Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-10-09
THE LUXURY OF TALKING.
Some of the Substantial Benefits of Con
Nersation.

Some of the Substantial Benefits of Con
Nersation.
There are few pleasures more keen or
more invigorating than a good talk in q
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 talker cares to run the
subject down; the quarry once started,
the talker forgets everything in 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
ter, that it constantly changes shape
before the chase that follows, and they
who set out to hunt the stately stag
IRE very often we'll content, at the end
# 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 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 few
words are necessary to serve as scanty
stepping stones by which a friend may
nimbly leap across wide range OF
ones thought; whereas for stranger
it is necessary to build 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, it
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 mans
ideas are gradually crystalized into the
clear transparency and symmetry of
real wisdom. No school teaching would
ever make man talk well. All that
is required of him is that he should be
patient in listening. DESTROYS and quick
to learn, frank and honest in his reply;
and then if providence has given him
weapons to defend his position, wit and
eloquence sufficient to meet his oppon-
ent, he may taste the joys of a combat
by the side of which all other con.
tests seem fiat and Improbable, and
give as much pleasure to a worthy adj
versary as he receives from him in re,
turn.
Let it not be supposed that we arc
igr orant of the conversational bore, OF
wish to ignore his existence, There are,
it is true, many people, who, like Thack'
eray's friend, Mr.. Talbot Twysden
possess lawful powers of conversation.
But, in connection with such people, the
very word conversation" is out OF
place, They do not converse. Theil
pleasure is TO indulge in an endless
monologue; they care nothing for theil
listeners opinions, and very little o.
their own their delight is to hear the
sound of their own voices, and it is sim
ply for the pleasure of listening to thai
sweet music that will always be talk
ing. Again, there is the man with the
hobby, who rides it with unfeelinG
cruelty in season and out of season, ant
can be made to listen to no other theme
Or the man who looks upon difference
of opinion as an impertinencc, and I
contradiction as gross insult. O
again, the mere babbler, who pour
forth continuous stream of unmean
ing imbecility; such an offender is gen
orally a woman; in the case of a man
it becomes kind of nervous affection
simple incontinence of words. Sucl
people do exist, and when met are bes
avoided. But because they exist, an,
because they talk too much, there is n
reason why the rest of the world shoul
remain silent 1t does remain mos
obstinately silent Cricketers amon
themselves will grow eloquent on tn
subject of scores and matches; sports
men will draw not only upon their ow
"reminiscences, but upon their imagins
tons also, in dilating upon their favor
lite theme, racing men will displa
before each other the incest knowledg
of pedigree and record; women will di
cuss dresses and wearers by the houl
and yet, should any of these be invite
to share in subjedt of more general il
terest, or to elevate their own subiet
into higher sphere of generalitie
they will Immediately be dumb. Whe
they meet together in general societ!
and are forced to talk in uncongeni;
surroundings, they can find nothing be
!, ter to do than to mouth the well pickle
bone of some public scandal, or repei
the idlest hearsay of the idlest gossil
Truly, conversation as fineart is wei
nigh dead-dead from sheer lazines
and indifference on the part of tt
world at large, for it is certain thi
there hardly lives man who has nj
,, something worth saying, if he woul
only take the truble too say it.-Chicae
Saturday Evening Herald.
! They VIII Not Touch Castor Oil.
. No sort of bird, beast or creepir
thing will touch castor oil plant
' seems to be rank poison to all I'll