The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-09-23
THE shy GIRL.

THE SHY GIRL.
A letter the other day from "Shy
Girl" states that when she Is with
young people she does not know what
to talk bout. She is self conscious
and i'll at ease and feels that she lacks
attractiveness and drawing power.
Now, as matter Of fact, the girl
who is attractive in q crowd is the
one who has an answer ready, an
eager question, or who has the gift
of repartee, and I can understand how
Shy Grip must feel when she is with
those who are perfectly at ease.
Yet the knack of small talk is easily
learned. 1t consists largely in not try
ing to hold others to set subjects or
tempt to say brilliant things, but will
speak of the first thing that comes in
to her head she will find herself los
ing much Of her timidity.
One way in which she can teach
herself the art of small talk is by list
ening attentively to what other people
say. Usually such remarks are ex-
ceedingly commonplace. yet they serve
their purpose.
The next time "Shy GirI'' goes to a
dance she might take the decorations
of the room as her theme. isn't the
room attrctive? 1 like the grouping
of the college colors and the flowers,
don't your"
Or, How lovely the girls gown are
The styles are awfully good looking
this year, don't you think?" And If
she will follow this up with the chal-
longing glance and a But of course,
a man doesn't care about styles" she
will have her partner started, for all
men like to talk about the extravaL-
gance and freakishnes of modern
styles, even though they like to see
women wear them.
He will probably say that he does
not like the way girls do their hair.
and that most of the gowns are rot
ten," but she won't care, for she will
have found something about which he
can talk, and that is more important
than talking herself.
Or the weather may be used as
starter, thus: Did you ever see such
a rainy Cor dry or hot or cold) sea-
son? Why. last year we had-etc.
Don't you remember" Then he be-
gins, and probably disputes her mem
cries. He will try to prove that it
was dry when she thought it was wet.
and all she will have to do will be
to nod and smile nd keep him going
as long as she can.
At supper it is perfectly good form
to compliment the decorations Of the
table and the deliciousness of the
| u.
incidents that have happened in your
family-your own experience of max
ing your first salad or the day you
tried to make biscuits when your
mother was away, or the time you
made the soup and put in sugar in
stead Of salt These things sound
bare and bald on paper, but I know
many a tactful society woman who
grasps at such trivial things to keep
he ho1
OF course, If you are with intellec-
tual people you may talk of the last
book, the last play or of music and
art, but the average boy or girl does
not care for stilted subjects. They
don't want to be thought high brows'
If you know something of tennis and
baseball and football, all the better. I
know one young woman who made
herself so solid with a certain naval
cadet when she sat next to him at
dinner by her knowledge of football
that he fell in love with her at first
sight and their romance ended in
marriage. OF course, Shy Girl" can't
look ahead as far as that, but she
can at least train herself to say little
things in a pleasant way.
Don't worry If your subject is hack
neyed, for the people in the world
discuss commonplace constantly. A
little pleasant gossip about the other
girls and boys is always good filler
in" but this gossip should never de-
generate into criticism.
If "Shy Girl wants to be the center
of a circle she will keep her eyes
open for funny incidents that happen
in her daily routine. She will read
the newspapers to be in touch with
the things which other people are dis
cussing. and she will read a good
monthly magazine to keep her mind
toned up and free from habbiness, and
she will talk not only to the young,
but to the old, with the understanding
that practice makes perfect.