St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1957-10-25
THIS N THAT
BY hazel
underwood

Have You Ever Noticed?
If more than two women are
closely associated, one always
manages TO make a rift" between
the other two. No matter II the
three are very close friends; in an
office get together; In a church
club; tenants and landlord; social
club members or what have you?
We will call the three by names
most Familiarity used: Mrs. Jones,
Mrs. johnson and Mrs. Smith.
For no reason at all Mrs.
Smith" will start a whispering
campaign and say little things TO
Mrs. Jones about Mrs. johnson.
At first, Mrs Jones will say You
must be wrong. Mrs. Johnson has
always been so nice 10 me and
am sure she likes me-" Then Mrs.
Smith will follow up by saying,
don't say a word, but Mrs. John
son said so and so about you"
Right then, your better judge
ment told you not to listen TO any
one who says, don't say a word
but what do you do? You start
being very cool" and "stand-off-
ish" toward Mrs. Johnson. She
has always thought you were a
very good friend Of hers and she
wonders why the sudden cool
ness" on your part, and she is
hurt. She doesn't want to humble
herself to ask you what is wrong.
You know what you have done?
Both of you have pleased Mrs.
Smith very much for she wanted
both Of you as her special friends
and so she caused a rift between
you. You have not even noticed
that she is as friendly as ever
with both Of you, because you are
too busy freezing" each other.
Months and many heartaches
later, Mrs. Johnson's husband
happened to mention he hadn't
seen Mrs. Jones at their house
lately. You tell him about it and
he puts his paper down, looks at
you in disgust and says, Know
ing Mrs. Jones as well and as
long as you have, what made you
think she was wrong and Mrs.
Smith was right?"
You start thinking and before
long you call your friend and find
out the things she has been tell
ing both of you are things she
wanted to tell you but didn't have
the nerve.
Being so glad to have your
friend back both Of you reluctant
ly forgive the wrong Mrs. Smith
has done and all of you are friend
ly again, but you will never fully
trust Mrs. Smith again, so what
did she gain?
It does hurt you to have some
one telling you this one said this
and that, but II we should find out
whether the other friend made the
first, we would be saved
many heartaches. Why is it we al
ways believe the trouble-maker
before the true friend?
ON THE LAST DAY
With one more day to live, and
only one
l wonder what great task I'd
work upon.
Granted full strength for those
fast fleeing hours
wonder on what deeds I'd spend
my powers.
The fancy comes that l should
run to see
The countless friends who have
been kind to me,
And l should pause, the while
l rushed along
To beg another's pardon for
some wrong.
Edgar A. Guest
Thank you, st. Paultes and
Minneapohtans for the lovely let
tiers, cards and for the Thank you
note,
Jamie and Bob Collins: Con-
CALCULATIONS on building your love
ly apartment house. thought you
had gone back to Pasadena. have
lost your address there. You win
hear from me soon.
Jessie Shepard: That was a
months vacation you deserved.
do enjoy your Social and Personal
columns. l was glad TO hear that
YOU had such pleasant time in
Chicago.