The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-11
The Art Of Conversation.

art Of conversation end they are eagerly
/ read by persons who like to be enter
] tanning and to make good appearance
I'm company There are opinions and optn--
! ions, as to what constitutes q good con
4 versationalist. or course, 1t Implies fa-
| miliarity With a variety Of topics and
4 the command OF a good vocabulary. 1T
\ implies ease Of manner, a musical voice,
q little wit. much lrinor, a talent for
story telling and above all the power OF
(adaptability. There are persons who can
| talk wei, to some persons, but not to
| other persons But the good convcrsa-,
| tionalist Is that man or woman who
knows how to be entertaining to old and
young, to ignorant persons as well as
TO educated persons, to the serious as
! we'll as to the light-hearted.
1t IS a broad subject, and 1t might be
pursued indefinitely. but that IS not our
purpose. We have made these general
observations by way OF directing atten-
ton to one OF the prime essentials OF a
good conversatonalist-th art Of listen
ing. It Is not uncommon to find fluent
talker, to find man or woman who has,
as we shy, the gift Of CAB, who can talk
ms. we also say. blue streak, whose
flow OF words, like the running brook
goes on fo}cver. But II Is not often that
We find a polite, intelligent and SYM
pathetic listener, person who looks yo,,
in the eye while you speak, listens to
all that YOU say, waits until Son have
quite finished and then makes apt re-
ply. In the very definition OF the word
&, conversation is two-sided, like Il game
at checkers or a game Of tennis. It is
play and play back and play back and
play. 1t also implies fair play. and while
each player is supposed TO do his part
and do his best on his side he must give
the other fellow chance to play when
his time comes. It also implies IN In
terest III the other follows play. But
many persons who claim to be good con-
versationnlists, or at least who desire
to make that impression, manifest great
interest in what they say, but I4,.ie in
terestin what the other persons say, and nd
it too often happens that they are alb
sol,ltely rude in their Interruptions. They
not only show no interest in what the
other persons are saying but they abb
solutely break them off in the midst Of
their remarks and arbitrarily take the
time that belongs to the vs-a-vis.
Sometimes you meet an acquaintance
and stop for moment to chat and you
say: IT have got a good story. and
you tell the story and tell It. tho best
you know how and bring out the point
and show tho funny side, and you nat
urally expect that your acquaintance will
enjoy the story and laugh with you. But.
bless your soul, before the story Is well
out Of your mouth, before You and he
have had good laugh together, he comes
back at you with another story, which
he says by Implication is better than
yours and then expects you 10 wait un-
til he is entirely through and split your
sides with laughter.
The art of listening Is the fine art Of
culture and good manners, and even
kindness OF heart. 1 is strange that peo-
pie who love to be popular should so
heedlessly neglect the cultivation of this
art There are so many takers and so
few listeners that one should cultivate
the habit Of listening, If for no better
reason than that Of being delightfully."-
and he is delightful. One Of the most
charming gentlemen IN this city OF Rich-
lnond-we shall not call his nalne-is ono
of the best informed men, one OF the most
brilliant coIyersationalsts, one Of the
best public speakers. a man who is al
ways listened to with respect and at
tention whenever he speaks, either in pri-
:vate or In public. But he is also the best
listener OF our acquaintance. lie Is al
ways respectful and considerate when en-
gagged in conversation. and il l,c starts
to speak and you interrupt him he imme-
diately stops, begs pardon, and gives the
most polite, attention to your rcma rk. 1t
must DO confessed that he is something
Of all oddly, but he is n most delight
ful gentleman in conversatlo and his sod
cicty is always agreeable He has learn
ed the fine art OF hearing with his ears
and understanding that which Is said and
always totihg fair in conversation. Hap
py are those who initiate his example.
Manual Training in Richmond.
Manual training has now become an
established feature Of the public school
curriculum OF Richmond, and the first
exhibit Of the work done In the schools
! was made last week at tho Central School,
When Ii. Is considered that manual train
| Ing has Just been introduced, and that the
teachers themselves had little kr no
knowledge OF 1t when the work was be-
gun. the exhibit at tho Central Is both
credtable to teachers md pupils and
gratifying to the friends Of that branch
OF Instruction. The teachers were coach
ed by Mr.. Julian A. Burruss. and under