Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-11-23
FRIENDS
CBy l.. s. Goodhuc. MD, Holualoa,
Hawaii)

Hawaii)
However. true Indeed" the friend
In need" may be, | do not think That
this aphoristic conception of his re-
lation to us Is quite worthy OF the
real Office of q true friend.
1t is the friend we do not need
financially but morally and socially,
year in and year out. who gives MS
sense Of sure foundation and makes
life not only enjoyable but potential.
Few of us ever have occasion to
call on friend for material aid. or,
at least, we all of us try hard so to
arrange our business affairs that our
own reserves may be available Tor
accidents and contingencies.
am afraid that even our true
friends would regard MS ask.
ance IL we considered them valuable
assets to our personal finances. Har.
old Skimpole friends may be enter
tanning and loveable but for man
who earns his bread by the sweat of
his brow. they may prove uncomfort.
able partizans.
The man of good business sense Is
suspicious Of such characters, and his
grounds are probably reasonable.
OF course. there are cases where
financial support or direct assistance
OF friend is timely and legitimate,
and quite In the line Of disintercsted
friendship, but men who need this
sort OF aid even In tieir sorest straits,
are very slow to accept any proffer
until they have tried every other avail
able source which may be secured
on strictly business lines.
Sad experience has shown that
those who are In the habit of apply.
ing readily to their friends for loans
or acknowledgements. IRE also in the
habit of repudiating their obligations
and breaking up their friendships and
often their friends In the bargain. The
experience so well rendered by the
poet Is an old one:
AT length with money came my
friend, which pleased me wondrous
WELL | got my money but my friend
away quite from me fell. Now, had
| money and my friend, as I have
had before, I'd keep my money and
my friend, and play the fool no more. >
"A sadder experience and perhaps {
less common one, Is where both mon
ey and friend come up missing.
However, this only shows that the
borrower was never real friend, H'
would have payed back, II not II
money. In the more valuable graft
tude of sincerely honest heart.
| know man whose friend los
| him $500, and yet he remains loya
to this friend, and would resent tn,
least suggestion of blame against him
He Is rare philosopher, let us con
tcss. But he Is also "a true friend
I do not believe that we ever lose
a friend; once friend always /;
friend.
sincerity, dishonesty and disloyalt,
playing the role Of disintcreste,
! friendship.
Or the well.meaning have failed I,
stand the test which comes to al
sooner or later; the test of real al
lection and regard
ct tn, Brute" Is painful bu
sometimes necessary exclamation ris
ing out of the depths OF experience
The one We have depended upol
goes over TO the enemy. He has hi
excuses no doubt, but his stab touch
es the quick, nothing can quite und'
lit.
One of the koencst thrusts ! eve
suffered came from a friend who's
companship | still remember with
pang.
He was IN great financial distress
reedy to the point of wanting none
TO get away from the scene Of his dis
appointments.
| He came to me with tears In hi
eyes, and with tears In my heart
said. "Take this" handing him all tn
available cash had.
81 want no note: pay the amour
back when you are able"
He took the money. one hlindre
dollars, went away and entered ne'
work In n place.
He was successful In his new vel
ture, wrote me Of comforts that h
was able to get his family, but not
word about the money | had let hii
have.
After few years ] myself needle
money very badly, so ! wrote to m
friend asking him II he could spar
the 500; asking him in way whic
put me In the place of IA borrower.
His reply came, vigorous, harsh.
He needed the money, too. ba
told him that he could pay II bac
when he was ready Well, | coul
wait or go to H--for 1t.
That was all.
always feel the sting of this Il
gratitude.
folded the letter up, and after
few days, addressed 1t to my frien
adding a note, stating that ! was SUI
he would want the letter back In h
own possession and not mine: that
any case II must not be where
could remind me of him..
Did ] forget him as he used to be
Not at all. have since defended h
name and character from attacks
And ! recognize that his faults al
those of temperament. and that
may In time suppress them sufiicien
ly to make him a safe and loyal frien
The worth of friend, too, Is dl
fin a great measure to our sense I
faith and security in his friendship
that no matter what happens he wi
be friend II we truly remain his.