CHAPTER VI.
FRIENDS AND THE CHOSEN ONE "The path by which we twain did go, Which led by tracts that pleased us well, Thro' four sweet years arose and fell, From flower to flower, from snow to snow: And we with singing cheer'd the way, And, crown'd with all the season lent, From April on to April went, And glad at heart from May to May.
And all we met was fair and good, And all was good that Time could bring, And all the secret of the Spring Moved in the chambers of the blood." -- TENNYSON.
"There is no man that imparteth his joy to his friend but he joyeth the more; and no man who imparteth his grief to his friend but he grieveth the less."-- BACON.
"True, active, productive friendship consists in equal pace in life, in moving forward together, steadily, however much our way of thought and life may vary."-- GOETHE.
"Accept no person against thy soul."-- ECCLESIASTICUS.
"Your love, vouchsafe it royal-hearted Few And I will set no common price thereon; But aught of inward faith must I forego, Or miss one drop from truth's baptismal hand, Think poorer thoughts, pray cheaper prayers, and grow Less worthy trust, to meet your heart's demand.
Farewell! Your wish I for your sake deny; Rebel to love, in truth to love, am I." -- D.A.

WASSON.
=The Power of Friendship.=--The man who said, "Our relations are thrust upon us; thank heaven we may choose our friends" expressed a feeling shared by many, that fate may handicap us by giving us birth in an uncongenial circle, but we may recoup ourselves by chosen friends and enjoy companionship with them which our kin cannot furnish.
Friendship has inspired many of the greatest deeds and many of the noblest poems, and has given us examples of heroic devotion almost passing the love of man for woman.

It is not within our purpose to recall these great friendships, but they are familiar and furnish the unfailing stimulus of finer sentiment in youth as the classic examples are recited to each generation.

Real friendship is a sacred thing.
There are pinchbeck imitations which are neither sacred nor helpful.
The "mashes" and the "crushes" of school-life are not even good imitations.

The bargain-counter exchange of services--"you give me society uplift, and I will give you under-current influence," as one woman frankly stated it to another, although it may be called friendship, has no element of real affection in it, as the first one to fail in "value received" so clearly understands.