The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-13
UNDESIRABLE FRIENDS.
HOW CITY FOLKS GUARD AGAINST
UNPLEASANT ACQUAlNTANCeS.

MDcIf, tUttt ltt ttiAdlU DDu1luS Vi III
timacy which may not DE leased until tim,
has ripened acquaintance into confidential
friendship. The man one meets daily at the
office, in the store, on the elevated railroad
or at the club converses fres,y after intro
duction, and both gives and receives pleasure
by daily talks. but hc.is not invited to visit
the home circle, nor dses ha give such an in
vitation Until long acquaintance has famili.
arizel each party with the circumstances Of
OF the others life.
In n recent home circle conversation TIA
writer asked the question: "How long and
well should one know person before com
uniting himself to confidential friendship
The answers, as was to be expected, were as
different as the natures of those who made
them IL can judge n man tolerably well at
sight," said on impetuous New Highlander,
not yet familiar with metropolitan ways.
IF he has nm honest eye and good face, is
not marked with rummy nose, and talks
sensibly, l should not be afraid TO ask him to
nv home He might turn out badly some
time, and | might be ashamed Of having
known him. but that cannot be helped One
never knows the whole Of anybody's life his
tory" There was an ominous pause after
to express less generous sentiments, but the
countenances of the auditors showed that
they could not agree with him.
AwFULLY TAKEN IN
"You will find that you cannot 60 on that
rule here" said one who has lived longer iii
this city. ''Iused to feel just that way and
acted accordingly, but now l make it a rule
never to invite an acquaintance to call until
| have known him favoraDly at least three
months IL am introduced to a stranger
and like his appearance, try to be cordial
to him during that time. Not hearing
anything against him, or seeing any
thing wrong about him, / then give him an
invitation. was awfully taken in once by
one of the most charming fellows in the
world He looked like prince and talked
like an angel, but he is in Canada now and q
bank down town mourns fqT him anC several
thousand dollars which he stole. Since then
have not been hasty in making friends"
''Three months is not nearly long enough
said a bright chatty lady, the sister Of a well
known clergyman. ben (her brother and
have to meet oil sorts of people in our church
work, and VIC always wait year Most Of
our friends did so with us and they were
right, Judging by our experiences. One of
the incest and daintiest of little women moved
into the fiat next to ours soon after brother
was called here, and told him meant to call
on her didn't 20 Just then because | had 10
90 home ann take care of mother during a
sickness. One day after ! had got back
happened to pass her door while she was say
ing good by to a friend, and ! heard more
slang words in one minute than in all my
10 Iof Won that | naoi6a1
not 10 make her acquaintance"
"You were perfectly right in saying that
a year is not too long" said another lady,
picking up the conversational thread.
"When we lived on - street we had for
near neighbors as nice a looking couple as
ever were seen. The man went to his bust
ness every morning and the woman was
singing over her work all day long. Ny hus-
band thought they were nice, and so did |.
but we learned better before long. One
night they had n supper party that began at
10 O'Clock and ended at daybreak Every
one must have been drunk, for they sang and
shouted so that nobody else in the house
could get wink of sleep. After that we
heard them scolding each other every night,
and at last something exploded like cannon
cracker between them. Both commenced
divorce proceedings, and the wife was turned
out of the house because she couldn't pay her
rent and the husband would not"
IN A VERY QUEER WAY.
"No doubt all of you are right from the
point Of view of personal interest, said the
unsophisticated New Highlander who has not
vet realized that personal interest rules the
best of us in an inordinate measure. you
have had bad luck, but most people are good
and we'll disposed. Now, Pve just made
some new friends i'll a very queer way, and
mean to stick by them until l find they are
not all right Last night when l was going
up the stairs Of my boarding house in my
usual dumheaded, absent minded style, l
turned into the room below mine by mis-
take Thinking, of course, that was in my
own room was dumfounded at its appear
ance, with trunks piled up in the corner and
ladies' dresses hanging i'll the open closet A
low. sweet female voice struck on my ear as
stood there amazed. There, baby, it said,
sis mana and before | could turn her arms
were about my neck. Then she saw what
had happened and accepted my apology,
though not very graciously at first. We are
good friends now, | am glad TO say, and
laughed over the accident this morning"
A general comparison Of notes was made
at the end OF this funny story. The conciu-
sion reached was not perhaps the best, but
most people will think it a prudent one. All
kinds of people live in this great city Not
only ore there good angels with good faces,
and bad angels with bad faces, but there aye
also good men and women whose counte-
nances would convict them of any crime,
and evil disposed wretches who look Jas if
they belonged to heaven rather than
on earth, and who talk as sweetly rs if but
ter wouldn't melt in their mouths" Every
man and woman rightly limits the list of in
innate friends 10 the rule of congeniality
Well disposed, decent, law abiding people
very properly avoid those who have not sim
liar virtues. In large city active and STIR
ring people meet new acquaintance every
day These ought to be received pleasantly
and politely, but may in common fairness
be compelled to wait until time has proved
their desirability as friends.-New York
Press
The Novelist In Society.
Tho professional character OF French lit
Of ha Al &c