The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-26
\ VIEWS OF
Y A WOMAN

7 AM INCLINED to think that women
| as Il rule are not good listeners
/ This thought may not be entirely
original. Ii does seem that l have
heard somewhere that they like to
have other people listen while they
| talk. 1t was an antedated individual
| who declared that Words are women;
| deeds are men,
| But it isn't so much that women
| like to hear themselves talk as that
| they do not pay attention when others
have something to say. You will notice
often in the midst of Il very interesting
| anecdote, told by some one who is a
| clever conversationulist, that II hostess
will break in:
Are you quite comfortable in that
chair:" or if at table, do have some
of the curry; it is from the recipe given
me by my grand uncle who was II sea-
captain A well-bred woman, too,
she is called. 1t must be so discourage
ing to the man who is trying 10 tell
the anecdote.
The society girl is frequently much
the same. When II man thinks he has
really caught her attention With some-
thing he is saying, she will suddenly
eXclaim: EXCUSE me" (she means
Pardon me" she wouldn't be excused
from the company for anything). "E.X-
cuse me, did you see those cunning lit
tie Japanese terriers at the bench
show last fall:" And yet she wants TO
be popular and II she is pretty enough
will be for Il time, but if she We're as
ugly as the proverbial hedge-fence she
could retain IL definite popularity by
simply seeming to be Interested when
someone is trying to say something
which he considers worth hearing.
The other day n man was telling his
grievances in this direction. He was
really quite sad about them.
I'm social failure" he declared
dismally, land ] do want to make
friends and be entertaining. don't
imagine that l was fore-ordained to he
a brilliant conversationalist, but it does
seem that l ought to be able to gain
Il hearing as we'll as some other fellow
can. Why I've tried the hardest to
interest lady I've happened to meet
n few times, he continued. I've act
ually studied up subjects that thought
would please her and have beamed at
her wistfully while I talked and sud-
denly l would realize that she wasn't
listening at all, but was looking at
man on the other side of her and drink
ing in his words instead of mine. |
wondered what on earth he could be
saying which was so fascinating and
this was It;
'Oh. Miss j, suppose you've been
out automobiling all the morning with
same of the society swells,' OF course
she hadn't because she doesn't know
the society swells, but she looked
pleased and flushed a little and said,
NOW Mr.. A, you are trying to en-
barass me. How cruel!"
"Now," went on the social failure i'm
gloomy tones, "I'll leave it to you to
tell me what is the trouble with me- I
know l was saying something interest
ing, and l know Miss j likes me well
enough. as well probably as She likes
the man on the other side, but l can't
seem to hold her interest and she is only
a type OF all the girls. There must be
something wrong with me and l often
hear the other fellows complain about
the same thing. III you don't try to say
something, but let the girls do all the
talking. they think you're a dummy,
and when you begin to chrp they wont