bought his
knowledge too dearly. Few of us go through the world without some
scars on the heart, which even yet throb if the finger of memory touch
them. In spite of all that has been said, and may be said in praise of
this golden friendship, it has been too often found how vain is the
help of man. The deepest tragedies of life have been the failure of
this very relationship.

In one way or other the loss of friendship comes to all. The shores of
life are strewn with wrecks. The convoy which left the harbor gaily in
the sunshine cannot all expect to arrive together in the haven. There
are the danger of storms and collisions, the separation of the night,
and even at the best, if accidents never occur, the whole company
cannot all keep up with the speed of the swiftest.

There is a certain pathos in all loss, but there is not always pain in
it, or at least it is of varied quality and extent. Some losses are
natural and unavoidable, quite beyond our control, the result of
resistless change. Some loss is even the necessary accompaniment of
gain. The loss of youth with all its possessions is the gain of
manhood and womanhood. A man must put away childish things, the speech
and understanding and thought of a child. So the loss of some
friendship comes as a part of the natural course of things, and is
accepted without mutilating the life.

Many of our connections with people are admittedly casual and
temporary. They exist for mutual convenience through common interest
at the time, or common purpose, or common business. None of the
partners asks for more than the advantage each derives from the
connection. When it comes to an end, we let slip the cable easily, and
say good-bye with a cheery wave. With many people we meet and part in
all friendliness and good feeling, and will be glad to meet again, but
the parting does not tear our affections by the roots. When the
business is transacted the tie is loosed, and we each go our separate
ways without much regret.

At other times there is no thought of gain, except the mutual advantage
of conversation or companionship. We are pleasant to each other, and
enjoy the intercourse of kindred tastes. Most of us have some pleasant
recollections of happy meetings with interesting people, perhaps on
holiday times, when we felt we would be glad to see them again if
fortune turned round the wheel again to the same place; but, though
hardly ever did it come about that an o