The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1879-04-09
MisceElatleous.
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THE A2sT or LEAVING.

TIE ART OF HES WING.
1t is Disracli; who, in "Lothair, y
puts into the mouth Of Theodore
lbc sentiment that no one should
ever say good bye, but in dcpart~
ing should fade away like a sum
mer cloud. We have often been
constrained TO wonder whether
the Earl Of Beaconsfcld wrote
this after an interview with
friend who understood not the
art Of leaving. For in the mar
rowcst and choicest circle Of
friends and acquaintanccs there
are usually some persons whose
visits or calls, whether Of business
or Of pleasure, are marred by the
fact that they do not seem to
know how to 60.
Schiller wrote TO Goethe con-
ccrnins the visit Of Madame de
Stael to the Court Of Weimar,
She ought to know when it is
time 10 CO." and from what we
can learn Of that good lady's de-
parture we infer that at the time
Of her going she still further
bored the great poets by her
tedious farewells. For when a
friend departs we are either glad,
sorry or indifferent. If we are
glad, we desire to be brief; If we
are sorry, the quicker the painful
scene is ended the better, if we
arc Indifferent, we grudge the
draft upon our time if we are
busy, as the most Of us are, with
the pressing affairs OF life.
The art Of leaving is less under
stood by women than BY men.
The habits Of business, the recog-
nizcd fact that to a business man
time is money. the throng and
press and cxactness Of business
life, all tend to make men the best
possible exemp!ars Of the fine art
Of leaving, and leaving at once.
A business mans call is usually u
model Of good manners in this re-
spect. When he has said what he
Las to say, he takes his bat, says
"good evening"" and is out Of you!
presence without giving any time
or chance for the too often tedious
and en- barrassing commonplaces
of mutual invitations to call, which
seem to be a kind Of necessary
social formula.
In striking contrast to this neat
and skillfuI method Of cutting
short an interview is the too COM
mon social practice Of visitors
who, com mmencing TO leave, seem
temporarily to abandon the pur-
pose and then follow it up by a
number of unsuccessful attempts
to accomplish their intention as
though it were a kind Of compll-
ment to the person visited to ap-
pear 10th to part compaay. VINO
can not at once recall the visitor
who starts, then thinks Of some
thing else to say; rises, and
thinks Of another subject Of con-
yersation gets nearly to the door
and receives another revelation
reaches the door. and, most prob
ably, holding it open; is aroused
to a degree Of mental brlI'lancy
that threatens his own health and
that of his host by long OBTAINING
both in a cold draft while be dis
courses ? What tax on the
patience and politeness OF the lis
tener who vainlv strives, by as
senting instantly to every propo-
sition, to end he interview and
break the restraining bond OF
polite attention
Occasionally, indeed, business
men and business honrs are robbed
If work and complacency by the
advent Of the visitor who fingers.
The busy lawyer, having been
made the recipient of the conf
dcnce OF his client, not untre-
qucntly finds that, business at
tended to, his ear is made prisoner
by the parting remarks, discus
sions and observations Of his un-
sophisticated patron. The editor
who has in an unguarded moment
accepted an article from new
contributor may deem himself for
lunate, and Judge the contributor
to be possessed Of rare good sense,
if his act does not procure for him
d lingering interview. Clergy