Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-24
The Biggest Letter in the Alphabet
BY VIRGINIA rERHUNE VAN DE WATER

BY VIRGINIA TERI
II may not be the biggest letter In size
but Il IA mentioned oftener than any
other. All Of US like TO speak n. The most
silent Of us will unbend and chat freely
IL some one introduces into tho converse
ton that sver-interesting topic-our-
selves.
A woman who was universally popular
was asked by a friend how she made
nero acqusintanees ike her, with 50
little apparent effort on her part TO
please. The popular woman replied
frankly.
Il encourage people 10 talk about them
selves. Ones self Is the subject Of which
one never tires. When ] meet . PERSON
who seems seems utterly impossible TO
me. make an opportunity to say TO him;
Now what do you think Of so-snd-sor
ana straIEhtway his tongue Is loosed. and
all have 70 do 10 10 listen"
Verify she was wise In her generation.
but how often she must have been bored.
We all remember the definition OF q
bore as "a man who talks 50 much about
himself and his affairs that he allows
you no time TO talk about yourself and
your affairs" And n a man talking OF
his busin9ss and his own special inter-
ests Is bore TO n woman. Just think how
q woman, whose conversation Is limited to
her own sphere or work must bore a
man
For, deny u as We may, there are more
things OF Interest to a woman In the life
Of the average man than there are OF
Interest to a man in the life OF the aver
age woman. We are often edited and
enlightened by hearing our husbands and
brothers and their friends discussing poll
ties. civic reform or the stock market.
We feel that we can learn about those
things from them and would be glad 10
know more about them. for they are oil
concern TO US women. But what man Is
interested In hearing OF THE trivial
round. the common task" Of honsework,
Of how the maid forgot 10 pot on her
white apron when she went 10 the front
door or how she ate all the huge ehoco-
late cake that was left from Sunday
nights supper. which should have lasted
for at least two more meals1 So long a.
the maid has dinner ready when he sets
home and II Is a good one, and there Is
something for him 10 eat that he likes
as well as he did the chocolate cake OF
delectahle memory. what does the man
care about the ito mml trivial details
that preceded the sausfse'ory resu's'
They are not part ana pareei OF ms
life as he sees IT, Ana, aueh oeins the
CASE. he "a bored by nearing OF .heni'
To avoid being bores we must learn u
get away from the personal SIDE OF thinks'
Men claim that Few women can 20 uns'
and We near oiien on men hps a's seos
Of the husband VINO remarked 10 ms we
that women made a personal mauer OF
every question introaucea' !" WHICH, s'A'e
ment his wife protested win. On, no.
John: all women don't ! don l. 40
The husband was sauSied. she hAa
proved the truth OF MS contention
Yes. one does get tired or the rs Don
you know how hard u u 10 get some
persons TO talk OF abstract suoleetsf DE
cussion OF such is delightful when per
sonaliues are ayo'dcdN ana sehefAlues
death with. But In group OF mar
dozen people Il Is aitilcuN 10 carry on
any line OF argument without hearing
some one begin 4 sentence with' wen
I know In my own case. That ETC IL
Is fatal TO freedom OF discussion.
or course. the In every ones NE IS
the all essential most Important letter'
This is as true as that seit-presertatlon
Is the first law or nature But We 90 not
keep this latter truth sppermost Nheh
miugling with other people. We do how
ever. bring ourselves and our feelings to
the front TO a veartsomo extent upon
many occasions.
This sxaItation OF the ego Is a source
Of much individual misery. No matter
how big ones own is nobody else il
going 10 think as much OF Il as does the
poSSeSsor. no, even the closest friend and
eonf,dant This ia. perhaps. one reason
xbv al many wives are dissatisfied and