot In order that
ho mny avoid such illusions. Tho study both Of
oneself and onea ne1ghbora under such condt-
tions is amusing and profitable. The principle
is, Of course, simple enough. The smallest
Dcbble in your HAoo may bec0mo extremely v0x
ntious in q days walk. and may at the time .givo
far more annoyance than ia compensated by
the grandeur OF the scenery. You will. hoToVer.
remember tho scsnory and forgot the pebble. In
tho same way, any littlo angalarity in your
friends or yourself may produces petty irritation
which very shame forces yon to ignore Wlon its
cause is removed. You may be Travelling. for
H. 1oo4 land S1tnt x3t1
shares your opinions, Who has been your guido
in speculation aud practice, who has stood BY
you in dif1icuities, comforted you IN sorrow, aud
oven it may be, lent you money in diBtrosa. Un-
luckily, he has somo little trick Of manner or laI-
gunge which you mover noticed at homo. Ho
keeps some pet phrnae, which ia always recur-
ring in soason and out Of season there ia
something about his manner OF eating Which
strikes you as not perfectly delicate he has .
trick Of echong the last wortla OF yonrsentences;
aud after timo tho recurrence OF the objection
able peculiarly vexes you like the sting OF an
insect. You feel that ho has cancolcd for the
tin,o al claims upon your gratitude: oraates
and Pylados may be patterns OF friendship; but
If in walking tour Oreates Rhould introduce
into cyery other sentence tho phrase, "Dont
YOU know 2" Pylades would bo ready to cut his
throat or drop hia acquaintance In month:
Benrolio, ~ Marctaio informs us, quarTelsd
with friend for cracking nuts when he had ha-
xol eyeH and tue cause was perfectly adequate
II tlley were fe1ow-trayclera. 4 habit OF crack
ipg nuts might easily become I'LL intolerable
grievance. The sound Ia in itself annoying, and
# Benralio had weak tooth hia friond'a perform
auce would become kind Of constructive insult.
Tho Hpscinl oIensivoness OF auch peculiaritios ia
that ciyiiity torbida you to montion them, and
that you fool TINT your friond is absolutely nn-
conscious Of tho annoyance he ia giving. You
| have not therefore, even the satisfaction Of
feeling thas you have right to discharge your
| yexation in the Shape OF resentment.
There arc, OF oourae many pachydernatous
| poraona to whom auch grievances are unintelI-
| gible, but oven the most asolid OF mankind be-.
comes sufficiently sensitive to other forms of
annoyance. Il is amusing to watch tho proceeds
| inga Of = party Of three or four travellers rho
have been togotlor for eonlo two or three wec2s
| They sit down for an afteE-linnor chat, appar-
ons OF them makes Beonlingly harmless ~ rehaarK
| about tho weathor or the country, Iho bysLana'
or, though ho Ia not in the secret, immediately
| porceiYea that tho statonent has some hlaaen
| Companions OF the speaker; eaett man IL, so
| to aJ,eak. standing to bis arms and propar-
lug ior . general aotion: the Higual gun has
| boon lrod, though wo do not al yet know
Tho r,' pposkor, it IL. probable y introducing
! aotuo crotcl.ot Of bis own which has be-
cone rouoguMol battle-ground: The question
| Inns boon argued dozen ttmos already, and onch
combataut knows eyorything that each Of tho
othorB hns to say upon the subject. porhups,
However, tho introdcer OF tho topic has thought
In the course of the day Of aoma clever logical
1auouyre which will glyo lin ha revenge for
former lefoats; or perhaps ho soes possible
ally il, hs new audience. In tho last oaAo, it will
Na wiso to perseveEe strict neutrality md al-
low tl,e atr,igglo to run lis natural course. Tho
Htoii4 1nan plosls Btoalily OIL with ls old ofIol-
slyo thehis; hin argumentatiye friend takos up
tho cl,allenge ut o,ee, aud outs Il with Yigor-
ouA confnsation mud tho noryous aud reserved
1lal. aftor trying for Aolno timo to preserve II
iutlieious silence suddenly takeB fro, und, DASH