Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-04-10
miscellaneous.
THE FOOL FRIEND.

There is certainly grim and com.
Portable joy in going in search Of bitter
and implacable foe There is an OK
citing hunger in the eye and in the heart
as we follow him by day and camp on
his trail at night. Then when we m Get
and mix him up with the green sward
and knock his front teeth loose and swell
his proud nose, and put an olive-green
and cadet-blue dado over bis eye and a
fancy cigarette pocket on his cheek, and
erect little knobs all over him in places
where nature did not design to have
them, we walk away with the idea that
we are taller and wider and draw more
water and exert more influence than we
did before. Even when we ssk the
police judge how much it will be il we
pay it in advance, and We use up the
funds in that way when We had intended
TO invest them in other channels, we
cannot say that We regret it If the cause
seemed just and the provocation great.
But what shall we do with the warm,
personal friend who sets up nights to
love us but hurts US in every corner by
his indiscretion? We cannot whip him
him and throw him away. We cannot
get him shut up in an insane asylum,
as it was not designed for idiots. Il
was mado for people who once had
brains. 1t is conundrum which more
than one Of us has given up.
II the fool friend could have bis jaws
locked with time-lock, and then be fed
by an attendant through the vest pocket,
we could then set the time-lock TO open
after election or just before breakfast on
the day Of judgment, or at such other
date as VIC desired, and all would be
well, but you cannot do that. The jaw
Of the fool friend wags on and on till
the goose of the one be loves best on
earth is cooked to rich, deep brown.
An enemy may say mean things Of
you, but they lose force because people
know at once by his bitterness that be is
your enemy; but he who knows your
heart, who knows what salary you re-
ceivc and how much it lacks Of main
tanning you how mean you are in your
family and how pleasant you are in other
peoples families, how you smile through
the long day and snorc loudly through
the night, how earnest you are in your
labors toward reform in everything sx-
cept your own habits, and thousand
other little glimpses into your home life
which none but a friend may know,
when he has no brains to balance his
warm affection for you, think what ruin
he can furnish you at carload rates.
In matters wholly political II is really
safer to have the endorsement Of one
who is wise and wicked, sometimes,
than the earnest but misguided efforts
Of the man whose motives are good but
whose brains, in the hurry and con-
fusion incident to creation, were be =.
slowed upon large mouse-colorcd mule.
When your friend forgets himself,
forgets bis business, forgcts bis own in.
terests and bis hopes Of bright immor-
tality beyond the grave, in order 30 g
about and do you good, when he goes
without sleep and food and rost that be
may labor for you, and at last, when tho
campaign is drawing toward close and
all at once you come upon the wreck
and ruin that mark the pathway Of III,
Of the hurricane. and you follow il il
great bitterness for miles only at last tC
find that it is the work Of your friend
what can you do Can you take clul
! and mash bis smiling facet Can 20,