Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-02-26
LET US CONVERSE,
A Growing Tendency to Disregard Con-
Observation-Disclosures Are We Drifting.

The voice of the scientist or of the
preacher is not required to emphasize
the fact that an intense desire for amuSe-
ment marks the present age. For the
man or woman wearied by the cares of
an active life, recreation now and then
is not only delightful, but healthful.
The writer's purpose is neither to point
out the proper kind of amusement nor
to indicate the extent TO which they
should be INDUCED. On the contrary.
he merely wishes to intimate that there
seems to be growing tendency on the
part Of many people to disregard con-
versatiOn. This is apparent in some
homes where a different state of things
would naturally be expected. In many
places it has become the fashion, when
few friends are invited in Ito spend
the evening" to ignore the pleasure
and profit derivable from aninterchange
of ideas, and spend the time in playing
a trivial game. Unhappily this prac-
tice is not confined to our young peo-
pie" 1t is natural that children should
wish for amusement of a trifling char
acter. but adults ought to be able to say
with the Apostle: ''When l became a
man put away childish things The
hope of the fathers is in the children.
What may we expect of our young eo-
pie if no effort be made to check the ex-
cessive indulgence in parlor games that
are so popular nowadays? At the same
time, something better must be provid-
ed. Indeed, one might be pardoned for
fearing that in some places conversation
is in danger of becoming a lost art.
Hence. the question arises: ''Whither
are we drifting?'
In nine cases out of ten, on the part
of those who give themselves up to non
sensical games, there will be no desire
for anything of an enrolling nature.
Ii we habitually neglect to cultivate our
minds, we can hope for nothing but in
tellectual inferiority, and inability to
converse with ease and elegance. What
is there more enjoyable than brilliant,
witty conversation, enlivened by an oc-
casional pun and sparkling repartee?
1t is true that we all cannot excel in this
delightful accomplishment, any more
than we can all excel I'M any branch of
learning or business; but we can, at
least, use the talents that we have,
whether they be one, two or five.
Though conversation, in its better part
May be esteemed gift, and not an art,
Yet much depends, as in the tiller's toll,
On culture and the sowing OF the soil.
1t is said that the celebrated Samuel
johnson for long time looked upon
conversation as the chief amusement.
He told Sir Joshua Reynolds that he
had always made it rule to talk upon
every occasion as well as he could. HE
had thus obtained mastery over his
weapons which made him one of the
most accomplished conversational glad
iators." A great responsibility is laid
upon us to improve the mind. We should
ascertain its various faculties and sus-
capabilities, and earnestly strive to make
rs much progress as possible. We have
q power of introspection, and should
fail to make good use of it. Of peo-
tho are negligent in this respect, it
}een well said: ''ThuS multitudes
nd die as truly strangers to them
= as to countries of which they
nave heard the name, but which human
foot has never trodden.'' Already talk
er may not have any better natural
ability than one WHO'S ''slow Ofspeech,"
but on account of being able to express
his thoughts in an ineligible and force
full style, he is looked upon as belong
ING to the ''aristocracy of intellect"
while the other is relegated to the reg
ion of intellectual mediocrity Thomas
c. b. Fraser IN The Current.