Evening star., 1936-07-04
Concerning
BUSH eS S
Situations
Interruptions Must Be
Tactfully
Made.
BY EMILY POST.

DEAR MRS. POST: I've come to
the Disappointing conclusion that
must be one of the females one hears
men talk about as beautiful but
dumb; only unfortunately I'm not
even beautiful. Things are always
happening in the Office to make me
appear tactless. l am a stenographer
and take dictation from numerous ex-
ecutives in the company. The other
day. when returning to my desk to
transcribe important dictation. found
two of the other executives had stopped
at my desk to argue some problem. one
sitting on the chair and the other on
the edge of my desk. After waiting 10
minutes or more there seemed to be no
possibility of getting to my typewriter
without asking for my desk, Which I
did. Later the head of our general
Office told me that one of these men
had complained about the dumb
women he employs. What would you
say that ought to have done?
Answer: Certainly what you did
was not unreasonable; in fact. think
10 minutes was overlong to wait. If
they thought your interruption of
their conversation improper. might it
perhaps have been because your man.
ner was tactless? 1t seems to me that
had you waited for a pause and then
said. with the most appealing express
sion you could assume, Il am so sorry,
Mr. Smith but Mr. Jones is in a hurry
to have this work DONE" no one should
have found reason to complain.
Dear Mrs. Post: I am a musician
and often play at weddings in this pro-
fessional capacity. I, am large
woman and usually wear black, lace or
chiffon. trimmed in color. The mother
of a bride just told me. when asking
me to play at her daughters wedding.
that she preferred anything but
black dress since black is considered a
bad omen for those in the wedding
party. Playing professionally as I do,
I had never considered myself as part
of the wedding and never supposed
that my being in black had anything
to do with the lasting happiness of
any one. Truthfully. Mrs. Post, don't
you think it most suitable that make
myself as inconspicuous as possible,
which can be accomplished only by
wearing dark clothes. and why can't
my dark clothes be considered back
ground in the same way that those Of
the men are?
Answer: agree with you entirely.
Black is supposed to be bad luck only
for the members of the wedding fami-
lies and bridal party. Have you ever
thought of wearing stone gray dress
as a change from the black? This is
merely a suggestion because I have
noticed that people who are inclined
to be plump look just as thin in sheer
gray as they do in black.
Dear Mrs. Post: I've just broken my
engagement and would like to have
your opinion about some of the situa-
tions that are resulting, which ! do
not know how to handle. First, Jim
gave me a so-called hope chest" and
whenever he saw anything that he
thought might have a place in our
house he'd buy 1t and give 1t to me to
put in the chest. Also, recently he
gave me wrist watch and many other
gifts, which of course are less valu-
able than the watch. The only thing
I've given back to him so far is the
engagement ring. What about all
these other things? And do ! send
them back or ask him to come and
get them or keep them?
Answer-When engagements are
broken, all presents of intrinsic value
are returned. Engagement ring, al
ways; other ornaments, usually. Just
how much intrinsic value might be
put on sentiment is hard to deter
mine and I think the only solution
in your case would be to ask him
which things he would like to have
back and give him what he asks for
and keep what he wants you to have.
\ \ +
Dear Mrs. Post: When two people
of the opposite sex meet on the street,
isn't it considered the woman's pre-
rogative to speak first?
Answer-Formally. in America the
woman bows first; in Europe the man
bows first. In America, however, the
rule Is not considered important.
(copyright. 1936J