The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-07
DR.. MARDENs
UPLFT TALKS
Heart Friends.
BY oRIsoN SWEET MARDEN.


Author of Pushing to the Front" Etc.
There are thousands Of people in this
country struggling on in mediocrity'
working hard and accomplishing little,
simply because they have never known
the tonic Of great friendships, the stimulus
TO endeavor, the announcement which
comes from the consciousness that 9TH
ers love us, are watching us, are inter
ested in our welfare
1t is a great tonic to ambition to feel
that those who admire US expect great
deal from US; that they believe In US;
and that we must not disappoint them.
Nothing else is quite so helpful as gen.
uine sympathy along the line of ones am
bition. Is there anything more beautiiui
than the story of the loving devotion the
heroic sacrifice, the encouragement and
help of friends in times of sorrow, great
poverty, and distresses of all kinds?
Many an inventor. writer. statesman
philanthropist, teacher, clergyman, art
list, musician. many a struggler who has
given something to the world which has
made il a little better and more COM
Portable place to live in. would have CIV
en- up in despair had 1t not been for the
encouraging word, the loving devotion
OF some friend.
If you have a friend. you may often
have to stand by him when Everybody
else has forsaken him, to believe in him
when everybody else has lost confidence,
and trust him when nobody else will. This
is the test. that you never lose faith, that
you stand by him through thick and thin.
1t is only to the great who can be true
friends; the superficial will leave friend
at the point when he needs them most.
People who think TO gain some advantage
by friendship. choose friends out of sell
fishness. because they can help them to
clients. patients, customers. capital. in
fluerce: but pure friendships are chosen
for no such reasons.
II does not matter whether our real
friends are prosperous or unfortunate it
is all the same with US; We never leave
them: they mean the more to us when
they need us most
There is something unaccountable about
the way in which we choose our heart
friends. It is not a matter to reason over.
We do not deliberately decide to make
this person or that person a friend. There
is something within us which speaks loud
er and with a stronger conviction than
our deliberate choice. We feel the thrill
of that affinity which has drawn us to-
gether which is beyond all argument or
choice. Soul answers to soul. and we
grasp hands-for the first time, perhaps
with a heartiness as with friend we
had not seen in many year.
What a delightful thing it is TO have
friends who love us for our own sake,
who have no axes to grind" who are
always ready to make any sacrifice of
comfort, of time or money when We are
in need
Cicero said that man had received moth
ing better from the immortal gods, moth
ing more delightful than friendship. But
friendship must be cultivated. It can
not he bought: it is priceless. II you
abandon your friends for a quarter of a
century or more while you are buried in
your pursuit of wealth. you cannot eN-
pect 10 go back and find them where you
left them. Did you ever get or keep any
thing worth while without an effort equal
TO its value?
Only he has friends worth while who
is willing to pay the price for making
quite large a fortune as il he gave all
of his time to money making. But
wouldn't YOU rather have more good
stanch friends who believe in you. and
who would stand by you in the severest
adversely. than have a little more mon
ey? What will enrich the life so much
as hosts Of good loyal friends?
Neglected friendships mean a great deal
more than the loss of the pleasure and
satisfaction they can afford: for real
friends are our greatest educators. There
Is no other way Of self-expresson so
broad and deep that which Is called
out by intimate friendship. We can say
to friends what We can never say to 9TH
ers. They open up avenues of the heart
which. but for them. would remain
closed forever.
That life is poor. indeed. which is not
enriched by friendship. Nothing else will
give You so great satisfaction. no other
investment yields such great returns as
the time spent in the cultivation of
friendship.
1t is a strange thing that men take ac-
count Of stock every year to see how
many dollars they arc worth and vet
do not take account Of the stock of thef,
friendships. The real weslth they do
not count; the dross they weigh. the gold
they pass by.
NCorvriCht fsl4l