The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-28
Etiquette Of ConrersntIon.

10 not interrupt another when speak.
ing,
Do not find fault, though you may gen.
orally criticise,
Do not talk Of your private, personal
and family matters,
Do not appear to notice inaccuracies Of
speech In others.
Do not allow yourself to lose temper or
speak excitedly.
Do not allude 10 unfortunate peculiari.
ties OF anyone present.
Do not always commence conversa.
ton by allusion to the weather.
Do not, when narrating an incident,
continually say, "you see" "you know"
Do not intrude professional or other
topics that the company generally cannot
take an interest in.
Do not talk very loud. A firm, clear,
distinct, yet mild, gentle and musical voice
has great power.
Do not be absent.minded, requiring the
speaker to repeat what has been said that
you may understand.
Do not speak disrespeCtiully Of personal
appearance when any one present may
have the same defects.
Do not try 10 force yourself into the
confidence OF others. II they give you
their confidence never betray it.
Do not use profanity, vulgar terms,
slang phrases, words Of double meaning,
or language that will bring the blush to
anyone.
Do not intersperse your language with
foreign words and high sounding terms. It
shows afectation and will draw ridicule
upon you. =
Do not carry on a conversation with an
other in company about matters which
the general company knows nothing Of.
1t is almost as impolite as to whisper.
Do not allow yourself 10 speak Ill Of the
absent one il It can be avoided; the day
may come when some friend will be need.
ed to defend you in your absence.
Do not speak with contempt and ridi-
cule OF a locality where you may be visit
ing. Find something to truthfully praise
and commend; thus make yourself agree
able.
Do not make a pretense OF gentility, nor
parade the fact that you are descendant
Of any notable family. You must pass for
just what you are, and must stand on your
own merit.
Do not contradict. In makinga correc-
ton say, II beg your pardon, but had
an impression that it was so and so."
Be careful in contradicting as you may
be wrong yourself.
Do not be unduly familiar; you will
mart nor NJ &c att
you be 5dogmatic in your assertions, arro-
eating to yourself much consequence in
your opinions.
Do not be too lavish in your praise OF
various members OF your own family when
speaking to strangers; the person to whom
you are speaking may know some faults
that you do not.
Do not feel it incumbent upon yourself
to carry your point in conversation.
Should the person with whom you are
conyersing feel the same, your talk will
lead into violent argument.
Do not allow yourself to use personal
abuse when speaking to another, as in so
doing you may make that person life.
long enemy. A few kind, courteous words
might have made him lifelong friend.
Do not discuss politics or religion in
general company. You probably would
not convert your opponent, and he will
not convert you. To discuss those topics
is to arouse feeling without any good re.
suit.
Do not make a parade Of being acquaint-
ed with distinguished or wealthy people,
Of having been to college, or Of having
visited foreign lands. All this is no evi.
dence Of any real genuine worth on your
part. ..
Do no use the surname alone when
speaking Of your husband or wife to
others. To say to another that ~ told
Jones" referring to you husband, sounds
badly. Whereas to say, II told Mr..
Jones" shows respect and good breeding.
Do not yield to bashfulness. Do not
isolate ourself, sitting back in corner,
waiting for some one 10 come and talk
with you. Step out; have something to
say. Though you may not say it very
well, keep on. You will gain courage and
improve. tits as much your duty to en-.
tertain others as theirs to amuse you.
Do not attempt to pry into the private
affairs Of others by asking what their prof
Its are, what things cost, whether Melissa
, ever had beau, and why Amarette never
got married? All such questions are ex-
, tremely impertinent, and are likely to
meet with rebuke.
Do not whisper in company; do not en-.
: gage in private conversation; do not speak
a foreign language which the general COM
D pany present may not understand, unless
It is understood that the foreigner Is una.
: BILE to speak your own language.
r Do not take it upon yourself TO admonish
. comparative strangers on religious topics;
the person TO whom you speak may have
decided convictions Of their own in oppo.
Sition 10 yours, and your over.zeal NAV
! seem TO them an impertinence.
: Do not aspire to be- q great story.teller
an inveterate teller Of long stories becomes
1 very tiresome. To tell one or two witty,
a short, new stories, appropriate to the occa
sion, is about all that one person should
9 infict on the company.
I Do not indulge in satire; no doubt yor
are witty, you could say cutting thing
J that would bring the laugh OF the com
y pany down upon your opponent, but yoU
must not allow 1t, unless to rebuke somt
:. impertinent fellow who can be suppressed
n \ in no other way.
10 Donot spend your time in talking scan
dal; you sink your own moral nature b,
r. so doing, and you are, perhaps, doing grea
injustice to those about whom you talk
at You probably do not understand all th
a circumstances. We're they understood
y. you would doubtless be much more len
2. lent.
Do not flatter; in doing so you embal
n. rass those upon whom you bestow praise
as they may not wish to offend you b
repelling 1t, and yet they realize that