AN UNCOMPLAINING FRIEND

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 6 December 1913, Page 2

AN UNCOMPLAINING FRIEND

On© of the most cheering friends is an entertaining book . Its friendship may always be relied upon,'W& no matter how you abuse it, i| never complains 1 , jf is a .bimetallic friend ; it will give; you either silvern speech or golden silence, as.you prefer. You sit by yotur firelight, dreaming, with your" friend in youi' hand. "Come, come!" you aay to him at last , "you are silent, and I am weary; talk to me, .amnsome!'' And he answers not your .petulance with .reproabh, but looks' wiih kindly face into your eyes and ta'lksY..U At* 'last youy are of hiqi. *£f<j[tf. l talk: you say,: arid turnifrom him. lie a a quietly .aa he began, relapses into' silence, and} breathes complaint of your unreasonable,mood. A jealous,' npver suspicib'us.' It asks no attentions. It {rets or slilks because- you prefer another' book. 'lt never-reproach-es you with "I. thought yoii had quite forgotten me." You cannot pet your cat. without a remonstrance from your dog; but vou can choose any book out of your library with no look dr. word, of reproach from its companions. It e:tacta nothing. Conversation 'is give and take; but reading is all take. The book demands of you only one thing—attention. r i|hat you must give, oi* it closes its lips and is resolutely silent. Indeed, the generosity "of tin's friend : s its wors.fault. ;> Beware, or it will make you sielfisfi.