Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-09-15

Shall give my friend, whom have
known and loved for years, asks a
writer in the Christian Union, the
doubtful pleasure of surprise by sud-
denly ringing her door-bell and stating
that ! have arrived to spend night
with her, or shall / notify her OF my
intention beforehand, wait until her re-
| ply informs me whether or not she can
conveniently receive me, and be guided
in my movements by the expression of
her wish in the matter? Of course, if
l write. there will not be the surprise;
l shall lose the opportunity of seeing
how charmed the whole family are at
my sudden appearance on the scene; l
shall also be obliged to submit to be-
ing treated little more like company
than can reasonably expect if | obey
my impulse and go unannounced. Per-
haps there is enjoyment to me in MAX
ing sensation. Some people like it.
Let us consider the thing from the
standpoint. not of sentiment but of
common sense. My friend may love
me devotedly She may keep my
letters tied with ribbon in perfumed
box, and regard my virtues with so
amiable complacency that, in her mind
| | may deserve canonization as saint,
Still, so perverse are human events, |
may drop down on her when she
is struggling through campaign
with her dressmaker, or wearing
the baby, or training the new cook, or
entertaining friend of her husbands,
who is occupying the best chamber and
is specially particular about the dinner.
| l may, unfortunately step in, with my
shawl-strap and umbrella, on the eve
ming when my friends daughter has a
birthday party; and lady of middle
| age is little in the way among SO
many rosebuds. l may come in the
midst of diphtheria and, in that case, l
| shall probably have brought my little
nephew or niece along with me- Or /
may follow in the wake of the measles,
when every one of my friends six chill
! dren 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 housekeeping of
aromatic paint and calcimine, and auto
cratic paper hangers time when
the voice of the plumber is heard in
the and-and my unluckv gown may
brush against the freshly tinted door,
while my new kid gloves leave decided
impression on the palustrade. There is
absolutely no end to the malapropos
situations which may present themselves
in calamitons conjunction, as if on pur-
pose, at the very day and hour when l
arrange my little surprise.
Nothing etiaces the bloom from
hitherto perfect friendship as certainly
rs numbering a meeting between friends
with needless embarrassment. The
friendship may continue, but the bloom,
the fine intangible, beautiful forescence
which distinguished it, once removed
can never be restored.
In old times, when there were neither
telephones nor telegraphs, when pos
tai facilities We're irregular, and travel
ing was attended with insecurity and
incertitude, there was more excuse
than there now is for taking the hos
pitality of friends and kindred for
granted. God forbid that we should be
niggardly, churlish, selfish, or inhos-
pitable! But there are periods when
moat and portcullis, warder and horn,
would be welcome defenses against
even the most beloved friend in the
world. There are times when a family
longs to be Ivy itself; crises when no
outsider can, for the moment, be any
thing but an alien. And it is not de-
corous, a courteous, nor a Christian
thing to run the risk of invading an
others house in such an exigence. Shall
we force an unwilling hostess to reluc-
tant greetings or write ourselves bores
and intruders? Nay, verify.
Dear friend, when you and go avis
iting let us fail not to sound before lis
the trumpet of sweetly-written,
daintily note; OF, at least, let
us ask, somehow, by the postal card,
or the telephone bell, or the abruptly
emphatic telegram. do you want me
May ! come? Tell me yes or no before
| stir step" Whoever shall inflict
the unexpected visit, we will then be
free from its odium.
John Burroughs "Health Habits"