The Washington herald., 1912-11-09
sy FRANCES sHAFvER.

We read awhile ago of very select
school" In this city. presided over b
young woman of culture and experi.
ence. prepared to coach backward folk
in the gentle art OF "snalI talk" and
other things essential in the social realm.
And as We read We felt quite sure
that It must be a very clever young
person who could inspire one not ''to
the manner born" because We had n.
ways believed that II that branch Of the
art Of conversation did not drop from
the gentle hand OF nature It was
scarcely likely to drop at all. For when
it comes to making talk. just to add to
the glitter and pleasant e6erveocence
Of social affair. there arc plenty Of
really bright men and women who ap-
parently have not an idea in their heads
And they sit back in the corners.
where the "wall-fiowers'' thrive. Some
times the social world thinks they are
insunerably stupid and sometimes they
listen to the small talk they cannot
achieve, and declare 1t all an intolerabls
bore.
Help 0nly Temporary.
But the fact remains that IL one
would be quite at ease. quito popular
and self-poised IN ''the gay and festive
scenes" It 10 important to 60 equip
ped with a fund of small talk that II
not easily exhausted. It helps tide over
many an awkward occasion. makes ono
pleasant, chatty. and altogether compan.
ionable-for a little while.
But the question TO- can one keep it
up. year after year. make and enjoy
the small talk and still find time. and
inclination too. for the deeper thoughts
and purposes that come when there II
something to inspire them.
1t may be wrong. because 1t takes
all sorts to make up the world. but
one does not expect to see men and
quite so much for the gathering where
nothing but small talk thrives. That
does not mean that they do not care
at all, but that It fails to satisfy
1t was a few days ago that a young
woman unwittingly listened to a con-
versation between two middle-aged folk
who had grown in years but nothing
else. 1t was a man and woman and
they talked as II they had just made
their bow In the social world. They
spoke Of big receptions. Of little affairs.
Of festive teas and Of coming treats. and
through 1t all there was the nervous
strain to appear bright and quick at
repartee that ought to be over with the
passing Of debutante days.
Year Spent Unwisely.
And the young woman leaned back
and asked herself II 1t could be true
that they really cared SO much or IL
1t was just their way Of making talk.
And. though she had wished that she
might shine when small talk was going
round. she wished rather more to grow
interested in things that were worth
while. And as she looked at those mid
dle-aged folk. heard their talk. their
hopes and all. 1t seemed that they could
not have spent the years very well. else
they would have outErown some of their
ways Of spelling play.
She knew. or thought she knew, that
she never would grow too old to want
her play hours, her times Of being easy.
and just frivolous IL she
liked. But somehow she could not think.
with any degree of pride, OF seeing the
years go on and on and leaving her still
at the threshold Of intellectual
growth.
And she wondered IL it could be possible
that those middle-aged folk had devel-