Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-09-05
pTHE LUXURY OF TALKING.
Some OF the, Substantial Benefits OF Cone
versation.

Ihere are rev pleasures more keen or
more invigorating than good talk in a
congenial company. The subject OF the
conversation matters not in the least
1t Is not the fox that constitutes the joy
of fox hunting: 1t 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
are very often we'll 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 fiercer 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 a pleas
ure. But perhaps the best of talk is
friends who know each other and each
others language we'll. 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 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 a 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
OH the knowledge that he already
possesses, and also to enlarge its boun-
aairies. 1t is by the process of contin-
ual experiment and sitting that mans
ideas are gradually crystalized into the
slear 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. desirous 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 worthy adj
versary as he receives from him in re-
turn.
| Lot 1o hot
igr orant of the conversational bore, or
wish to ignore his existence. There are,
1t is true, many people, who, like Thack-
erays 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. Their
pleasure is to indulge in an endless
monologue; they care nothing for their
listeners opinions, and very little Of
heir own; their delight is to hear the
sound of their own voices and it is SIM
ply for the pleasure of listening to that
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, and
can be made to listen to no other theme.
Or the man who looks upon difference
of opinion as an impertinence, and a
contradiction as gross insult. Or
again, the mere babbler. who pours
forth a 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,
a simple incontinence of words. Such
people do exist, and when met are best
avoided. But because they exist, and
because they talk too much, there is no
reason why the rest of the world should
remain silent. 1t does remain most
obstinately silent. Cricketers among
themselves will grow eloquent on the
subject of scores and matches; sports
men will draw not only upon their own
"reminiscences, but upon their imagina-
tions also, in dilating upon their favor
lite theme, racing men will display
before each other the incest knowledge
of pedigree and record; women will dis
cuss dresses and wearers by the hour;
: and vet, should any of these be invited
to share in subjedt of more general in
, terest, or to elevate their own subject
!. into higher sphere of generalities,
they will Immediately be dumb. When
they meet together in general society,
ard are forced to talk in uncongenial
surroundings, they can find nothing bet
ter to do than to mouth the well picked
bone of some public scandal, or repeat
= the idlest hearsay of the idlest gossip
Truly, conversation as fineart is we'll
. nigh dead-dead from sheer laziness
y and Indifference on the part of the
world Mt large, for it is certain thai
> there hardly lives man who has mo-
!. something worth saying, if he would
' only take the truble too say it. Chicago
e. Saturday Evening Herald.
I They VIII Not Touch Castor OIL.
: No sort of bird, beast or creeping
thing will touch a castor oil plant. Il
seems to be a rank poison to all the
animal world. Even goat will starve