Litchfield enquirer., 1832-01-12

} that he used occasionally to give us a lec- ture an hour and forty-fvo minutes in length, on the extreme impropriety of too } much talking, and especially warning us to beware of the detestable folly of striving after the last word always pointing out
 poor Talkall as kind of bug-bear, to
 frighten US into catholic spirit on the oc-
 casion. @
 Ordinarily, Turner was nOs'a noisy man i; and as to his natural volubility, he doubt less had matches in his own neighborhood i; indeed, it was even affirmed, that in his own house his tongue was commonly kept in decent subjection, by dame Talkall, in a contest with whom Turner himself, was sure to sustain signal defeats and whose frequent victories over him had humbled in some degree his pride. But his rspu- tation in his line was of such character, that no citizen of the good hamlet of Ales- bury, ever engaged in point blank dis pute with him, without fear and trembling i; not because of his bodily powers, for he was small, thin, shrivelled, swarthy fel
 low, of spare bone and sinew, but from mere dread of the powers. of his tongue.- They were sure to be beaten too, accord Ting to Turner's rules of debate; for he would have the las; word, if he talked till his elbows came through his coat, so much did he stick upon this point.
 believe the family was little vain of the distinction they had gained. Madame Talkall, though by no means troublesome neighbor, carried an elevated head, and a do-if-you-dare sort of look in her eye, all of which afforded evidence that sho held herself second to no one as an orator. The children, to make the best of them, had learned rapidly in the school at home, and were noisy, impudent and unruly and Eeven the dog had very distinct idea of his peculiar privilege as member of the Talkall family, and parked with more zeal, energy, and industry than any other dog in the country. When they all happened to be engaged in full concert together, as sometimes happened, the neighbors used to gather under the old beach tree. on the l opposite side of the road, and listen and wonder in silent awe.
 It would be difficult to determine pre- cisely what sentiments prevailed generally in the neighborhood, respecting the fami- ton or jealousy. They were neither be- loved nor envied, because they were eter- nally affronting those with whom they had intercourse, and it was evident they lived most uncomfortable life, if people could judge oftheir feelings by their own. But Turner's disposition had more direct and visible operation on his business. Im- moderate effectiveness, in itself, is as bad as idleness. If he happened, whether at corner of the street, or at his shop door, or behind his counter, to be engaged in controversy, customer had to wait until it was finished, or go to another store; and then it was unpleasant in the extreme, to do business with man whose pride seem- ed to lay in the disposal of dogmas by the wholesale, rather than in dry goods or gro- ceries. Besides he did not fail to displease customer after customer, by his obstinacy into general discredit in the end.
 Extraordinary power of mind seldom leads its possessor to throw his strength in-
 to the very topics which every body dis cusses but when it does, it never mani- fests itself in great number of worlds Power in conversation consists rather in the choice and arrangement than in the volatility of language. The single effort to out-talk an opponent belongs to the weak it is their prerogative. And noth- ing sooner disgusts than the unyielding To- quacity of an impudent chattefer. Turner never dreamed of this-and many in the world are as ignorant of it as he was. l never sec such an one without thinking of my old acquaintance, and calling to mind that his propensity always to have the last word, drained, at length, his pocket of the
 last dollar.
 Turner Talkall moved away from the
 neighborhood a bankrupt, after few years and settled somewhere down the river, where he died, report said, in consequence
 of frupturing blood vessel. by desperate
 attempt to out talk an echo, which got, not
 withstandiDg, the last word of him. The dane, in my memory, has since talked a
 second husband to death; and tine children never turned out any thing, for they could never keep a secret, or keep peace. or , keep the truth-a residence within these
 boundaries not affording sufficient scope for the indulgence of their tongues.
 .I CoNJUGAL OBLIGATION.
 ,l No young man or woman should assume the VOWS of the marriage covenant, wilh- out full and deliberate inquiry into all } the principles it involves and the duties it | 4E Esxv