Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-05-16
THE MAN ABOUT
TOWN
NV Friend.

Like last Sunday article upon My
Enemy. the tribute OF today VIII be
nonconformst also. There have been
many books written upon friendship,
but as a rule they arc so hlgh-brOw
in tone that they d. not fit the actual
friendships we mako and people we
like, but rather tend to make us dis
satisfied with them. Some poetry
came into our hands the other day,
however. composed by one unknown
to us, which throbs with a different
spirit, and expresses our sentiments
exactly. While nearly everything else
we have ever real has described a
sort of seraphic friendship. which
seems like the Sunday clothes Of
childhood-too good to use more than
once a week, this seems to get down
to earth in comfortable way and
give MS back the folks we like. So
we quote a little of it:
He may be six KINDS of liar,
He may be ten kinds of a fool;
He may be wicked high-flyer
Beyond any reason or rule;
There may be a shadow above him,
OF ruin and woes that impend,
And may not respect. but | love him,
Because-well, because he's my
friend.
| know he has faults by the billion,
But his faults are 3. portion of him;
| !.now that his records vermilion.
That he's far from a sweet seraphim:
But he's always beer square with
yours truly.
All ready to give or to lend.
And though he is wild and unruly.
| like him because he's my friend.
! knock him I know, but | do 1t
The same to his face as away;
And If other folks Enock-wcll they
rue II
And wish they'd had nothing to say.
! never make any diagrams of him,
No mans of his soul haye | penned,
And | don't analyze ] Just love him,
Becauso-wel, because he's my
friend"
The Contrast.
These words gain force by their
very eXaggeration. While other
writer's golrify friendships where all
faults are eliminated. this one in
sists, with all thy faults. / love thee
still" That the two ideals Of friend
ship have existed from time imme-
mortal goes withoul saying. 1t was
;he old battle between Jesus Christ
and the religious leaders who cruci-
fled him. The highest tribute ever
paid him was that of the generous
admirer who declared that he was
the friend OF publicans and sinners
And Just because this strange prophet
found something to love in the out
casts. his critics confused his habits
with theirs. as they slandered him by
calling him "a wine-bibber and
slutton."
Nevertheless the Master Friend
lived to see the publicans and harlots
going into the kingdom ahead OF
these religious zealots. and the bottom
secret of their redemption lay in the
fact that this prophet saw in. them
something. worthy of love. Pharisa-
ism never yet saved n man who lived
upon plano lower than the Pharisee
himself Let the churches inbued
with the 81 am better than thou"
spirit catch this truth.
The Universal Longing.
There has been n tremendous effort
to give all human difficulties an eco
nomic foundation. The Socialists
have erred grievousiy here Once let
the sunlight of Friendship shine upon
the world and economic wrongs will
disappear as the sun dries up the
stink in the swamp. Every once in a
while the Man About Town gets
caught up IN the worthy Socalstic
vision of human society dominated
by this all-conquering spirit. and al
most gets ready to sign an application
card. Then he hears of methods of
revenge and bitterness of expression
which lead him to tear 1t Up before
the name is down When Socialists
actually become the great lovers OF
humanity that society is always
a-dying for, the argument will end
and they will be given the unanimous
decision of the judges. II the con-
tinental Socialists had only rung true
to their professed ideals Europe
would not have been committing
suicide today.
For everywhere "thc world is dying
for little bit Of love" The creature
who steps forth from prison. gladly
casting aside the stripes. and deter
mined to avoid the pitfalls OF the
past. might win his resolution II he
but had somebody to befriend him,