The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
CONVERSATION AS AN ART.
r1USHT By a FOUNG WOMAN FROM
DENVER.

hAW ~
we'll, or Have Pleasant Voices - Her
method OF InStruotion-List of "Don'ts"
Another young woman has come out OF the
wat with a reform up her sleeve. Her hobby
Conversation as a Fine Art" and one nigh
,bink that the reformer would find fertile soil
IN her own native Colorado but she believes
hat New York needs her more than any other
,,art OF the country.
Tar scheme has philanthropic features and
nhoulA nnd q welcome In society. for she says
hat abe can not only teach women how to talk.
nut that she can teach them how to keep still.
~ abe can accomplish that and persuade the
women to put their knowledge into practice,
ahe will win the worlds gratitude; and II. as
abe intimates. she can teach pupils to tell their
,yn funny stories without smiling and to
tauRh at the other mans Joke. she will be en-
titled to a public monument.
Conversation classes and conversation clubs
have been plentiful as blackberries, since
woman. with q capital w. began going in for
self-culture: but the organizations haven't
altogether fulfilled their avowed purpose.
Ordinarily. the leader Of the class, or the
woman withthe gavel. has done the lion share
II the talking and. even II the other women
or girls do speak up and express opinions. they
do It in their own sweet ways and receive no
definite instruction in the art OF expression.
They may develop a propensity for talking
much. They may even learn to think more
clearly, but they don't learn to talk we'll.
Now this young woman from the West says
chat any girl. not an idiot. any woman ambitious
60 please, can become an ornament to CONVEX
,~ational circles. She adds that she is an illus
tration Of her theory Of development. II that il
10, the thing 10 n howling success; but one feels
inclined to believe that the Creator had q good
deal to do with making her q charming adver-
- 49, 1uatnp, Cha aaua that AZ
n young girl, she was difident, afraid to talk.
She had q good brain. received q college educa-
ton, travelled. and yet felt painfully conscious
that she did not appearto advantage in society.
or hold the attention Of the persons with
whom she talked. Being q girl Of force
and ambition with q mine inclined to
analysis and investigation. she set about ind
ing out what were her faults as q conversation
alist. She studied the women she met. tried
20 sec what each one lacked as q talker. and
what accounted for the charm in the conversa-
ton OF q woman who could interest and enter
ain others. or course. 1t was hard to formu-
late general rules from particular examples
each speakers individuality is so potent a fac
Tor In charm Of manner and speech. But the
student Of conversation found certain broad
Jules clearly defined. and collected IN immense
,und of information about possible converse
Jional faults and foibles.
THE hardest part Of the work." said the
apostle to the stupid when she talked to q re-
porter about her work. "was the application Of
the things l discovered to my own case. It 10
80 hard to Judge ones self fairly. but the ex-
pertinent interested me. and l had leisure and
Dnergy to give to It. 1 don't claim that 1 am o
brilliant talker now. but I have overcome great
natural disadvantages and taught myself to
ak fairly well. and l know that 7 can help
other women to correct their conversations
.aults and make themselves more agreeable
members Of society"
Don't you think the American women are
rood takers 2" asked the reporter.
Our women are clever. Many OF them are
entertaining. but only q few Of them talk well.
The fact is. American women usually talk too
much. They are vivacious and versatile. and
Used to attention. and they impose upon their
hearers. They are seldom good listeners. and
they say 30 much that what they say loses
weight. l lived in Europe for years. and had
excellent opportunities for studying national
characteristics In conversation. Tic French
woman OF intelligence seems to understand
he art OF conversation intuitively. One can
zee how the salons were possible in France.
.Aiter the French the Russian Polish women
are the most entertaining in Europe: and I
iound the Danish women very interesting.
Dut that Is due chiefly to the quality VI their
minds. while the French woman's converse
'ional charm is more a matter OF skill. and may
De ACQUIRED.
When l came to America I entertained my
Ielf by trying my theories on my two nieces.
One can impose upon ones own family with
5mpunity. you know. 1 found that it was with
The two girls Just as it had been with me.
They were learning a great deal. Their minds
we're growing. They had considerable prac-
lice In written expression. but they didn't talk
we'll. l undertook to remedy that fault, and
Fucceeded. That made a teacher Of me, and !
And the work absorbinRly interesting"
Where do you start with the average wo-
mani asked the reporter. The reformer
Aughed.
,,,L dent Dent say that I can teach every woman to
diligence. education. culture-but l can at
isSSSt teach 2 N not to talk, disagreeably.
raults and show her how to correct them.
that arg dissgTsssbie. But Of Which u the S'9 posi
IN ind that they ali have absurd peculiSIritiess
Ssn ceS' With 'H we'll ~ OF now SSe Hso nt t M In se All
2au.se With and, Some talk altogether, IN
,Eith ths positive degree; Some do, not finish
nnf thsir sentences, but leave them hanging in
hh HUI draSs e, are Snsb al ,,, little things; but there are
tracs from the charm OF conversation.
Inc nrst thing l do with a pupil is to teach
nor now she must not talk. After that l try to
each her to talk The American voice Is. as a
lu!e, aleSgreeable. and. to be a success in con-
neTeatiop. one must have q pleasant speaking
Y0iSe Care and patience will accomplish that
york. Then. many ome seem to think that
rnsy cannot uSe pure English without being
;nhy: Net one girl In a thousand .anishes
sonooi with q thorough understanding and
geidom nnd q pupil who doesn't need thorough
aTaL44 IN p%reclsioI and choice of words.
never teach classes. Both girls and Wo.
men are selt-eonscious In class. and I find that
better results by taking my, pupill
.n9IVldually; l spent five hours a day with the
w Snn Oh one Western Congressman during, one
nhe smiled reminiscently.
tn never had such an opportunity to test my
N.SSHem as | did that summer" she continued
hsn went to see that pupil the first time ]
Ky hhat had met my Waterloo, She did al
INC thlngS she ought not TO have done and LEFT
ahdone al things she ought to have done, in {
IIonssassu9nal way. Tho case really seeneG
Hnu sensible and ambitious. so we went t.