The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-03-04
Tho Art Of knnhhinr

N Everyone can be rude, forbidding, inso-
lent ana snubbing; but to only the siudious
and gifted few is it given to wound friends
Delf love, with so light touch and SO fine a
point Us TO be almost imperceptible at the
\ moment, the only thing ceetsin in the matter
being the wounu-which remains. II takes
no artistry TO contradict fatty, to sheer
Openly, TO put down an interlocutor as a
FOOL who may or NAV not know his own
FOLLY. This is the budgeon style of war.
tare, the ssvage's method Of Draining bis
foe, and of cooking his food in the ashes of
The fire. The art consists in tho grace with
which the weapon is used; the lightness of
hand with which the thrust is made; the
Imallness Of the visable Aperture and the
depth OF the corresponding wound. The
man or woman who has attained perfection
" these methods has ever in possession one
Of the most deadly of all those poisonous
4eedles, the scratch Of which testers to the
deatb, while invisible to all eyes but the
outierer's.
You have lately learned quite new fact,
4 whether 10 the physical sciences or in histor
0l criticism ii does not signify; but it is new,
hAs not yot been published, and your
authority is incoRteslable. You arc in the
rresence of q snubber when you bring out
YOUR lately acquired treasure and make n
8 resent Of 1t all around. THAT ali? knew
pat long ago." said the snubber, who has
ever heard tho question discussed. 'That
no wonderful thing TO tell. If now, you
s1ad told us of the elemental principal of lie,
W who was the man in the iron masls-if you
<puld explain why a trro grows
IND who was Juuius --yOu would be
forth listening 20. En-. this
1his Is not worth the time it takes to tell p
nd as all persons, save tho exceptionally
pnd-hearted and the exceptionally generous
I DiHded, like the sport of snuhbipg as much
10 fox hunters like cub hunting, You arc nt
nee set down, amid shower ofsmall snoers
mere retailer Of second hand goods--as
one who tries TO pass OF old lamps for new,
Who offers stale facts (which every
7 eboolboy knows" AS the latest discoveries
made by tho great leaders 10 the
world of mind--sll to get for yourself the
modes which belong to The chosen vessel OF
communication. Sometimes you are snubbed
By a dead, blank silence. You have said
oomtthng for which ii 10 desirable yon
rhtud DO put down. SO you are put down,
ny tina crushing force of negative disdain.
What you have said Is not worth the trouble
en of u reply, still lesa of contradiction.
70 do not answer tho cat when che mewa,
pr think Il always necessary 10 convince our
billy that crying "Go 10 bed, Jack |" at noon
b futile cxhorution. You rank no higher
kn tho cat or the parrot and what you lave
said bears no more weight than the new
the orc VI tho prste Of tho other. And
you can not talk with no ono TO listen and
one 70 reply, tho snub does It's work and
are wounded, as IL was meant you should
And sometimes you arc snubbcd by di.
and uncompromisiug Contradiction:
ney be very nicely put if your enemy
wcll-ercd; or Il will DO bru,aly
ruiely flung In your face Il
say. There Is no modus vendi possible
p you; ycu have never learned to run
rlele, nor 10 fall into stop; md the only
TO treat you Is TO change front rapidly
leave you plant, IN yout isolation. They
3! prove 10 you that they are no. with
?, though they are too kind and wel.brod
fsy 70 openly. Hence they snub YOU with
ouiteoua smile, as their soul reply TO what
have said, and immediately opon an.
Der topic OF conversation, miles away from
which ysu have begun American
)esn.