The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-23
THE MAN ABOUT TOWN.
He Talks and Thinks Of a Few
Things Common to All.

Anu Still their hcahS 90 OFT. Nearly
every day some one in the employ of the
Norfolk and Western railway in some of
: its numerous departments in Roanoke lis
+ notified that their services will no longer
4 be necessary TO the successful conducting
lof the road, despite their views to the
contrary, and they step down and out. In
the meantime from what information
that can be gained, the road is in IA very
prosperous condition so far as the bust
y ness is concerned. In the machine shops
work is piling up and the force now EN-.
ployed is hardly adequate to the work
that is now on hand. yet reductions are
being made. Predictions have been made
until speculation has ceased to be IL solu-
ton of the problem and now the peop:
are waiting TO find out what it all means
or will mean to Roanoke. If the Norfolk
and Western Railway concentrates it's
work here, it will help the city, but if
they concentrate the work they ought to
do here, and don't do it, it's not going to
aid Roanoke even very little. The peo-
pie of this city await with the greatest
degree of Impotence the final outcome of
the changes being made and to be made.
The Questioner.
a clasp OF the hand, a stately incline of
the head, few words meaningless but
polite and we are acquaintances. A sec
ond meeting, few more commonplace
and set phrases, and we speak of each
other as friends. But what Il parady on
the word and how lightly is used one of
the words that carries with it to the faith
full more meaning than all others compos-
ing the language of our people. a person
met and claimed as Il friend under such
circumstances betrays the trust imposed
and we speak of him rs an unfaithful
friend, but an unfaithful friend cannot
be. If he is nnfaithful he is not and has
never been q friend. Very little true
friendship exists because it is too exact
ing and because but few people are true
enough to have true friends and pnt that
confidence in others they would like to
have reposed in themselves "My friends"
says one, "can never make me angry be-
cause the motive that prompts them to
do or say that which to my unchnrtable
mind appears nnfriendly, is dictated co
them by the kindly and friendly interest
they have for me.' Friendship carries
with it the greatest of all responsibilities
and this accounts for the few instances of
genuine friendship that are manifest
True men AMI women hesitate before tax
ing upon them the responsibility of this
tie because, once broken, it can never he
cemented and reveals the basest insincer-
ity and hypoc"icy. BE friends, hut be
good friends. a thousand times an open
or avowed enemy who will fearlessly
meet us face to face than that Migrate
who hides himself under the purple 0arb
of friend and robs us of that which to us
is most precious, our confidence.
The Faithful
That for which all mankind is striving
is contentmeut. He sees it in the posses
sion of riches. he sees it in ve,ything
that his selfish and grasping mind be-
holds, yet when he possesses all, he finds
that his search for contentment, SD called
happiness, is but u rainbow chase and
the elusive state is still nnpossess d. Con.
tentment is found only in our own minds.
and whether we be prince or pauprr is
eqaully within ours.grasp. Life is Judged
by it's usefulness and not by its position
in society and. financial circles, and useful
ness is as often found clothed in rags as
in purple and fine linen. Usefulness buys
contentment and happiness and the most
contented mind that can he conceived Of
is that one which IT sts with the knnwl-
edgeNof discharged duty The poor
yonnG man has Il hard way before him
and is often disposed to think that the
good things OF this world are uneqnaily
and perhaps uncanritably Divided, but
such is not the case and the reason for
such thoughts is because he has Il mis-
conception of what constitutes the good
things of this world. Riches bring
some things desired, yet it does not bring
all that is desirable Where can be
found such wealth as Whittier tells us oil
in THE Barefoot Boy"