The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-17
BEGGING FRIENDS
By SOPHIE IRENE LOEB

Two families who have been friends for many years have parted company because Family A has realized that Family B has been taking" proposition from begin- ming to end. These people grew up together in a small town and both come to live fin the city.
 One family got along better than the other. and 1t seems that the struggling family was constantly asking for favors. The wife of tho one who finally made the break. told me the story something like this:
 q never quite realized how much we actually have done for our friends because during the years the demand upon us was made so insistently and skilfully. For instance. Mrs. B would come to me with tears In her eyes. telling me haw Jamie needed some new clothes and that they were little short that month for this or that reason.
 "Whenever there was any one sick in the family they always telephoned to us and we were right there with food and clothes and all sorts of | things. Many time in tho middle of the night we were called to so to their aid. And when the doctors bill was presented they did net always have the money on hand to pay and we usually had to advance it. l Whenever MT. B needed little backing on some job. he always came to us for help, which VIC gladly gave. They were at our house for meals without number. but, of course. we were always pleased to have them. Small sums of money as loans were general rule.
 t,r,I | however, was that we had to 70 through all their troubles. with them, so that actually VIC were living not only our own lives, but theirs as well, during all these years.
 But that straw that broke the | camels back came when they became offended because we had not invited them to a dinner party. I would have liked to have invited them. but as we had so many people and 10 little room, 1t was impo ssible to have them on this particular occasion. Ths thing that hurt the worst was that we were upbraided for this lack of courtesy to them. as they put 1t.
 Mrs. B actually wept at the sesm- Ing insult and drew the picture of how we were brought up together and that now I was ashamed of her. My husband and I began to sum up the WnOle tnlnS ana U0CiUou lNuL W0 had been imposed upon long enough: that these people. when they had money and could get along, had spsnt 1t faster than we did. and thus In time of trouble they always fell back on us. In fact, they knew they could lean that way.
 we concluded tho best thing to do was to make them go their own way. meet their own difficulties. and per- haps they would realize how wrong they had been.
 "Of course, we feel tho loss of their friendship keenly, but 1t is better not to see them at all than to feel that we might likely offend them all the time when we have done 70 much for them" And such cases are plenN- ful.
 Only the other day . friend of mfns told me how she had endorsed . note for friend and he finally got the worst of 1t because when he had to have 1t, the man who borrowed the money could not pay. and he was hurt at being asked for it.
 The greatest friendships in the world arc built upon consideration If you love your friend you will not impose too much upon him and thsrs- fore you will always have him. Friendship. like old wine. grows potter with the years. but you must think twice before you ask once.