The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-11-10
Random Shots.
FOOLISH HABITS IN TALKING.


racy and elegant language fnot oftss
displayed, tits true,) of one CONTRAST
with the fiappant romance Of anoths.
the terseness of another and ~,
brusque and rather nnconth. yet forc;'
BILE words of yet another. While RIM
ming through it all you will see odd.
ties, sparkles of wit, awkward SAVING.
and slang phrases. To one who Womb
rather listen than talk, it is an amnss
ment that pays.
If there is one sentence in the En-
lish language that do little Mcs.
cordially detest than another. r i
"Don't you think sol" poked at Won =
it is by some persons, at all times. and
in all places, and on all subiects
whether they are things upon which
you have ever thought or not, or deem.
ed worth the thinking about. To nav.
some one launch out with an on;n;cn
sentiment or idea, entirely a. variance
with all your opinions, sentiments and
after airing it to their hearts content.
and your utter discomfort, to wind M
with "Don't you think so p is some
what provocative of a hasty cxclama-
ton. 1t places you on the horns Of =
dilemma, compelling you either to
rudely say, .sNo, don't,r or to accent
the position thrust upon yon against
your will.
For Heavens sake, ifvou advance nm
opinion, do so like man, even if Won
are a woman, and let it stand on its
own feet, or get knocked down irving
to do SO, but don't call for suppart for
it with "don't You think so?' show
ing in your question that yon doubt its
ability to stand alone yourself.
A habit that men more Frequently
fall into than women do, is that Of say
ing "y0u Know" when in reality You
are very often a complete "know moth
ing" about the matter under discussion,
If you know already why tell it to you
as something new and Interestingly
"Said he. said /, said she," at every
second or third word in repeating
conversation, is custom more pecu-
liar to women than to men, and have
often amused myself counting the
'ssays /, and says she'sn that some one
would utter in a half hours CONVERSE
ton, and when it is quick talker you
have no idea how the number will run
up.
The introduction of slang phrases
into conversation, often mistaken for
wit by those who are not accustomed
to the genuine article, is more forcible
than refined to say the best for it, and
should he especially avoided by ladies
though there are some ladies who seem
rather to seek an opportunity to lug
them in BY the ears, without much re-
gard to fitness or application; and
have seen young ladies placed in rather
awkward positions, when they have let
their tongues outrun their discretion,
through the use of slang words. sit
is, in the cool - "you bet;" "that's bull
ly;" "notlling else;" "dOn't you wish
you may get it," etc., ale not very del
icate sentences to fall from rosy lips
but we often hear them, and always
with a sense of disgust, and of pity for
the want of refinement displayed in
their use. Men may laugh at them, but
they do not admire all the same, and
would not wish to hear wife, sister or
daughter use them.
The egotistical habit of making your
self or your family, or your especial
affairs, the constant subjects of CONVEX
sation, is not only in bad taste, but is
very unpleasant tn those brought into
contact with you-you offend their
own ego in SO doing-for as each thinks
their own affairs the most important,
they tire of hearing some one else ev-
erlastingly brought on the carpet to
their expulsion. It is selfish, as well
as bad breeding. tits apt to induce a
feeling in the listeners to contradict,
chatter and pick to pieces the person or
persons brought under discussion.
Boosting of your family and your
family's position, responsibility or
wealth, is only done by those who are
really parvenues, and conscious Of tho
want of a backbone of true merit, and
firm standing, and fearful that others
may discover the real truth Of the mat
ter, blow their trumpets loudly to
drown the counter blast. This also
induces a feeling on tile part of Others
to look for black spots in your family
history, and pick out such as have, OF
should have, eaten bread at the ex-
pense of the State, and lodged in ono
of its largest public buildings free Of
cost, for an indefinite space of time.
was once in travelling brought M
to contact with lady, whose incessant
Juggling in at all opportunities of her
husbands refinement, good family, and
delicate raising, led me afterward to
look into it and the result was that I
found his claims were all smoke. He
had adopted native airs and foreign
graces enough for a dozen men, but his
real claims, ON family, delicate raising,
etc., were just Dil-as he was an agree
able man enough, if she had not, in
her uneasy consciousness that he had
no real rights to such things, been con-
stantly thrusting them into other pe0-
ple's faces, he would have been taken
| at his apparent value and would have
passed well enough in the crowd. 1t
amt well, when your jewelry is pinch
beck, to be always calling it gold. You
may tempt some one at last to test it.
And ladies, for Heavens sake find
some other topic than servants and
their failings. They have faults en-
ough, mercy knows, but who hasn't I'd
like to know and we have enough in
the actual experience, without talking
about it; if l were married man ser
wants should be a tabo0d subject in
ms house. If my wife could not man
age them, she shouldn't be fool enough
to tell it to me, or anybody else.--
When you find a mistress or master
without fault, show them to me, and
they sl,all cast the first stone at the