Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-11-20

GOOD TAKERS.

GCUD
The first requisite of a good talker is gen
nine social sympathy. A man may not say,
out OF some selfish motive, or some motive
Of personal policy, $50 to! | will become
q good talker." He must enjoy society,
and nave q genuine desire to serve and
please. We have all seen the talker who
talks for his own purpose, or talks to please
himself. He is the well-known character
the talking bore. The talker who gets him
self up for show. who plans his CONVERSE
tons for an evening, and Grams for them,
becomes intolerable. He lectures he does
not converse; for there is no power of a
talker so delightful as that ct exciting
others to talk, and listening to what his own
inspiring and suggestive utterances have
called forth. Genuine social sympathy ana
a hearty desire to please others are necessa-
nv to produce such q talker as this, and no
other is ~tolerable. Social sympathy is a
natural gift, and there is a combination Of
other gifts which constitute what may be
called esprit, that are very essential to a
good talker. This combination includes in
diylduality, tact and wit-the talents, apti-
tudes, and peculiar characteristic charm
which enable q man to use the materials OF
conversation in an engaging way, entirely
his own; for every talker has his W way
OF saying good things, as well of managing
conversation based on his esprit.
Yet it is true that there are no good talk
ers who depend upon their natural gifts and
such material as they get in the usual inter
changes of society. For the materials OF
conversation we must draw upon knowl-
edge. No man can be a thoroughly good
talker who does not know q great deal. So.
cial sympathy and the "gift Of CAB" go but
a short way toward producing good con
yersation. though we hear a great deal O.
this kind of talk among the young. Sount
and exact knowledge is the very basis o
good conversation. To know q great many
things we'll is to have in hand the best ane
most reliable materials of good converse
ton. There is nothing like abundance AM
exactness OF knowledge with which to FUR
nish a talker. Next to this, perhaps, IS Ia
millarity with polite literature. The facuit.
Of quoting from the best authors is q yer.
GpSlraOlG one. acts tHC SaAo"ohSs
thoughts, perhaps, are quite as valuable
especially as they are more stimulating
the conversation of a group. The falke
who deals alone in facts is quite likely
have the talk all to himself, while the ma
who is familiar with thoughts and ideas, q
he has found them embodied in literature
becomes a stimulator Of thought and COZ
versation in those around them. Familiar
ty with knowledge and with the produc
of the literary art cannot be too much II
sisted on as the furniture of good conve
sation.
Beyond this, a good talker must be faml
iar with the current thought and events
his time. There should be no movement
%politics. religion and society that the GOO
1a1ker is not familiar with. Indeed II
nan who undertakes to talk at all mu
know what is uppermost IN mems mlno
and be able to add to the general funa
Thought and knowledge, aud respond TO |
popular inquiry and the popular dlsposle'
for discussion. The man who unaertaA