The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-09-05
THE LUXURY OF TALKING.
Some of the Substantial Benefits OF Con
yaraatinn.

Some of the Substantial Benefits OF Com
versatlon.
There arc few pleasures more keen or
more invigorating than n good talk in
congenial company. The subject of the
conversation matters not in the least.
1t is not the fox that constitutes the Joy
of fox hunting; it is the excitement of
following him. So, in conversation,
no really good tallser cares to run the
subject down; the quarry once started,
the tallter forgcts everything u the
excitement of the chase, over hill and
dale, plowed field and fallow; and glo-
ries only in the bigness of the intellec-
tual fences that he clears in his course
SO little, indeed, does the subject mat
tor, that it constantly changes shape
before the chase that follows, and they
who set out to hunt the stately stag
are very often well content, at the end
of many hours, TO have run down the
humble hare. The pleasure, like most
of our pleasures, consists in the contest
of skill, force and endurance, and the
hotter the contest, the fercer its de-
light. Even in the exercise alone of
our faculties, of the powers of memory,
reason, and eloquence with which we
may have been gifted, there is Il pleas
ure. But perhaps the best of talk is
that which takes place between old
friends who know each other and each
others language well. Such talk is
swifter, goes farther, and covers more
ground than any other. Only a few
words are necessary to serve as scanty
stepping stones by which friend may
nimbly leap across a wide range of
ones thought; whereas for stranger
it is necessary to build a substantial
bridge of explanation and argument in
order that he may arrive at an under
standing of ones meaning. Many, too,
are the uses of conversation. Besides
obliging man to formulate his know
ledge, and to exercise those faculties
which would otherwise soon rust and
actually decay from want of use, il
helps to strengthen or throw doubt up
on the knowledge that he already
possesses, and also to enlarge its boun-
dairies. 1t is by the process of contin.
ual experiment and sitting that a mans
ideas are gradually crystalized into the
clear transparency and symmetry Of
real wisdom. No school teaching woulC
ever make man talk well. All tha
is required of him is that he should b,
patient in listening. desirous and quicl
to learn, frank and honest in his reply
and then if providence has given hin
weapons to defend his position, wit anC
eloquence sufficient to meet his oppon
ent, he may taste the joys of a comba
by the side of which all other con
tests seem fiat and Improbable, anC
give as much pleasure to a worthy ad
, versary as he receives from him in re
turn.
Let it not be supposed that we arr
) ignorant of the conversational bore, o
wish to ignore his existence. There are
it is true, many people, who, like Thacll
, eray's friend, Mr.. Talbot Twysden
possess lawful powers of conversation.
] But, in connection with such people, tn
very word conversation" is out o
I place. They do not converse. Thei
pleasure is to indulge in an endles
I monologue: they care nothing for thei
t listeners opinions, and very little O
!. their own; their delight is to hear tn
e sound of their own voices, and it is sim
I ply for the pleasure of listening to tina
= sweet music that will always be talk
ing. Again, there is the man with tn
n hobby, who rides it with unfeelin
|. cruelty in season and out of season, an
/, can be made to listen to no other theme
II Or the man who looks upon differenc
IS of opinion as an impertinence, and
h contradiction as a gross insult.
e again, the mere babbler, who poui
Y, forth continuous stream of unmeal
ID ing imbecility; such an offenderis gel
A. orally a woman; in the case of maj
y it becomes kind of nervous affection
te a simple incontinence of words. Sue
10 people do exist, and when met are be
a avoided But because they exist ar
is because they talk too much, there is I
as reason why the rest of the world shou
e, remain silent. 1t does remain mo
ly obstinately silent. Cricketers amor
themselves will grow eloquent on IL
re subject of scores and matches; sport
te men will draw not only upon their ov
st "reminiscences, but upon their imagin
. tions also, in dilating upon their fave
gh ite theme, racing men will displf
til before each other the incest knowled
yh of pedigree and record; women will d
c. cuss dresses and wearers by the hou
IN and yet, should any of these be invit
10 to share in subiedt of more general
,s terest, or to elevate their own subie
- into higher sphere of generalitit
le they will Immediately be dumb. VIII
they meet together in general societ
ed and are forced to talk in uncongeni
re surroundings they can find nothing be
" ter to do than to mouth the well pick
le bone of some public scandal, or repe
,d the idlest hearsay of the idlest gossi
~ Truly, conversation as ineart is we
!" nigh dead-dead from sheer lazine
N and indifference on the part of t
'h world at large, for it is certain tn
es there hardly lives man who has n
n something worth saying, if he wou
Id only take the truble too say it.-Chica
hs Saturday Evening Herald.
TORTURE IN JAPAN.