Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-03-06

THAT girl always talks in italics. y
! said lady to her friend, as gay girl OF
! fifteen, laughing and talking volubly,
fitted past the elder woman.
Il fancy they all do so,' was the reply
of the other. SIS it only because I am
! growing older, and am more subducd
than | used to be, that think nothing.
in young girl, equals or even APP
proaches repose in charm? am SO tired
of hearing girls use superlatives, when
poSitives are in order: of listening to
conversations which are peppered with
dashes. and spiccd with interjections;
in fact. | see so much to criticise in the
girl of the period. that I'm half afraid
Of doing her injustice. For she is
sweet
''Sweet!'' cried the first speaker. I'm
deed she is, with the sweetness of a rose
half-hlown. the sweetness of youth, and
freshness and real enjoyment, and buoy
ant hope. But she and host of her Sis
tiers are like Eva Leighton. who flashed
past US q moment ago; they talk in
italics
| have always thought it best. if one
has cause of complaint, to go at once to
the person most nearly concerned, and
have candid comparison of views. |
am too fond of girls to join in a whole
sale condemnation of them, let them do
what they may; but | would really like
TO ask them if they do not think they
might be more careful. not so much of
what they say, as of how they say it.
For instance, the other evening, | heard
from tho lips of a beautiful girl, repeat
eddy. the exclamation: ''By Jovc.'
I knew that she had brother a col
lege, and I inferred that by Jove!'
was one of his college catch-wOrds, but
it was i'll the worst possible taste, as tho
eXcrpscence of speech, in the boys Sis
ter. L am not justifying him in its use,
for l think it is more elegant for every
one. as we'll as safe, and according to
Scripture, to garnish conversation with
no explosives, and to be limited to plain
affirmation and denial: YEA, yea nay,
nay" But an objectionable phrase GER
family sounds worse in girls talk, than
in boys. lawfully, fearfully, stun
ningly," and the like have an italic eff
feet, and a girl would do we'll to avoid
them.
Il perfectly hate Mrs. G. 1 detest
her. She's meaner than an Indian
who had offended her by some harmless
popularity. Translated out of girl
superlative into plain vernacular, this
meant only that Gertie did not espe-
cially like Mrs. G, and preferred to be
in some other lady's Sunday-school
class, and that. for some reason or other,
She thought Mrs. G disobliging, ''mean"
i'll girl-parlance. standing for variety
of disagreeable qualities.
Girls are very apt to be sweeping in
their assertions, simply because youth
is intolerant, and apt to be crude in its
Judgments, and less gentle and patient
than maturity. For this reason, if L
were 4 girl again, | would cultivate the
habit of reserving my spoken opinion.
/ would wait little. and defer ever so
much more than l used to do, to the
opinions of my elders and betters. The
habit of italics, in speaking, is PARTLY a
habit springing from temperament. not.
always i matter of disposition or OF
thought. The impulsive, impetEous
swiftly-moving nature brings to every
act OF life greater force than the slug
gisf. phlegmatic opposite does. But
nothing is so delightful as enthusiasm
held in leash; the hasting, hurrylng,
sanguine temperament restrained by
gcntleness: and in no way can this most
desirable charm be gained, except by
daily thought, daily self-discipEinc,
daily vigilance. There is no danger
that your speech will be colorless, dear
girl. or that your spontaneity Will be
lost, if you study to be tranquil. even
dignified. Try the plan for the next
few weeks of never talking in Italics
Margaret E. Songster, in Interior,