The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-05-26
Five Gents
Friendship.

Friendship.
So much has been written on this topic
that it seems to be somewhat threadbare.
and yet great deal may still be said about
it. To have friend. some one on whom
we can rely in dark hours as we'll as in
bright ones, is one of the choicest blessings
any person can have. We may have great
many sO.called friends who hover around
us in prosperity, who each day seem to give
us some renewed proof of their attachment
for US. They win our confidence. hold our
secrets. are very careful never to say or do
anything that would wound Our feelings,
they tickle our ears with tlattery-in a
word. seem to be linked by every tie that
binds people in friendship, and this too
without really expecting anything, but your
friendship in return. But there comes a
test by and by and we find they have left
us and gone over to the other side. That
test comes when we are in trouble. When
sorrow or misfortune overtakes us. it is
then and only then that we are able to pick
out our true friends; and then, oh what dis.
appointment when we had so depended on
that friend to help us in our need. No sad.
der condition ever falls to mortal man than
to be friendleSs; homeless is as nothing
compared to it. But to have friends, tried
and true, man or woman can never 60 far
astray without doing it wilfully, for true
friend will be as anxious to point out our
faults to us and aid us in correcting and
avoiding their dangers as they are to help
us rise again when once we have fallen.
l knew of an instance not many years
ago which illustrates the true value of
friopdchir, A hQhinN in
his accounts with the corporation for which
he was working. They required a new
bond at the beginning of the year and being
unable to furnish it he was ordered to make
up his accounts for inspection preparatory
to turning the books over to his successor.
What was he to do if his shortage was
found out? 1t was ruin. total and COM
plete. He went to friend and told him
all. That friend took hold of the matter,
procured for him a satisfactory bond. and
got the company to still retain him in its
employment. BY this noble act he and his
family were saved. He was enabled in a
short time to make up his shortage and to.
day still holds his position and is trusted
and we'll liked by his employers. But mark
the reverse Shortly afterward the friend,
in speculation lost his own money and that
of others with it, got into trouble. was ar.
rested on a charge of embeZzlement, and
lodged in Jail. Did he go to his old friends
aid? No; he had forgotten the past; he
joined the creditors in denOuncing his
former friend. and even went so far as to
inform the public that his old friend had
taken him in to the tune of several hundred
dollars. which afterward proved a lie as the
speculator's matters were settled up and he
was saved from prison by being proven in
nOcent of embeZzlement. When the trustee
appointed asked the pretended friend to file
his claim he was compelled to acknowledge
he had none. But did his old friend retail
late and expose him? Not he; he even for
gave him the wrong, and even l would not
know of the circumstance of the shortage if
l had not been employed to draw the bond
spoken of, thus learning the secret. Now.
this pretended friend would, under most
circumstances have remained true had it
not been for fear of being on the unpopular
side. Public opinion he could not face.
though he was really sorry for his friend.
And venture to assert that if the record
of friends who have proven false or tickle
to the inmates here (after taking from the
list those of us who did not merit friend
ship) could be seen. we would find that
four fifths of our friends who deserted us,
did it in favor of public opinion. 1t takes
a man with a good deal OF nerve to face
public opinion, and as public opinion Is as
many times wrong as right, we are very
apt to lose our friends at the time it is
wrong.
Oh for friends like our mothers!
Bob. N. ROUND.