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Show EtrtaU Responsibilities ONE of the most delicate of responsibilities, responsi-bilities, too rarely realized as such, is that arising In Iho. relation between be-tween friend and friend when onc Is made the confidant of the other. If the friend and her friendship mean anything to us, our Immediate reaction to this opening of an inner chamber of experience on her part may be a thrill of gratification tt tho evidence of trust reposed In us; It may be simply a springing spring-ing sympathy and Interest. But if this feeling is not followed by a consciousness of responsibility then Is the confidence misplaced. SINCERE INTEREST. 4. In every friendship there come momenta of raVe Intimacy, when tho impulse to self revelation, the desire for response asserts Itself in a flash of confidence that ln Its very Imparting is our appeal to the friend's capacity Tor understanding and faith in that capacity. To receive such a confidence Is to accept the responsibility that goes with it, the responsibility not only to keep It secure from repetition, but to be willing to leave It untouched, unrefcrred to in subsequent conversation with our friend, unless she herself chooses to touch upon ItSigafn. This may never happen, in which case it should remain locked from examination or attempt at analysis on our part as surely as If in a padlocked case. A confidence truly guarded is never rchandled except at the instance of the ono to whom It originally belonged. , For" tho one with whom It was shared to hold it lightly Is to dull the keen edge of friendship perhaps, beyond reparation. To bo over eager "to receive the confidences con-fidences of a friend indicates a lack of sensibility. It Is a tendency prevailing! particularly with tho Immaturo to feel that the first and chief test of friendship, and its principal medium of exchange, is found In confidences partaking preferably of a personal character. What small girl docs not barter In "secrets." determining the friendship of her mato. by the number of "secrets" she can capture from her and how great Interest In-terest sho can invite in return, "secrets" swiftly scattered when the Intimacy languishes or dissolves' Many of ua In this respect but children, of a largtffl growth. K Thero arc confidences that never press themselves in words, that aro now? the les3 confidences, and so claim recoEJ nltlon as such, revelations that comronnill catc themselves In a look, a touch, aj( Inflection of the voice that Is unmljtaVl ablo to the sympathetic friend, ,gl Was It Carlylc and Tennyson who &aSf one on each side of the fireplace, a yholil evening 'through without exchanging . if word and, as lliey partcu. expressed thtirl enjoyment of the hours they passed to3t gcther7p Si Between true friends such silent ctfl change of confidence Is possible. M There Is, moreover, the swiftly spoktj confidence that springs, almost unblddeaj : from a passing mood, the temperamental confidence, it might bo called. To expect I that because yesterday a friend's raooi round vent in such a confidence slic mnit' be met In tho spirit of it to-day Is to fall In perception. A confidence Imparted takes for grant! our ability to perceive its nature and rwl eclve It accordingly. It is puerile to eravo or demand coiS fidence of an intimate nature from ourl friend, lo look for such as our duo ial' the relation m It Is wrong to try to wring them freS her or even to seek to draw her oujf. overmuch. mg. Friendship and Its rites .arc not to S forced nor. when won. to be mauled. Ajf a friendship matures confidences naturally occur. Especially do they arise with onat of active mind and eager affection, acd! they arc nono the less sincere nor the leaf to be treasured. ' I TEST OF FRIENDSHIP. ftfiN ,? M If we arc so favored as to fall heir i to the confidences of a friend it behooves i us to appreciate such confidences. Ther :, may bo given in an unguarded moment) they even may be a "thinking aloud," as it .' were, but in any caso they aro a trlbuls lo the trust wc have Inspired In our friend! ' Never, through the slightest sign on oag part, should our friend havo cause G : regret or to be ashamed of her givei "j confidence. w In the ability to rccclvo confldeactflj In the spirit In which they aro given lijf tho gift and genius of friendship m |