The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-06-22
Small Talk.
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crape)


est" young man writes, land would
like YOU to advise me on the following:
Il am twenty-four years old, and find
il very difficult to talk and mix with
young people of my own age or younger
than |. don't seem to be able to make
general conversation, or small talk, as
it is called.
II have had good education, but
have never made intimate friends with
young folks.
'My brothers and sisters being older
than myself, J got used to going around
with them, and so find it much easier to
get along with older than with younger
people.
Il have met a very nice young girl
and take her to different affairs, but find
it hard to entertain her.
Can you tell me how to improve my
self?"
This young man is probably spokes-
man for large number who realize the
inconvenience of not being able to make
small talk"
Let it be said first of all that small
talk is not to be sneezed at. 1t is the
useful small change Of social intercourse.
To be without it is like shopping for
trinkets with only twenty dollar bill in
the pocket
A few hints, therefore, may be useful
to great many readers.
Rule l. To talk we'll at all you have
to be interested (D in your subject and
CD in the person to whom you are talk
| ing. The secret of good conversational
ability lies in your humanities, in your
heart You cannot talk well with any
one unless you like him, or can act as if
you like him.
The smallest talk in all the world, car
ried on with the greatest known enthu-
siasm and most marked success, is the
| tweet-tweet of two lovers. When he asks
her, Whose little precious dovey-wovvy
| is oo?" she thinks it is a most marvellous
and ingenious speech, and replies, Else
oorS's, deSs nobody elses but dess
oors'" II may not make hit with the
Certainly not Aucassin and NicoIette.
And the reason is that the two are
profoundly interested in each other. The
trouble with my correspondent and the
young lady he takes to different affairs
is that he is not enough in love with
her. If he were, he could talk as small
"as any sucking dove"
Rule 3 Small talk is mostly made up
of conventional phrases. It's a special
language, like French. Learn it. Accu-
mulate lot of the sayings you hear in
gentle circles, and learn to juggle them.
It's trick, and not hard Don't be
afraid of bromides
Rule 3. Morbidity, introspection, sea-
sitiveness, and self-consciousness, j
meaning much the same, are fatal to ear
pert conversational skill. Quit thinking
of yourself. Cultivate the Don't care"
spirit One way to do this is by con-
slant practice Another way is to get
drunk, which is naughty and not to be
recommended; still, it works-some-
times.
Rule 4. Don't take yourself, or any
thing else, too seriously. Touch every
subject lightly, impersonally. The
French, who are the best small takers
in the world, are masters here.
Rule 5. Avoid the. conversational kill
ers. which are % telling stories, (2)
arguing, and (3) trying to convince. A
story usually stuns conversation.
Another rule for those trying to make
small talk has also been tried often with
signal success. 1t is Rule 6. Don't.
MEXICO AND PRESIDENT WILSON
L. nha,ld he nndersiood that the real Mexico