South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-05

modern world.
LaBruyere wrote truthfully: In
men. but IA friendship we have infin
Is assume the bonds OF friendship bl
Of sentimentality together With its 81
30 20 a higher plane than usually eX
Women are not at all discrtminat-
ing In forming friendships. The
merest pasarg liking is readily Ia
beled frlendsh.D-while 1t lasts,
Certainly I do not care 70 say that
all women are Incapable on an emo
ton which constitutes the strength
and beauty OF many lives, but.-for-
give me. II step on your toes
women's friendships arise almost
without exception out OF a tickle i'm
pulsiveness which cannot stand the
test OF friendship IN its higher phase
because OF its very origin and be-
cause we are fashioned OF feelings
intensely personal and invariably
fail 10 rise above those intensities.
Women are concentrated IN their In
stints. their passions and their af-
fections. and friendship, strictly
spea king. is none OF the three. To
borrow the phrase OF the intellectual
Gosthe-the subject In an elective af-
finity based upon spiritual consan-
quinity. which. though frequently CO.
existent with is entirely apart from
any tie OF instinct or bloOd-relatiOn-
ship. Therefore the vital Amos
phere or liberty should permeate the
sphere Of friendship. A bond OF
choice. friendship should be main
tanned In serenity having neither
rights nor restrictions. thus, capable
OF unfolding the possibilities OF the
most independent and strongest Of
human ties.
Reviewing friendship in its purest
essence, one may we'll think that in
this imperfect world of ours. no man
certainly no woman-can live up
10 the ideals required. And yet even
now I can hear voices discussing
Mrs. Highbrow's invitation to a few
friends-say a hundred or SOTO
spend with Der an informal eve
ming" And what one OF US wOulJ
dare refuse the title 20 a mere ac-
quaintance who persists in claiming
f.?
Probably there are few women
who have not experienced some first
tie may not have lasted-it seldom
does but through its duration it was
one Of the most self-forgetful attach
ments that the human heart may
know With many IL reaches
depth Of feeling amounting TO iove
apart from all it's consciousness. And
vet u has been wrongly named un-
less Il changes its character. resign
its rights. temper its eXactions re-
vealing itself capable of friendships
distinguishing feature-tender re-
gard without appropriation.
Ny friend, Not until the egOtism
of youth has died within Us do we
appreciate the charm OF those two
words. Surely sooner or later. we
women come to know the sacred re-
sponsibility Of possessing or of be-
ing a friend And though unwilling
10 run counter 20 convention. we may
lightly let those who do not exactly
own il. possess the kindly title, yet
as time goes on. death. circumstance,
change. narrows the circle OF those
we recognize as friends.
1t really isn't difficult TO discover
whether a woman Is worthy Of
friendship IN its truest sense. She
VIII decide the matter for herself
for people rarely keep long that
which they do not deserve. If she
tells YOU her friends condolences and
expects YOU 20 do the same-if she is
n chronic cOmpIainer that her
friends do not appreciate her or tha5
she is misu7 derstood and ill-treated,
better class her In that list OF pleas
ant acquaintance. and keep her
there True. she may have good
Qualities. You may like her very
much and she may be pleasant So
ciety when all goes we'll but she
could not qualify I'm the game OF
friendship no more than lap poodle
could compete with an Airdale. on
tho other hand II YOU find a real
friend who bestows no extravagant
devotion nor expects more than YOU
feel free 90 give; IL YOU have found
her never 90 be petty and able 90
view life with a broad vision. then
DO satisfied Bear her faults "a such
a woman viii bears yours-with pa
thence and disregard the countless
sights and ueglects that each one
OF US in the whirl OF life must endure
and commit toward others.
IL one IS so fortunate 20 lose a
false friend or so unfortunate as 70
lose a faithful one, bury that friend
ship as solemnIy and as silently as
n lost love. let the condolences OF
that friend be buried absolutely.
Rarely viii a man betray a friends
condolences even 3 ter the relation
shin no longer exis. but one cannot
truthfulIy say the same of women.
our friendships false or true. wise
or unwise. living or dead-let Us en-
deavor at least to keep them sacred. i
we women need 10 learn the sane
tity % silence in friendship Silence /
in outward demonstration. silence /
under wrong and especially silence |
between one another. once entering /
upon friendship. let Us with the COM /
fort. Of the gift. prepare 90 fulfill our |
part absolutely and conscientiOusly |
"a the end. for truly. the greatest Of /
ell external blessings f. the knowl- /
edge that We are understood IN an |
Intelligence above language. and the /
language OF friendship Is not words /
but meanings.
Men say that It's swfully hard TO /
get a Job, until you've had one or /