The bee., 1895-07-04
THE MooeL coneioAnre.
scme OF the CharaoteristIes which 81.
Ought without Fall to Poasssa.

scme OF the characteristics which shs
Ought without Fail to Possess.
The confldantc's lot Is not happy
one. She may think that Il Ia when
she Is listening to her friends thrilling
tale before the midnight fire, but she
soon learns her mistake When people
ask her questions, when she burns
with philanthropic desire to pass on
her good news OF to share her secret,
then she feels the misery of her posi-
tion. She also finds 81 embarrassing
when she Is unable 10 remember in
December what was conflded to her In
June, and her friend assumes that she
recalls Il perfectly. She has to give
just the advice which Is desired,
but IL following that advice leads
to unfortunnte complications, she must
assume the blame. She must be inter
ested and sympathetic, and never Curl
Gus. She needs the wisdom Of the
sages and the tact of the diplomats, to-
gether with the secretive disposition of
the Sphinx. Even then she will prob
ably make n mistake. Only one per-
son is more 10 be pitied than the con.
fidante, and that is the person who
confdes. She goes about the world
forever afterward convinced that her
secrets are in the possession of one who
will not guard them properly.
Nevertheless the custom OF confiding
will continue as long as women let
down their hair and unbutton their
frocks together. There is something
about the act OF brushing the hair
which invites confidence on the one
hand and makes the outpouring of
ones soul n necessity on the other
As soon as two women take of their
street bodices and assume dressing
sacques they are bound 10 be eonfiden.
tial. They feel that there Is nothing
which should be concealed from the
person who has an opportunity 20 tell
whether their seams are bound or
merely overcast, and whether their
underwaists are trimmed with lace or
Hamburg edging.
There are many things for the wom-
an who holds confidential relations
with many people to remember The
first one is that IL is seldom worth
while to make oneself disliked by Civ
ing advice or opinions which are con-
trary to those desired. At the same
time she should bear in mind that she
will be held responsible for these opin-
ions and counsefs till her dying day.
She must also resolutely decide 10 keep
silent about what was told her In con-
fidenee until such time as she learns
that the confidential woman has spread
her secrets broadcast. II Is always
likely that the confiding persons win
do this, and that some other conf
dante will talk. Then every one who
knows the stories is released from the
seal of secrecy and can talk TO her
hearts content. t1 sg saf.H
The confidant must be prepared TO
hear the same story frequently, and
must display convenient forgetful-
ness il she observes that her friend is
in the mood for talking. On the other
hand, she must remember even small
details most accurately IL the con6ding
one seems TO expect that
The woman who does all these things
in such a manner that IL satisfies her
friend will have her reward She will
gain reputation as AN admirable con-
fidant, and win then have an opportun-
ity to enlarge her knowledge Of other
peoples private affairs, which is re.
ward no woman win seorn.-N Y.
Herald. "sit p