The Forrest City times., 1899-12-15
DEAD FRIENDSHIPS.
tso Often Bring About betrayed Con.
hdeEces md Mutiiated
Regulations.

1t frequently happens, too frequent
y, indeed, that people who have once
,een good friends and companions be-
come estranged or drift apart. And
.htn-look out for betrayed condolences
INC mutilated regulations.
The two individuals, or perhaps
whole families. who were once on cor
1ial, il not intimate, terms, cannot now
be induced to speak a good word for
Zach other, or even to preserve golden
yilepce.
And, unfortunately. a mans bitterest
Enemy is not so well equipped to hurt
him by gossip as the friend who has
been admitted to his home and heart.
Such one is well acquainted with the
"details of his FORMER friends daily life,
the ups and downs of his fortunes and
The weak points in his character.
The gossip that SANDERS is not the
worst gossip. A SANDER is lie, and
truth will some time come 10 the top
as surely as murder will out. 1t is the
idle tale, the gossip that has in it a
grain of fact, exaggerated to the point
If fiction, that works havoc with the
helpless victims good name.
One may be constantly on guard
| .gainst an enemy. but who can protect
himself against his one-time friends If
they choose to blacken his reputation
| Women err in this respect more often
than men, who have no time to make
many close friendships among their
own sex, and whose choice of compan-
ions is usually governed by circum-
| stances.
AS rule, man does not go out of his
way to seek another mans society; he
passes his time With the most congenial
fellow in sight; but women have the OPP
portunity to select their friends, which
Ii perhaps one reason why they are less
! democratic than men.
| The women who have leisure let mu-
tual liking, or tastes in common, govern
their choice of companion in bicycle
rides, shopping expeditions and morn
ings spent in sewing.
On these occasions, as is but natural
the friends grow confidential. Indeed
whom should we trust, if not the peo-
pie we like and who like us?
All is well and good for time. The
two women are trustworthy friends
and loyal to each other, as long as the
friendship lasts, but misunderstood.
ings will occur in the most firmly ce
mented friendships.
Then it is that woman proves her
self gossip or otherwise-a gossip, il
she takes advantage of her former
friends confidence, and tells her secrets
Or her family troubles to the world
otherwise, if, though sore and smartine
under some fancied slight or rea
wrong, she resolutely resists the
temptation to revenge herself by idl,
gossip or malicious SANDER.
This sort of backbiting, while it doe
much harm to the victim, also Away:
reflects and often recoils upon the gos
sip herself.
Everyone respects the man or woman
who is loyal friend, and most of u
have a certain sympathy with thos'
who are bitter in their enmities; bu
the person who can be friend to-da,
and an enemy tomorrow merits moth
ing but contempt.
1t is not always possible for friend
ships to last, nor is it best in every cas-,
that they should. A question of prid'
or principle may arise, or, as offer
happens, the two people may simpl.
tire of each other and drift apart with
out knowing why.
But when one who has once been |
friend becomes a stranger, or mer'
acquaintance, let us, for the sake of TIL
good times we have had together, re
frain from gossiping about his failing
or betraying his trust.
Let us either speak well of him, o
keep silent altogether, so that if i
cannot be said of us: "Once a friend
always a friend" at least it may b
said: "Once friend, never an enemy.
Housewife.