The Monticellonian., 1917-10-26

iS proud of his home and WaHts tU haye il admired; he is proud of his wife and proud CT his friend and Nanis them really to Hke eaal4 aAer. She is pleasant but sust tiftle more dieHi- fed than is absolutely necessary; there is q siialt air of coAstraiHt; talk does not flow freely. The fnuatnin of his friends wit hrow@ oHiy tmid tentative sReay. occasionally and causes only the faintest spiash of T half smile. After the coffee things bright en up itae and over the ciears the two talk over 6Id but-it k na5 a reat trio. When goodnight time comes and he goes to the door and helps his friend ea with his eaaf. aHa thsE Stand on the steps q few minutes, look up al the stars and diseuss the Weatfer prospects. there seems q note Hii<s#ae iH the music. Both are conscious of it.
 When he hmFies back ta the dIuiae- room. where they ilave'tarried bee5Hse if seemed more comfortable, to hear fire verdict of fhe jury If one, he F disappointed even though he feared it was nreiudiced. The first remark. Hasn't he larEc handsfH does not seem really vital but II is significant. IIe dees aet credit for dressing wei but as this WIS to be expected, II does tot count. He laughs tao la4dlX; h. seems coueeited; he misfraaauneed four words: he called her husband by some fiippaHt nickname; he las sneh stranee views of religion. she is sure a.ts is an atheist; there must be some thing wrong with hls family, he never mentioned any of thens she would wager anything there iS q cruel streak in him for she could tell ii by the eX- pressien of his mouth. She seems to have certain pleasure'in checking GIT the items. seemingly unconscious of the pain she is giving. In her preiu- diced mood even St. Paul would be dis qualified had he come in as q friend upon whom the husband depended for affection. counsel and comrudeship.
 In the days that follow the resent ful rebellion stimulated by the defeItse and protest helps her to find new lla4s and defects. and the never faiiing tnckle of comment and criticism may begin to wear away raet of IrieHd- ship. The friends visits become short er as the interval between them grow longer and then cease. The husband occasionally meets hlM downtown and he chafes at the thought that he Is mol treating him saHareiy; it seems dis loyal but he cannot see hes ta change il. lie frots at the curtaiimeat of his freedom; he does not speak of the meeting at home. He knows tiH. # he should speak 1t would mean q fuSI5aae of questions, not of real interest but ot curiosity. the instinct of being da guard like sentry whose duty t is tq ei1sd- lense He does not eare to invite fhe inquisltion. It is sad uhea vie, even through oyerzeutous loving closes with her own hand the door of her husbands confidence; it may rust oil ifs hinges and become difficult te fe- open.
 Other friends of his may be dropped overheard in many WHY'S and for maHy excuses but Wifh inc sanfe feal Hea- son One may borrow money. anofher may have bad table manners which her comments convert into almost crime. tt third Is not tolerated because of his wife and so the catalogue of eNs tinguishing the lights of friendship runs on until all the old ones are snuffed into darkness and forgettul' ness. The friends then are the new ones they have made together since their marriage and her oid friends that are new to him. They are those that hnve not weathered the storms and trials of life and been tested ant found staunch and true.
 The old friendships carry with them q sentiment deep-rooted in the past, sweetness, a tenderness, Il loyalty, communion of memories and eNpe- riences that cannot be duplicated in after life. They are like old books that we have loved for years. The binding Is worn and smoothed by our hands and by dear hands now stlled forever; the inscription with the date is growing fainter for the eyes to de cipher but easier for the heart to read; {; there are passages that helped and in. snired us still Loyalty retaining our penciled lines so We could turn to them in perfect confidence whenever we desire.
 There is the thumb-mark that floods memory with q glow of hailowed gold en light, for only We know what it means. There k the turned down page it would seem irreverence to fold back; there are dim. dried brown tints on the margins that somehow suggest the autumn of our years; there k the fern-leaf slipped in that night we shall never forget while q smile Is still left in the heart, and the narrow ribbon book-mark is faded and crinkled. And the whole hook is dear to us ana#we love it and we trust 1t. It has an hon est feel as we open it and it She'tkS the same old words just in the same old way with ue slightest change through all the years. The new cdi- lions in green and gold are heuu.ifHl but they seem so self=eonseiuus and assertiye: they laeS new and they smell new and they seem untricd, un. tested, improved.
 
 Sun Power 1arneesed.