The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-11-27
Home Friendships.

IiNlh9 always together, the tlemG erS
OF one family are apt to become monot-
onous and unintcie sting to one another.
Having had such abundant opportunity,
they fancy they have entirely tathomed
each other, and that there is nothing
more to find out. There is 10 longer
the attraction Of curiosity, or the stimu-
lus Of variety. They are not wildly
impressed, nor do they feel able to in.
press in their turn. SO there comes to
be tameness and insipidity about home
life which is supposed to be inherent in
it. The feeling of The usefulness of eff
fort deadcns effort, and q lukewarm
spirit of good will is all that is even
aimed at. That this is the case in nu-
merous families may be proved by the
change which thew experience on the az
rival of any valued guest. New life
and energy seem to enter with him and
pervade the hitherto listless household;
each one feels Il new pleasure and an I'M
wonted desire to please, which are equal
ly exhilarating; but, after his departure,
they gradually sink back into the old
apathetic routine. Of course the eager
heart of youth especially cannot be sat
istied with this; it must tut out its ten
drills and cling to something; it Graves
animated intercourse, warm sympathy,
earnest purposes, strong emotions, and
finds them IN outside friendships.
Now, while such attachments are not
to be Unfortunately discouraged,
bringing their own special advantages
and pleasures, it is to be sincerely de-
plored that friendships inside the home
are so exceedingly rare, AID that the
young are so generally growing up in the
idea that they are impossible. There
are, of course, many honorable exceptions
to this, where not only husband and
wife have been life long and devoted
friends, but also parents and children,
brothers and sisters. Yet the careful
preservation of these instances. and the
extreme respect accorded to them, proves
their comparative rarity. Probably each
of us can recall few such cases, which
stand out in bold relief against the
of households who consider
highly blessed if they only
succeed III avoiding contention and pre-
serving q toierable civility among one
another
Yet it would seem as if nearly ali the
for earnest and steadiast
friendship might be found within circle
already joined by bonds Of instructive
and mutual interest. There is
sufficient similarity of taste, purpose
and position to win sympathy; and
there is sufficient variety Of age, sex and
to prevent monotonv.
There is every opportunity for cleva,ing
natural fondness into lottier affection,
for developing the germs of respect and
love into the rich and full growth OF
noble friendship. All the more delicate
of sex are fulfilled in their
utmost purity by the friendship of
mother and son, fathcr ana daughter,
brother and sister. Why then should
years spent under the same roof 50 often
separate and scatter the affections Of
instead Of cementing and
strengthening them into the rich and
-teadtast friendships of maturer life
Probably the chief cause Of his )
that people rely on the inStinctivoness
Of natural affection as being al!-suiiici'nt,
without effort The imagine that
family loye is strong enough to take
are Of Itself, 50 they take but little
pains 10 preserve it from the shocks and
Jars Of daily Hi. And they also sup
pose that they are 50 well known to each
other that j, is not worth while
TO present their failer SIDE. Ii
,ll ills thcy are mistaken Natural
lttction Oilers II tine foundation
On which 20 erect the edilice o; firm
and enduring friendship, but it will lot
rise ~ o; itself We mus, build Il,
,tone oy stone, II SIC would possess it.
Il We have . >aiuel ami respected
friend, what pains We take to cherish
his friendship; how carefully We en-
leavor to prune away from ourselves
that y hich would di-Ilaaae him and cul-
-iya,c those qualities which lie admires
how we strive to crafty him by pleas
ant surprises and to avoid al that could
wound or trouble him Yet, let the
familiar house-door shut Us in and how
many Of Us take the same pains ? Here
We throw off restraint, we air cur worst
,ile, that has been scdulouslv hidden,
md allow our better qualiies, that have
been in fall exercise, 10 ,ail asleep.
How uanN Of ms anxio,l--. --.--n = :.