The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-24
ART Of CONVERSATION.
How to Become Proficient in Enter
tanning Whole Company
at Once.
The Trying Ordeal Of Brides Who
,a Strive to Please Their
Husbands.

The Reading of Newspapers = Great
Aid to Entertaining Con.
versation.
A young lady. whose marriage is in pros
pect, writes to us that she would like to be-
come expert in conversation. She realizes
that as wife she must carry herself with
dignity and self-possession, and that her
conversation ought to be ready and intelli-
gent. What she particularly desires is the
ability to talk with "a whole company"
and even to be the leader of conversation.
She fears that the meeting of many strangers
in her new home will appall her CONVERSE
tional powers, which in her old home rarely
failed her. The foundation of a new home
circle is in the special province Of Good
Housekeeping, and we will respond to the
letter on this page.
A trying ordeal it is for woman to break
away from her home, where she has always
lived and where everything and almost
everybody whom she sees is familiar, and
enter strange home where nearly all are
strangers and where many new acquaint-
ances are to be acquired. Next to her care
that she shall look we'll, which is usually
easily provided for, is woman's concern
that she shall appear to be intelligent, an
end that she regards as of uncertain attain
ment. because, her feelings greatly pre-
dominating over her intellect, she con-
trasts herself with the other sex, whose in
tellect is more conspicuous than hers. A
natural timidity, arising from almost ex-
elusive home experience, is sure to magnify
Nv0rv 6iticnlfv and abe anYorOacheS the
ordeal with misgivings.
The principles that underlie conversa-
tional ability fully cover this case. The
very first requisite of all. compared with
which all the rest are insufficient is conf
depce, without which no one can talk we'll,
neither privately nor publicly. 1t comes in
various ways to different people, being in
born in some, knocked into others by con-
tact with the world, and in q conversation
al way, in the case of still others, often ac-
quired by practice under disciplining cir
cumstances. Bearing upon all these i'll
the language, and his ready use of words.
In short, good conversaticnalists are born
as we'll as made.
With Unborn assurance and loquacity, no
one will falter in conversation, and, though
his part may not be we'll sustained, he will
these be added practice, an extensive
knowledge of the world. varied reading
and thoughtful intelligence, spiced with
story telling powers, person will shine in
conversation above most OF his fellows and
may pardonably take the lead in it. At the
guage is very limited, who has been SO
housekeeping that he knows little of the
world, who If timid and fears to trust him
self in the mazes of connected sentences,
and never has conversed much, will be a
failure. conyersatiqnally, no matter how
ia mean between these extremes, and
such We will ASSUME our correspondent
to be.
The average lady will gain confidence
when she finds herself constantly where she
needs it, and, with ordinary command of
conversational ability; but whether she may
hope ever to become a leader is doubtful
certainly not if she is in the presence of
gifted talker, though otherwise she may
train herself to take stand in the front
ranks among others. Practice must be per.
every opportunity to converse, and making
a study Of the matter. Newspapers should
be read thoroughly, for they supply sub
jects that are timely, and often much in
addition. Taking care to note the subjects
that may be conversed about, the reader
self with ready material for discussion.
The fresh and best literature of the day
outside of newspapers should be treated in
the same way.
Ladies usually narrate the incidents of
their life, both great and small, remote and
recent, feelingly and entertainingly, and
these may be depended upon for conversa-
tional stock, where proper. They should be
enjoined to acquire an intelligent compre-
hension of the affains of the town or city
where they live, of their state and even of
the nation, not only current events, but his
<np hrs Aha To-
keeping in good practice, will have q capital
start for conversational oonquests, and will
then be able to do we'll on higher plane Of
subjects Of more abstract and intellectual
nature. To sustain conversation of this
kind much reading of the best sort and con-
siderable study are necessary, the particu-
lars of which would need special article
for their treatment.
With all these preparations in gaining con-
|hdence, in practice and in providing the
|subject-rnatters, our correspondent ought to
become very good conversationalist. But
it should be remembered that one should
possess an art in conversation beside talking
THE art of making others talk. One who is
Ia genius in this social duty may monopolize
most of the time and SO charm his hearers
that they will be content to be silent; but if
|he is not genius he may make himself
|obtrusive and call forth unpleasant ortiz
S~A.AVy w SsAAAAS VAN AAoy 0VAAAA IA udAkcI III
finding none, a talented conversationalist
will ascertain their favorite and most famil-
|iar fields Of knowledge for purposes of entice-
|ment. Good suggestions of subjects
for others conversation are sometimes
more advisable for one than
taking the lead. However easy
conversation may be under other circum-
stances, the most unfortunate and unsatis-
factory attempt will be found to be in a
small assemblage, endeavor-
ing to sustain only one subject, when the
ought to be divided into groups,
bach engrossed with its own topics. Con-
|versational power, then, our correspondent
will find, may be acquired, even among
strangers, by one who is not gifted in this
particular, by assiduous attention to the
matter, by forcing confidence through max
ling demands upon it, by unremitting prac-
tice, by providing the materials i'll many
ways. and by attending to those arts and
expedients that make it possible for others
to take part in a conversation.-Good
Housekeeping.
Hoods Sarsaparilla has the largest sale of any
medicine before the public. Any honest drug
glst Will confirm this statement,
When You need a mild laxative You
should have a nnedicino that will aef on the