The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-05
MEN, WOMEN
 Z AND THINGS

Are you close observer? I mean do you take in things as you pass by? am not talking about windy days, but am trying to find out if you are ob- servant.
 ! Now first-class reporter is expected | to keep his eyes and his ears open, and free from colds so that he can scent news
 l But the large part of our knowledge enters through the eye gate, and there | fore it is we'll to make 1t a study to keep your eyes "skint,'' that is if you ! hope to be able to walk through life | without falling into pit holes. It is said that one of the greatest of all the sleight of hand performers, the man who did many marvellous feats, trained not only his hands but trained his eyes until they became almost micro scopic and took in every detail of a scene.
 I remember my father telling me how in bringing up his son to follow in his profession that he used to make him walk past window and glance in and then try and tell the number of things he saw. He made him do this until with one swift glance he could catch every article exhibited. Now quickness of perception is an as- set in any business and follows close or retention as one of the surest roads to success. As both are susceptible to cultivation they ought to be instilled along with the ability to tell about what they have seen ana remembered.
 When I was boy I had playmate who could go to the theatre and watch a play and then the next day make it as vivid to me and his other companions as if we had been present. He carried many of the lines of his memory. He could give the stage setting and make the characters act before our eyes.
 
 pie is they get into ruts and see only the things which appeal to them and thereby narrow and limit their vision. Specialists are needed, but men who are interested in more than one line are us- ually the pleasantest ones to meet so- range.
 
 Somebody wrote an essay on the Lost Art of Conversation" Man being a so- cial animal and having to make him self agreeable ought not to despise the ability to converse with ease on the topics of the day, for after all when people come together in society it is to spend the time in free and easy intercourse.
 Few men are good conversationaists. something about everything was looked upon in the best drawing rooms as heavy. if not something of a bore, for he did not know how to converse, but was past master in orating. I have friend in public life who can't talk to more lildil Oile pclSOu WlliiOut SpCcCll.
 The salon reached it's highest among the French, and it was the women of Paris who made of conversation an art. Now the historic salons came before my ,Parisian days. but at least one fingered over during my student days in the Latin Quarter, made famous in Trilby, and I used to greatly enjoy the bril- liant takers who gathered on Saturday nights
 I began by talking of the ability to sec and before I knew it I was going oft at tangent about conversng. 1 had like the balance of the men ill Birming- ham to get a work card l was passing through the business office and Mir. Null lins, the general manager, said; "Parson, I can save you the trouble of going to the city hall to procure your card as have some here''
 He kindly offered to fill one out for me. and I answered all of the questions, until it came to the ones relating, if any. physical disabilities, please state them. MT. Mullins was writing as I was giving them in. I said: Put me down as par tially blind," and he did so. I said: Put me down as partially deaf,' and he did so. I said Put me down as partially dumb" Not on your life he flared up. for I haven't been to public place since the war began that you weren't on your feet talking"
 I will admit that my longsuit is talk ing rather than seeing. and yet to be truthful, when pr. Anderson, the great Yale measuring expert. was testing me before I could use the gymnasium, after spending an hour in charting me, he handed me the card and said: II give you a perfect score. I have nothing to recommend If you care to strengthen the neck muscle you might use machine No 372, but it isn't really necessary. 'sis that all I need9r I replied. Yes said he That is all" "All right I an swered, if that is all the matter with me l will bring it out by rubberneck- ing.
 Now all Of this story came about by my having passed at least dozen times a day a pear tree in a lot between Tne Age Herald and the Tutwiler without ever knowing there was any fruit on it until the other day I saw two of the boarders out in the yard with stick knocking