The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-10-08
The ART OF LEAVING.
Don't Linger Too Long over Youl
Farewell

55itz : TIE Ah 81 Of' IuAVlNC.
Don't Linger Too Long Over Your
Farewell.
Do cultivate the art of leaving
promptly; even if you can't do it in
an artistic way, learn to do it some-
how.
Some peoples seem to be anchored
in the parlor when they pay call.
10 the flight of time and the near APP
proach of her hostess's dinner hour
this sort Of caller pays no attention.
Frequently she says, ooh must CO."
gets up. sits down again and goes on
talking. Presently she again says
that she must 60, gets up and contin-
ues to talk. She gets into the hall at
lengtha and talks there Finally the
anxious visitee, who hears the baby
crying upstairs, gets the door open
Tor her guest, who makes supple
mentary call upon the doorstep. ex-
posing the other to pneumonia At
lsst she descends the steps, and the
hostess precipitately retreats and
shuts tae door, for fear she will think
OF something else to come back and
say. ---.....z-
The writer once heard of woman
who, considerably chagrined at the
announcement OF a visitor whom she
knew had these staying powers justas
she was preparing to keep an impor-
tant engagement, decided to 20 into
the parlor with her bonnet on and ex-
plain her hurry. She even arranged
with her husband to come into the
room and "remind" her at the end Of
quarter of an hour. sz@-s.#
The guest did not take hint from
the bonnet beyond saying that she
would only stay few minutes but
when the reminder came she exclaim-
ed, ooh, then | must 20, of course"
stood up and remained talking several
minutes more, walked to the door
and stopped again. Atlast Mrs. R.,
In desperation, suggested that they
should walk along together as far as
they could. The visitor agreed, but
even at the corner where they parted
she stood talking long enough for Mrs.
K. to lose her train and her appoint
ment.
Shy and nervous young people have
the hardest time in leaving, and are
more to be pitied than blamed. Their
suffering is often great. They are Inn
pressed with the idea that the how is
OF more consequence than the what,
and they keep trying and trying to
lead the conversation up to. what
they think will be graceful depart
ure. They are wishing themselves
away great deal more desperately
than any one else can. They watch
Tor pauses in the conversation and
clear their throats to introduce some
variation upon Lemuel's II guess I'd
better be going" but they are never
quick enough. Somebody else begins
to speak, and they resign themselves
with sinking hearts to waiting anoth-
er ten minutes. $3.50
Still it Is not always the callers
fault that she does not go. Some
times 1t is the hostess who is the flu
ent person, who ends every sentence
with a rising infection, Indicating
that it is only suspended, and that
she is gong right on. In such case it
may appear to the caller as fit would
be rude to interrupt her, though she
may have heard the muffled tiptoeing
OF the rest OF the family past the par
Tor door and the subdued clatter of
CHINA from somewhere, and have a
painful suspicion that dinner or tea is
ready and they don't want to ring the
bell.
But there is one golden rule at least
that the caller may stick to. When
you once get up to go never sit down
again.