The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1909-06-12

Summer
IntirnaCieS'
. COLONISTS DIVIDE (
INTO CLIOUES ON
! SHORT ACQUAINTANCE !

which is extremely hard for the mas
culine mind 10 grasp, and which also
is beyond the comprehension OF many
a we'll balanced woman, Is the way IN
which the members of summer col
ony divide up into little cliques and
call each other by their Christian
names on short acquaintances. After
two months of the season have passed
a stranger arriving on the outskirts
OF the several charmed circles would
imagine that they worO all related or
else had gone to school with one
another. so rapidly do the dear
Mauds," or dear Ethels." or dear
Hates" hy back and forth In even q
casual conversation, and as the hus-
bands arrive on the scene OF action,
which is most frequently the club
house veranda or the lawn, they, too,
are. unanimously greeted by nick
names, as II they were lifelong
friends. The condolences exchanged in
the first ardent flush of finding q
kindred soul, willing to share imagin-
airy grievances, love affairs or ac-
counts OF previous good times, are Of
a most personal nature, so personal
that the narrator frequently oyersteps
the bounds Of prudence-nothing IS
held sacred in the desire to gain sym.
pathy, for these shallow, impression.
able natures are always on the qui
vlve for an occasion to spread broad
cast their experiences, and, alas! too
frequently such experiences bring in
other people, who, being in ignorance
OF what is being said about them, new.
er have the right to defend them
selves. Women of this undisciplincd
temperament invariably make them
selves both the heroine and the vic.
tim in every tale they tell If any
one Is at fault II is always the other
person. and they personally are the
most innocent Cor injured) people In
the world The number OF anecdotes
they have on hand varies with the |
vividness of their Imagination, but |
they always may be counted on to
have a supply sufficient TO last |
through the season and keep the will
ing listener fascinated. Half the en-
loyment OF the summer time to them
Is the prospect OF new "friends," AMI
4 they are to go to a new place as
we'll 80 much the better for the field
S new and old tales may be retold
Ind improved.
The first evidences OF an over
desire to "be friends"
,omes with book lending, pattern
ending or In fact, a loan OF any
lind that carries a wee bit of obliga-
lon on It's wake. After a while
morning visits that overlap the lun-
heon hour are in order. Each has a
TO trade" and shortly
he delights OF secrets begin. After
ecrets most naturally comes the re- (
Iuest to "call me by my own name,
r find some cute little nickname that {
sill just be yours for me; for It s
Gems as II we had always known
ach other" Before long II is DEEM I
d silly TO call the husband or broth
r mister" and another cute little l
anne is evolved. Nor Is this Stiffness
nd mistaken form OF friendship con-
ned, as might be expected. to the {
Dung girl just out OF school or TO
liddle class society. Instead, II Is
reyalent with all but the oldtime con.
men and women. OF which '
here Is a conspicuous minority In I
he gayer sets OF fashionable life. c
In acquiring 50 many intimates the 4
onder to those who watch is how b
ach batch OF condolences can be kept
sparate, and II surely happens. .
'oner or later. that something Is be- =
aged which does iFreparable harm, !
ID perhaps may pant real friends. \