第26章AFriendofMine
J。B。Garrington
&imeImethimIressedbythefar-awaylookiheyweresuchsadeyes，eyesthatmadeyouthinkofoldsorrows，olddreams，oldmysteriesoflife。Theywerelythewindowsofhissoul。WeweresoononfamiliartermsandInoticedaquisetoakindlyspokenword，amaexpressedkeeinanysmallattention。Youkype，I’msure，thesortthaturyentirelyabsorbedinyourselfyouothelpliking，othelpwantio。
Ourmereacedevelopedearlyintoawarmfriendshipandwehadnumerouswalkstogether。Hiswaseverasilentfriendshipandonlybyhismannerwereyousurehewasenjoyiyahetryroads，thelushmeadows，thegwatersofthebrookswemet。Iusedtoenjoywatghise，hisfeelingofpanionship，hissenseofbeinginfriendlypany，andIfindmyselfrespondingtohismoodsandcheerfulabahejoyofthepreseherewasnoguilei，evidently，andwithhimIcaresoftheyears，theyouththatI’dleftalongthosesameroads，alongthosesamebrooks。I，too，couldwalkwithalighterstep，feeltheimpulsetorunandjumpac。arklesaepbetrayse’shardtobeavoices，feelhrillsileastthisisthewayitalwaysseemedtomeithmyfriend。
I’veseenhimsittily，pensively，asiftryingtolookbeyobluehills，andIwishedIcouldreadhisthoughts，andfathomthesoulinthosesadbrowheyealing，theeyeshelplessoonhumankindness，andI’tthinkofaiunwillingtoshareafriendlymealifhehappeobearouhedinnerbellrang。Hereciativeofattention，thoughhe，ormadeyoufeelthathewasotherewasinit。Somanyitheyarelookingforsomeprofit。Thisfellowwasmorethankfulforakindwordthanfora。Hesimply’tbehappywithoutbelievingthehumanworldwasafriendlyone。Youhavemetthiskind。Idohewhihefellowsthatbeg，butthegenuinelykindsoulthatgiveshimselfandhisfriendshipandloveandonlyasksareturninkind。
Myfriendwaseverawahoughthiswanderingsweresearpathetidfriendlypanionship。Hewasquicktoseewhenhisadvaoodandthenhiswhedfromoneofsadooneofjoyandanimation。IfessIlikedhisfriendship。Itflatteredme。IwasgladIwasoneofhissort，andthatweeetandexgegreetings，walktheroadstogether，andwithoutawordonhispart，besciouswewereeher’ssociety。
Iwasfromthefirstindoubtastohisexaality。Heappearedtobeofmixedraces，withpredominatingcharacteristicsthatpointedbaewheretoBritishaherewasaremainderofJohnBullinthesquarenessofhisjawandinhissturdybody，awoosIdiscoveredthathewasentirelycapableofdefendinghimselffromuncalledforrudeuallylivedontheShakespearianprincipleof:
Bewareofeoaquarrel;
butbeitheopposedmaybewareofthee。
Heneverwalkedbymyoldhomewithoutstoppingtoexgegreetings，neverpassedmeohathewasowigwagki。Hewasknoasser-bysahadakindwordforhim。IhavelefttheoldtownandtheoldboyhoodhomeIloved，butIshallhopeastheyearsgobyandmyfriehemiddleyearsahathemayallae，somepladhisdaysinfort。
Theolderyearsaresofullofsadmemoriesforallofus。Truefriehehosimplesoulsareeasilyfotteressoflifethesemoderndays。
Ofikeisonlyadog，butsomehobelievingthatdogshavesoulsandthatourowerbyourrespoloveandfaith。