Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-08-20
LEARN THE ART OF LEAVING.
Visitors Who Cannot Realize That They
Are Making Bores OF Themselves.

Visitors Who Cannot Realize hat The,
Are Making Bores OF Themselves.
When Nine. de Stael visited Wei
mar with the avowed intention o.
intellectually capturing the literary
lions of the day Goethe and Schiller
she made one fatal mistake. she
stayed TOO long. Goethe wrote Il
Schiller; Mime de Stael is a bright
entcrta ling person, but she ought tc
know when il is time to CO." Beside,
not knowing when TO 60, il is evident
from incidents recorded of her journey
that she did not know how 10 20 She
fingered after she had started. II i.
related of her that at one place. after
she had ordered her carriage and an
uouuced her intention of departing II
the morning, she started a converse
ton which she vigorously kept uI
until II was so near noon that her hoSt
and hostess could but press her to Stay
for luncheon. This over, the CONVEX
s,ttiun was again resumed. nor allowed
To lag until it was so near evening
that the strained courtesy of her en-.
tertainers could but suggest that the
horses be taken from the carriage,
which had waited ut the gate all day,
and that she stay another night, which
she did.
II is Disraeli who. in Lothian. +"
puts in the mouth Of Theodore the
sentiment that 10 one should ever say
good-by, but in departing fade away
like a summer cloud. 1t is probable
that the great statesman and novelist
wrote this after Il parting interview
with some II who had bored him
with tedious farewclls = who under
stood not the art of leaving. For in
the narrowest and choicest circle of
friends and acquaintance there are
usually some persons the pleasure of
whose visits or calls, whether of bust.
ness or of pleasure, is married by the
fact that they do not seem to know
how TO go. For when a friend or
caller departs we are either glad, sorry
or Indifferent. II we are glad we de-
sire to be brief; if we are sorry the
quicker the painful scene is ended the
better; if We are indifferent we
grudge the draft on our time, if we are
busy, as the most Of us are, with the
pressing affairs of life.
The art of leaving is less understood
by women than by men. The habits
of business, the recognized fact that TO
a business man time is money, the
throng and press and eXactingneSs of
business life all tend to make men who
live in cities the best possible exemp-
lars of the tine art of leaving quickly
and neatly. 4 business mans social
call is usually a model of good man.
ners in this respect. When he has
said what he has 10 say and listened to
what there is to hear he takes his hat
says good evening"" and is out of
your presence without giving any time
or chance for the too often tedious and
embarrassing commonplace Of mu-
tual invitations and promises 10 call
again which seem TO be q kind Of So
cial formula with women. In striking
contrast with this neat and skillful
method of cutting short the parting
words of an interview or call is the too
common social practice of visitors who,
commencing 10 leave. seem temper
arily TO abandon their purposes and
then linger us though it were a kind
Of compliment TO the visiting party 10
appear loath to part company. Who
does not dread the visitor who starts.
then thinks of something else TO say;
rises, and then thinks Of another sub
ject OF conversation; nearly reaches
the door, and. most probably holding
it open, is aroused TO a degree of men
tai brIllIancy that threatens his health
and that Of his host or hostess by long
OBTAINING OF both in a cold draft while
he diScOursesi What a tax on the pa
tience and politeness of the listener,
who vainly strives by asserting in.
stantly 10 every proposition 10 end the
interview aud break tho restraining
bond Of polite attention.
The equally annoying counterpart
OF the tedious caller who does not un-
derstand the art Of leaving. is found
IN the person who seems anxious 10
detaln tho caller attempting 10 leave
and who makes protests or introduces
new subjects Of conversation at the
critical moment. The art Of leaving
on the part of the visitor needs TO he
supplemented by the art Of letting go
on the part Of the host. "Welcone
the coming. speed the parting guest "
Is a classic maxim Of good society,"
Exchange.