The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-07-15
Tho Un.,nounoed Gtsst.

Shall give my friend, whom l hsve
known and loved for years. asks
writer in the Christian Union, the
doubtful pleasure of a surprise by
suddenly ringing her door-bell and
stating that 1 have arrived to spend a
night with her. or shall notify her
of my intention beforehand, wait
until her reply informs me whether or
not she can con venlently receive me.
and be guided in my movements by
the expr ession of her wish in the mat
ter? Of course, if 1 write. there will
not be the surprise; shall lose the
opportunity of seeing how charmed
the whole family are at my sudden
appearance on the scene shall also
be obliged to submit to being treated
q little more like company than l can
reasonably expect if obey my impulse
and 20 unarnouneed. Perhaps there IS
enjoyment to me IN making sensa-
ton: Some people like it
Let us consider the thing from the
stand point, not of sentiment, but
of common sense. My friend may love
me devotedly. She may keep my let
tors tied with ribbon in perfumed box,
and regard my virtues with so amiable
q complacency that, in her mind, l may
deserve canonization as saint: Still
so perverse are human events, l may
drop down on her when she is strug-
Cling through campaign with the
dressmaker, or weaving the baby, or
training the new cook, or entertaining
a friend of her husbands, who is oe-
cupying the best chamber and is speci-
ally particular about his dinner. may
unfortunately step in, with my shawl
strap and umbrella, on the evening
when my friends daughter has birth
day party; and lady of middle age
is little in the way among SO many
rosebuds. may come in the midst of
diphtheria; and, in that case, l shall
probably have brought my little nep-
hew or niece along with me. Or may
follow in the wake of the measles, when
every one of my friends six children
have been in hospital; and there is no
strength left in her to so much as talk
to me.
Or, save the mark! it is spring. the
season of housc-cleaniDg, of aromatic
paint and calcimine, and autocratic
paper-hangers-the time when the
voice of the plumber is heard in the
land-and my unlucky gown may
brush against the freshly-tinted door,
while my new kid gloves leave a de-
cided impression on the balustrade.
There is absolutely no end to the
malapropos situations which may
present themselves in calamitious con-
junction, as if on purpose, at the very
day and hour when arrange my little
surprise.
Nothing effaces the bloom from a
hitherto perfect friendship as certainly
as numbering meeting between
friends with a needless embarrassment.
The friendship may continue. but the
fine, intangible, beautiful tlorescence
which distinguished it, once removed
can never be restored.
In old times, when there were Meth
er telephones nor telegraphs, when
postal facilities were irregular, and
travelling was attended with insecurity
| and inceritude, there was more excuse
than there now is for taking the hos
pitality of friends and kindred fol
granted.
Heaven forbid that we should be mig
gardly churlish, selfish. or inhospitable
But there are periods when moat ant
portcullis, warder and horn, would b'
welcome defenses against ever
the most beloved friend in tn,
world. There are times when family
longs to be by itself; crises when NJ
outsiders can, for a moment. be any
thing but an alient And it is not ,
decorous. a courteous, nor Christian
thing to run the lisk of invading an
others house in such an exigence
Shall we force an unwilling hostess t.
reluctant greetings or write ourselve
bores and intruders? Nay, verify.
Dear friend, when you and l 90 a
visiting let us fail not to sound befor
us the trumpet of sweetly-written
daintily-delicate note; or, at least, lie
us ask, somehow by the postal card, o
the telephone bell, or the abruptly EN-
phatic telegram, DO you want me
May come? Tell me yes or no befor
, I stir STEP" Whoever shall inhic
the unexpected visit, we will then b
free from its Odium.