GIRLS’ FRIENDSHIPS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue I, 4 July 1896, Page 31

GIRLS’ FRIENDSHIPS.

There is nothing so beautiful as a faithful friendship between two women. Nothing is quite so unselfish and nothing in life lasts quite so long. This friendship, however, must have the trial test of years ; it does not grow up in a day, or a night, but it is cemented and made perfect by the gradual learning of each to understand the other, by the willingness to help bear each other's burdens, and by that greatest of all virtues in friendship, the never asking a question, but the waiting until the confidence is given. Young girls very seldom form such friendships. They are, as I have said, the outgrowth of years of confidence, and you, who are sixteen, seventeen or eighteen, have not had the time to try, or be tried, to prove your worthinesses a friend. You look at me with a bit of indignation, and you tell me of * the dearest girl that

ever lived ’ who sympathizes with you in everything, to whom yon tell all your hopes and ambitions, who loves you dearly, and whom you have known exactly one week. You know it must be a real friendship because you were attracted at once, and because immediately you began to tell one another things that you wouldn’t have had the other girls know—not for anything. And you think this friendship is going to last forever. You have planned it all out in your own mind. You two, after you leave school, are going to marry two brothers, the handsomest and best men that ever were born, and you are all going to live in. one house, and you will tell each other everything and life will run along as smoothly as possible for both of you. That is what you say this week. THE WEEK AFTER. Next week I ask after your bosom friend and you don’t seem inclined to talk about her. When I insist upon hearing about this feminine Damon I hear that she has rather neglected you ; that a new girl has come whom she finds more sympathetic, and you find to your horror that she has told her the secrets which you whispered, believing that they were as sacred as if they had been told in the confessional. But you brighten up a little and tell me that after all you suppose one must make mistakes, but that now you have discovered areal friend, one who loves you simply for yourself. She has such a lovely name, too. You think you never heard a more musical one —Florence. And then you show me the little notes she has written to you,’ notes that are as sentimental as possible, full of ‘ darling ’ and ‘ sweetest,’ and making protestations of love such as Romeo might have made tojuliet. And then you tell me how on your desk you find a rose from her; and you show me the ring you are wearing which is hers, and which she begs you to kiss every day. As a profound secret you hear • from another girl that she has sent to the city and is having a locket made in the shape of a heart with her picture inside it, and that this will reach you on Easter Day. And then you look at me and say, ‘ Isn’t this beautiful ? Isn’t this real friendship ?* WHAT I THINK. I don’t like to hurt your feelings by laughing at you, and I know, my dear, that you are quite in earnest, but this is all very silly. A veritable friendship between women doesn’t express itself in that manner, and you are not old enough yet to have friends. The pleasant acquaintance among the girls will last a thousand times longer than that with the gushing admirer. Florence is as jealous as if she were your sweetheart, and you pride yourself on this. She writes you most despairing notes because some afternoon you take a walk with some other girl, or because you broke an engagement with her to go out with your mother. You think it is very desirable to be known among your girl friends as • Florence’s crush,’ but if you will take a little trouble and enquire, you will find that you are only one among a number of whom Florence has expressed this great admiration at various times, and to whom she has shown this marvellous devotion. This may last three months or even a year, but great emotions have sudden endings, and some day you will be surprised to get a letter from Florence inclosing the photograph which you gave her, and begging you to return the little locket. That poor little locket! If you have the sense I credit you with you will wonder who the girl is who is going to get it next, for you may be very certain that it will answer for several people.

Violent cases of dyspepsia are often cured by refraining from liquids entirely. Never drink at meals, and if thirsty between times sip a little hot water slowly. Little by little, as the person grows better, he or she can take coffee, or even tea, at their meals. Where chronic dyspepsia exists, generally the person must be guided by what is found by experience to agree. Simplicity in cooking and a plain diet are necessary. Pastry, fried articles, meats cooked a second time, and nearly all sweets are to be avoided. The following are some of the foods easy of digestion: Mutton, sweetbreads, chicken, partridge, beef, tea, mutton broth, milk, fish, oysters, stale bread, rice, tapioca, asparagus, French beans, baked apples, oranges, strawberries and peaches. A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEXION. Apply Sulpholine Lotion. It drives away pimples blotches, roughness, redness, and all disfigurements Sulpholine develops a lovely akin is bottles Made in London —(Advt),