The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-09-16
FRIENDSHIP

day in the Idle House, started me to think
ing about my friends.
| 81 am your friend" How often and
how lightly are these words spoken and
written; yet how many realize their deepet
meaning?
81 am your friend.'' Is it the soul thai
speaks, and does it realize the long and
weary road friends must travel, the many
times he will be called upon to prove thai
he is your friend?
Clarence Urmy in poem calls friend
ship the Glover of God" The dictionary
defines it as ''mutual affection or attach
ment;" but prefer Urmy's definition.
Friendship, real friendship, is one of the
most beautiful things God gave this old
world of ours; so think that is the bes,
name for it-"Flower of God"
asked a young man the other day-who
often referred to another man as a friend OF
his-how he knew that the man was friend.
He replied; eff ask for favor, he will
grant it, because he knows I'd do the same
| for him. Now that's not my idea OF
friendship, tho even it is not to be scoffed
at for it smooths the rough spots; but when
we get down to real friendship, the Flower
of God kind, it means friends who stick
thru thick and thin, ego thru hell with
you, if necessary.
I0osk frson1 vuhn 0nIU chnxus
his friendliness by returning favor,or by
doing out his sympathy. Neither do you.
Remember that song, "All l got was
sympathy when l was tired and hungry.
My friends all said to me: Don't worry,
BILL When tired and hungry, some
thing to eat and bed goes better than SYM
pathy.
factions speak louder than words.
Sympathy of itself does not denote friend
ship, nor do the words "don't worry,
'sorry old man. etc. They are but
hot air, and from friend we get more than
| hot air.
The genuine friend is the one who in
times of necessity will come and stay to the
| finish, ready to make any sacrifice for US,
even his life. That's putting it strong, but
there have been such friends, are now, and
always will be. An Illustration. On Angus
the ninth, the Columbus Citizen told how
Fred. H. Hall of Canadian regiment, in
the present war, gave his life for friend,
and for doing it was awarded the Victoria
Cross.
You are his friend. Are you sure of it!
| Will you stick to the finish, stick thru thick
and thin: When every other hand is against
him, ready to push or pull him down, will
he find you there on the job fighting fol
him. and lifting or boosting him up tc
higher things? Or shall he or she-turn to
you and find that you have fled, you could
not stand the "gaf?''
Sabin says, friend can do no wrong,
and when you realize this of your friend
then you are friend. A friend can do nc
wrong. Get that? Then let it sink in, lei
its imprint burn into your heart and sou
until it is impossible for you to forget il
You want your friends TO think that O.
you, why not think thus of them9
Friends forgive, never condemn. Wit
ness that friend of friends, the mother; for.
giving always, condemning never.
| If all your friends were as loyal as moth
er, we could find no happier world thar
this.
Remember that trouble is not the only
test of friendship, as sure test is joy. And
friend will share your joys and successe:
as intellectually as he does your grief:
and failures--which is just as difficult and
as much to be desired, for it is often easier
to help a man in trouble than it is tc
congratulate him land mean it) on his sue
cess at something that you have tried and
failed at.
Can you share your friends success, az
we'll as their failurese
| A very true, beautiful thought the follow
ing quotation expresses; "True friends are
like diamonds, both precious and rare
False friends are Autumn leaves, found
everywhere"
| Ohio Penitentiarv News