St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-11
WHY THEY ARE DULL.
The Average Young Man Must
Read if He Does Not Wish 90


Read if He Does Not Wish TO
Be Bore.
The Boston Journal says that there
are three causes which go far to explain
the Notwithstanding character of the
average young man to the average
young PERSON of the opposite sex. The
first is that he is too much engrossed
in himself and the things which inter-
est him. The finest point of courtesy
IN conversation is to seek those subjects
which will interest the people with
whom we talk. The young man who
goes into the society of cultivated
young women and has nothing better
to offer, as his contribution to the con-
yersation, than base ball talk or rem
iniscenceS of college scrapeS will make
himself entertaining. if at all. only by
making himself ridiculous; and that, it
IS safe toSay, is not what he is after.
SO with the various other subjects, either
OF business or of pleasure, which are
chiefly the concern of men. They ought
not to be forced into conversation with
women. If the latter want to know
about them, very we'll; but the informa-
ton should be given as brightly and
interestingly as possible, and without
any appearance of condescending en-
enters the society of women with the
Difference which he should feel, will
study them sufficiently to know what
things are likely to interest them and
what are not.
Another difficulty is that the average
young man is likely to make mistake
as to the things which will interest
young women, even when he makes
sincere attempt to adapt his couversa-
ton to them. Old notions die hard,
There are still great many young men
who cannot understand that the young
women whom they know, some of them
at least, have minds which are capable
of something more than small talk of
fashlon-plateS, or society gossip. Never
thelesS this is true. Nothing is more
CALLING to young women of cultivation
and Intelligence then to be persistently
talked down to by the men of their ac-
quaintance. Let the average young
man realize that the average young
women with whom he talks knows prob
ably at least as much as he does, and
he will make his conversation better
worth while by putting a little intellect
into it.
A third difficulty is that the average
young man is in serious danger of be-
ing left behind. intellectually, by the
average young woman. We do not eX-
pect that this alarming statement will
be accepted without dispute. But we
commend to the solemn consideration
of young men the question whether
young man who in college gives his
chief drought to athletics, and after he
leaves college is engrossed in business,
is likely to keep up with his sister. or
some other fellows sister, who started
with mind at least as bright as his,
has had equal educational, advantages,
and both time and disposition to i'm
prove herself. We maintain that no
young man can afford TO deprive him.
self of the broadening and elevating
influence of good books. Tine news
paper has its place, but it is not the
place Of Shakespeare or Milton, of Ad-
Olson or Ruskin or any other of the
great masters of English. Business has
its eXacting demands, but they can
best be met by a man who relieves the
tension upon his mind by occasional
excursions in standard and current
literature. If the young man of the
period is to converse to the edification
and entertainment of young women he
must fill his mind with something be-
sides base ball, or stocks. or politics.
These may enter into conversation, but
they must not be its staple. To restore
the proper conversational relations of
the sexes, the average young man must
improve his habits of thought and
speech in more ways than one.