The herald., 1897-09-12
HOW TO Interest,
Hints Whereby Any Girl May
Become a Clever Con-
verSati0naliSt.

Many 4 would-be summer girl has
found to her sorrow during the season
that iE now nearly over that in spite of
all her natural and acquired beauty she
almost invariably fails to attract atten-
ticn in q company of young men and
women, while another with far fewer
physical attractions Is lioniEed be-
fore her very eyes. This is mortifying
in the extreme to any girl, and most Of
all to one who Is conscious Of Z comely
face and figure. The real secret of the
trouble is that she is not interesting.
Young men grow tired Of Just merely
looking at a pretty girl. They want to
have a good time and be entertained.
1t is too late, of course, to improve
oneself as a summer girl. All one can
do now-but that is even more impoe.
tant-is to prepare for the season soon
to open.
Young women who expect to enteR
society for the first time this winter viii
find 1t worth while to devote the inter.
vening months between August ana
December to the matter Of becoming in
teresting. for while beauty is 4 great aA-
vantage. the ability to entertain counts
for much more.
Said one young woman to anothePs
How envy you your gift of entertain-
ing! You always seem to have some-
thing bright and interesting to say. Peo-
pie gather around you at receptions and
parties and you are always in demand"
my dear. it is perfectly simple" she
said. ANY one can do it who possesses
the average degree Of intelligence Il
is merely matter Of proper arrange
ment Of ones forces. A general may
have twice as many men as the oppo.
site commander and be defeated, be-
cause they were not in the right place
at the right time. Train your forces to
be on call, my dear. If you want to be
able to talk. have something ready to
talk about. That is the whole secret.
ITO begin at the beginning: The in
PRODUCTION is a crucial test to many peo-
pie. Cultivate the habit of saying some-
thing that invites reply or causes q
smile. Anything will do when once you
get the trick Why, have made the
weather serve as a prelude to an enjoy.
able ten minutes conversation at Z re-
ception.
Il remember meeting q very solemn
person, last winter, who waited for me
to say something without any attempt
to be entertaining, himself. I said, very
seriously: VIII you be good enough to
give me your opinion on the weather as
a subject for conversation? am collect
ing views He looked surprised, as well
he might, and I went on: I think, youl
know. that we are really indebted to it
on such occasions as this
Now, that happened to amuse him.
He answered with an attempt at suit
able frivolity, and in moment we were
getting on beautifully.
"As regards chatting with people in
general, nothing Is easier. You have
two or three good newspapers every
day, and as many or more good maya.
zines every month. Those are amply
sufficient to post you thoroughly re-
garding the topics that are of interest
to people of your own SET Do not try
to absorb and digest the entire contents
at 'one fell swoop. Make a dozen diff
ferent lists for different occasions. OF
course, they are the stock subjects, but
they will serve to help you acquire self
possession, which is the principal point;
and before you know 1t, you will
find yourself expressing some original
thought that takes the topic out Of the
commonplace.