Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1899 — Art of Talking. [ARTICLE]

Art of Talking.

Of one thing there can be very little doubt, and that is the greater read.ness of women in conversation than men. A woman can create conversation, which 1b a very useful thing, and Is frequently found a great social difficulty. If we give a man a subject on which he knows anything at all, unless he be a fool or morbidly reticent, he can talk about it so as to make himself fairly intelligible, and perhaps interesting, to those for whom the subject has any interest at all. Men, when their feeling of enthusiasm is excited, throw off the slowness and hesitation which frequently cramp their power in society, just as they throw off the physical infirmity of stuttering under the Influence of some awakening theme or some strong sympathy. But the power of conversation In some women, and not always those of remarkable ability, Is the very art of making bricks without straw. They will talk to one by the hour about nothing—that Is, no particular subject, and with no particular object—and talk coherently and not foolishly, and, withal, very pleasantly all the time. It would be somewhat difficult, however, for the listener to carry away with him any mental notes of iwhat has been said. He may not be conscious of having gained any new ideas, or of having had his old ones enlarged, but he will rise and go his way, as one does after a light and wholesome meal, sensibly cheered and refreshed, but retaining no troublesome memories of the Ingerdients which have composed it.