The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-05-09
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Every One Would Talk and No One
:, ~.@s Would Listen.s:~
From the. Broolzlyn Eagle.
BY some strange and unaccountable
oversight society has failed to set me
up as the arbiter of it's manners. Duite
naturally, therefore, it's manners are
going from bad to worse In fact, L
may say, society is rapidly becoming
mere association Of butters-in. Since
there may be some .old-fashioned folk
among my readers who do not under
stand the term. I will at once define
and Illustrate the butter-in by re-
iating a personal experience.
I was present at q little gathering
SO called, the other evening. J. had
been told that should meet some Of
the. very best" people in New York
there. You know, eggs and people are
CLASSIFIED after much the same fashion
in New York--there are "strictly fresh
eggs,' fresh eggs,' and "eggs," and
there are very best people," "best
people" and people," OF course. no.
body ever mentions the bad eggs in
either case. Well, since was to meet
some of the strictly fresh-no, I mean
some of the very best--I put on nv
finest raiment and polished up my
choicest company mann ars-manners
which, by the way, I learned in the
far and furry west.
had hardly o,.oeca1 +l,a 4l....I,,
| of the rubber room formerly called
drawing room) when I would have
given a years income for one peep
into a mirror all by myself. Had 7
forgotten to put on my necktie? Or
what was the matter with me that
everybody stared so and all WHISPERED
among themselves:
But there! l was going to tell about
the butters-in. pot about the rubber
necks. After the introductions l
drifted into quiet corner to get a
grip on myself, preparatory to diving
into conversation, but before I could
turn around I was accosted by a
Vivacious young woman-vivacity is
another word for gabbiness nowadays,
you know.
"Oh, Mr.. Brooks said she, with a
sort Of expiring look in her upturned
eyes, II am just dying to know what
your next book is to be about. Do tell
me-
I confess was not displeased at this.
It seemed to argue that fame had run
before me here. Yet I deemed it i'm
prudent to launch into so long as story
as she appeared to invite. So
thought to toss off a little bon mot and
let it go at that.
my next book" began, with a
smile which I always wear when Il
am about to say something subtle
my next book is to be about
"Have you finished it YETI" she
butted in.
Eyes; it is in the publishers hands.
It is to be about !:
"Oh, how delightful lis must be to
have a publisher!"' she 'butted in again.
II wrote story once, but
did you? What vast about % a.
Ban Is. l5p' a
.butted In. ~. I3ls :. .t,fl: 3E
"Oh, it was about :. y
what are you youngsters doing to
Mr.. Brooks %: stout, middle-aged
woman complacently butted in.
why" said Mildred, "he is telling
us all about his next book
There seemed to be ain opening for
my bon mot. so I fastened to shoot
it in before the gap should close. II
was merely going to say" I remarked,
that my next book is to be about"
It is needless to prolong this agony
There seemed to be something about
the corner that attracted all the but
ters-in. They came by ones, twos,
and butted, butted, butted in until
the primary topic was butted out Of
sight and out of mind under a tangled
mass of unfinished sentences. Every
body had something to say, but nobody
could wait until he said it.
I finally escaped, carrying with me a
resolution that I would get that bon
mot out of my system if it took all
summer So, here it is: I was going
to tell Mildred and the rest Of the
company that my next book was to be
about-350 pages.
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