THE GUILD OF UNKNOWN FRIENDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2689, 27 September 1905, Page 65

THE GUILD OF UNKNOWN FRIENDS.

My Dear "Readers, — It is so long since you loosened the covds of my post bag and enjoyed with me its contents that I thought to-day Aye would substitute for oin customary gessip "Over the. Teacups " a little space of rest aaid refreshment in the pleasant society of "The Guild of 'Unknown Friends." First, let us listen to the voice of the de-ti' Grandmother, a litti'e worn and weary from recent illness, but lacking nothing 'of its old spirit and courage, be sure : " Dear Fmmelino, — It has beep in my mind for some time to write you: you swid your correspondents have still much, interest for me. For some three months I have not been able to get about much ; hnve felt ctltogether run down, aaid, as 1 r*ften say, of" neither use r.ov ornament. But ttoug-h-you Jiave not heard from me, I always look to see if tfhere may not bo a kind message from Eirameline. I did hope to join the club in its trip to Tibet cr Indie ; but this nervous prostration has put thai out of the question, and as I am propped up in an easy diair with my writing pad. on my knee, this will not be a long letter, though I have, oh, so much

evenings there? But I'll tell you what \ would do. After a trip to dear old Dun* edin to kiss the hem of your garment, dear, ancl enjoy a meal of New Zealand mutton or lamb after all these years of tinned foods, I woiild have my miUion of money so disposed of that the interest could be spent for the benefit oi my own sex who are fighting then life's battle, alcme and friendless. I cannot write any snore — only send my love to the club ancl your own self."' Some extracts from a letter in which; Rangiora e:s pressed her regret it not forming one of the band of munificent millionaires shall come next :

"I would set aside a great part of your generous gift fo-r the use of those engaged hi medical research, thus, perhaps, hastening, by applying more of the world's best ta.lent to the search, the day when that dread diseise — canoer — shall no longer be an incurable agony of mind and body. Then I wwiild spend generously in the effort to make life as light as possible for the sick, the poor, and the children. More still should go in plans for lifting out of tine press of life's battle tho^e gentle souls who, all unfitted for the struggle, yet arc forced by circumstances to leave their quiet sheltered nooks ancl battle foj thern-aelve-s. , . . "If not too late in the session, may I suggest two topics? With such c soberminded assemblage as ours, I would like to see 'Platonic Friendship ' dealt with. I can imagine Taffy making quiet game of it, and quoting Frankfort Moore's definition — ' It's being content m itli tlie eggsiiell while the other fellow ia eating the omelette !' But Taffy's wit is always entertaining, and we had a good lau^h over ' India ' from his or her point of view. Lex W'luld have a splendid opportunity for- bringing in extracts from Emerson, and I am sure such writers as Sweefcbriar and Country Mouse would handle the subject wisely. Then suppose yoxi let us all write up our hobbies. Would that be too much for you, poor long-suffering president? Most people appear to the best advantage when holding forth on their pet theme, so I thought I would just offer the suggestion. Now I must conclude, with kind regards to you and all my comrades." " RAKGIORA." It was, I rear, too late in the session when your suggestions came, Rangiora, as tbe list of topics announced more than covered the 1905 session. T like both of your themes, though, and have made a note of them for next session, when I think they should " draw very good; houses." I hear confidential whispers of n.any new members who intend to ask for a seat in Cosy Corner next session, too, which should be pleasant news to all our members.

A long and extremely interesting letter from Kerani has tempted me very often to share its contents with a circle in which I know he has so many warm admirers ; but,, you see, I had to wait until my post bag rillf-d a little, for most of the letters I get are of such intimate friendliness as tobe meant only for my own reading and! sympathy. ' Kerani's letters, however, would interest and amuse with reflection and suggestion any reader. I would I had time to answerthem as they deserve, but JCmmeliuie, alas I has only one pair of 'hands), and so niucli for that one pair to do — just one" everyday woman's brain, and so much to find room for in it. Kevani writes : —

"My only extravagance is books. I will persist in buying instead of borrowing. Within about two years I nave got — Hilprecht's ' Explorations in Bible Lands.' Sayco's ' Religious of Ancient Egypt and, Babylonia,' 'The Hittites' and 'Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations,' Ralph Connor's 'Black Eork,' some of Frank Bullcn's, some of Michael M'Garthy's, and tbe lirsu volume of 'The Students' Old Testament,' by C. Foster Kent, of Yale. I am following in the footsteps of the man whose, tombstone bore the record — 'He died learning.' Pome £«Pin so busy teaching others thafc they have no time to- learn. I notice it in the church that I attend, and sometimes wonder if they will ever find out that they stopped learning too soon. What an amount of unconscious bigotry there is to be found amoiig wme religious people, fostered, I think, by confining their religious reading to the publications of their own denomination. I also meet with people who have no idea of a love of knowledge for its own sake, apart from results. The other week I asked a fellowmember of the church, and one of longstanding, if he had read anything on the subject of Bible criticism as applied to the ORd Testament? He replied that he had not, and inquired the use of it. It appeared that he had never read the Old Testament through, apparently because ho thought it had no direct bearing on the matter of salvation. How intensely practical ' He is a man that has made money. With that temperament he could hardly help it. Some of your contributors mentioned Ralph Connor. In a sketch of Henry Drummond, he tells the following story: — ' A young girl was walking down the street before i.?;. " Look at that girl's walk," I said. "Yes," he replied, enthusiastically ; " that's it. I was conscious of something

rhythmical in view, but could not quite place it." Nothing beautiful could be near him witiiout striking some chord in hh soul.' That is another thing-~that some , people seem unable tc comprehend. They "seem to think that if a man expresses appreciation of any qualities in a girl he must be wanting to many her. It seems almost necessary for a single man, if he cannot s«e his way towards marriage, to assume an appearance of indifference to everytiiinx! ti'"*- is estiniaLcLA ay AiJtrardive

in the other sex, if he wishes to avoid misundersanding. Reasoning by induction, I suppose it must be the same after marriage, so far as single women are concerned, anyhow. Is this so? You have more opportunities of observing than I have. It may be rbcessary, but I think I would find it a condition difficult to comply with, for it is a positiva pleasure to me to see a girl looking wall — any giri. After your commendation of hit letters I fear there is some danger that I xnay become a victim to conceit, you! know the story of the actor whose performance was being praised. ' Oh, never mind that,' he replied, 'to'-l me of my faults.' However, I rejoice that I have some companions. I welcome Rangiora as a brother in the craft — shake, Rangid&a— and I express the hope that she enjoys the accomplishment without the disadvantage — inability to talk — that accompanies it in my case. There is one rearan, and one only, why I would prefer town life to the country — it would be possible to get a.n occasional look at the magazines. The B. TV. for April 27 contains a notice of an article in M'Clure's with a curiosityprovoking title, ' A Knight Errant of the Intellectual Life, Thomas Davidson : 'Who Tried To Be on Earth What Good People Hope To Be in Heaven.'" And yet 'he was an old bachelor. Is it possible? I think I hear some married people exclaim incredulously. In one matter, I envy him particularly. " F'-om Davidson." says the writer, "1 learned what immunities a perfect memory bestows upon one. I neve 1 ' could discover v. hen he amassed hip. learning, for he never seemed 'occupied.' The secret of it was that any odd time would do, for ho never h?d to acquire a thing twice over." Another extract explains his reason for remaining single. " Twice in later life, ho said, temptation had come to him, mid ho had to make ku decision. When he had to come to- the point, he had felt each time that the tie with the* dead girl wai prohibitive. 'When two peisons have known each other as we did,' he said, 'neither can ever fully belong to- a stranger. So it wouldn't do. It wouldn't do, it wouldn't do!' he repeated as jwe lay on the hillside.' 3

I fancy there is a little of that feeling left in cases where a couple merely scpalate, provided there has been no falling out. Whyle-Mehilie, in his essay on " Gourds," says that, like Jonah, you do v.-ell to be .ingiy, and veiy angry, indeed, for it is tlm bejt cur?. But when they merely separate bci.au.so one thinks it is

the bes', or perhaps tl«o only practicable way, a feeling of regaid remains, and ilion you jint feel, as m tlio other case, tnaL '" it wouldn't do."

Ti> the abovr I must add that by the time you sco li.is Keram I hope you -w ill have received some praciical proof that. unappreciauvo as my silence must have made me ajpoir, I have, not been unmindful of your letter, and hove valued the time filched fiom work or rest which you devoted to our .friendship in writing it.

Gipsy, whom you will all remember as sending many pleasant contributions to our meetings in past sessions, wrote me rather a sad letter some little time since. It is of Loo intimate a character and too lavish in praise of "Everyday Emmeline " to quote much from, for Gipsy has always been such an appreciative and sympathetic reader of mine that she has been able to discern the fullest and best of my thought even when I have dressed it poorly or shabbily. And so her own words to me are but simple truth wlieai re-echoed to ; her. We may not always be able to say hiow and where articles (and letters) were a help to us, but there is no' doubt that everything that tends to render us unselfish and raise our thoughts to higher standards 15 a help. Gipsy has left her old home in the south and has gone to the North Island, -\j-here she rarely sees a Witness, though she looks forward to taking it again when settled once more. Thus site has been unabfe to> follow our meetings this session- — even had she baen well onough, which I am sorry to say has not been the care. She asks me to "convey sincere' thanks to Lex for those kind greetings sent at Christmas. It is late to thank him, but perhaps under the circumstances of breaking up a home and being in ill health he will excuse me." So now we are at the end of these chronicles of "The Guild of Unknown Friends," and there is nothing more for me to do but sign myself, as ever, your attached friend, EMMELINE.