The Russellville Democrat., 1875-04-29
For the DEMOCRAT.
 Friendship.

whirl hurls us on. How rapidly our years roll away and bear us on toward an intending eternity. On, on we go, on the wings of "old time," swiftly nearing the great ito be-"
 We are one year nearer the grave, and yet we do not, can not stop.-On, magically, on we glide. We are one year nearer our eter- nal home in heaven, or we are one year nearer the dark, dismal do mains of everlasting despair.-- These are truly solemn thoughts, and should be impressed upon ev- cry mind. Even now while l write, pause to reflect. Though we cannot stop the wheels of thank Heaven we can re- verse the minds, as it were, and take a hasty retrospect of the past and passionately ponder up on the friendship of other years.
 Here all around us are the min iatures of youtl. ful friends. Many of whom have been absent many years. Many who have gone with the flight of years to tEe long and final home. And others who took leave of friends and their early homes, years ago, and of whom we have had no tidings since.-Oh, what change has come in the past few years. What a changein in the great day-dream oflife! How happy then to know and feel, that though we are scattered, we are still bound to- gether by the golden bonds o1 friendship.
 Friendship! what a sweet sen sation the sound has upon our ears. Love, Hope, fidelity, con stancy, all, all, sink into insignifi canoe beside it, only because it reaches beyond, and includes them all, and yet embracing a sig nificance they do not express.
 Ah, yes! friendship has sig nificance outweighing that oflove. Youth enjoys the fervency of love's young dream, with unaba- ting passion. To them it is an enchanted castle, from which they wish to find no egress. But when the dawn of life has ripened into noon, and the turmoil and activity of life comes on, loves enchant- ment becomes diminished-there is less of the ethereal, and moro of strength and solidity.
 Love can brave the doubts of separation, and the little jars that frequently occur, but burden or personal disasters, never.
 Friendship is the Balm of Gil lead to those who tread the mur- ky sea of life.
 Without friendship there can be no love. Without friends, life itself would become a dreary waste, with them it becomes a garden green, and filled with flow CTS.
 There are times in the existence of every one when the heart is overwhelmed with grief, and that heart has yearning to throw it off, and sighs for a trust ing friend,-one who would value sweet confidence, and share our sorrow with us; shedding around us a dew-like sympathy.
 TT is said that misery loves company, and it certainly renders our burdens easier to bear.
 TT is the nature of the human heart to passionately yearn for something to love; and congen- iality of feeling is sought and ex- pected.
 There are mock friends who frequently betray our trust; from which freaks of deception some minds are induced to believe the whole world a round of deception, forming hasty conclusions on the multitudes, from the selfish deeds of few. SAD, indeed, must be the life of one acknowledging the loss or confidence in the whole world. Though 'tis hard to be deceived by one in whom we oft have placed our trust, we should never become discouraged under such misfortunes, but count it as a thorn among roses, and like the good florist separate the good C