Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-01
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

sometimes even in the home circle, the
man or woman who Is an expert at
changing the conversation deserves
medal.
1t must be G--ae naturally, however
Like SO many conversational tricks
II the fine hand of effort Is visible, that
fact alone ruins the enterprise. Women
are the real experts along this line
They are past masters at turning the
conversation to something else, direct
ing 1t into another channel, taking 1t
away from some dangerous or unpleas-
ant trail.
Should two people. then. refrain from
talking about a matter which interests
them, just because a third Is present?
Perhaps 1t does seem unjust to i'm
pose such a restriction upon them, but
that Is forgetting the ends Of CONVEX
antry of life; it should not be for gain
or for personal ends.
When one and one are walking along
the street, and one sees third party
with whom he wishes to talk about
some matter, he excuses himself to the
other, and returns to him as quickly
as possible.
Yet at table or theater or in general
society many make no effort to con-
slider the feelings of the third party,
but at once fall into personal converse
interesting and often unknown to the
third.
II the latter were as Indifferent as the
others to the usages OF polite society
he would turn on his heel and walk
away.
But no, he must sit and take it, just
because it would be rude of him. and
perhaps absurd Of him, to get up and
leave.
After all, no one can be responsible
for the bringing up" as the good old
phrase had 1t, of all the people one
knows Even II one were perfect in such
things, which one seldom is, one would
find it inadvisable to set up as general
mentor to mankind.
Every civilized man must be inter-
ested in good manners, however, and
often such will find himself nonplusSed
at the actions of other persons who
looked 10 be quite as well brought up
as himself
Small courtesies which one man will
extend to another are totally over
looked by a third. And the first, while
perhaps wondering at the other, would
be the last to charge him with being
! i'll bred.
! Even manners are in flux today. Men
no longer get up to give their seats to
unknown women in public vehicles, al
| though they commonly do it for women
with whom they are acquainted. Many
men refuse to take of their hats In
elevators, claiming that there is nc
sense in the custom, that the hat held
| in the hand tends to crowd an already
overcrowded vehicle.
There can be no doubt, however
about the status of this thing of one
and one talking before a third about
something with which he Is unac-
quainted.
Such an action is plain discour-
tesy.
1t shows a certain narrowness OF
mind on the part Of the perpetrators.
Often they are so self-centered, sc
scutely interested in themselves, that
they find it impossible to converse or
general topics.
Happenings of the day, events oi
past ages great discoveries. literature
music moralS-these and a hundred
other interesting topics move them not
| No, they must recall Nellie Jones
| who used to live in the third house from
! the corner OF Elm street. She is mar
ried now. (You never heard Of Nell
/ before, but you try to look interested }
Remember how her father chased the
! boys out of the watermelon patch? mo
! you do not) He was a great friend To
Bill Smith, who lived in the house on
/ the corner. etc, etc.
! You begin to wish Bill Jones and
Nellie Smith, or whatever their names
are at the bottom Of the sea. If they
| would talk about Indy, now.